GENEVA, NY--Molly Flanagan and Kathy Dolezal each scored three goals as Union defeated Hamilton, 13-8, in a semi-final game of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament.
The Dutchwomen, who improved to 13-3 overall, will play top-seeded William Smith Sunday, May 2, at noon. The Herons rallied to defeat Skidmore, 13-12, and improve their overall record to 15-1. The tournament champion earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III championship tournament, which will begin next week.
Union, playing without the services of junior defender Liz Flanagan, who injured her knee in the regular-season finale last Tuesday, limited the third-ranked Continentals to just 16 shots on goal. Sophomore goaltender was credited with eight saves for the Dutchwomen.
Earlier in the day Union placed six players on the UCAA All-Conference team. Attack woman Kathy Dolezal, midfielder Molly Flanagan and defender Corinne Hennessy were all selected to the first team while attack woman Julia Davis, midfielder Tanya Davis and defender Liz Flanagan picked up second team honors. (please go to: http://www.ucaasports.org/awards/wlacrosse for the complete team).
Tied 5-5 at the half and 6-6 with 26:58 left to play, the Dutchwomen broke the game open by scoring the next six goals to take a 12-6 lead with 10:50 left to play.
Stephanie got Union going by scoring her fifth goal of the season before Flanagan found the back of the net for the 57th time this year and Julia Davis netted her 29th goal with 18:01 remaining. Flanagan, who now has 202 career points (including a team-record 153 goals) for third place the Dutchwomen's all-time scoring list, made it 10-6 with 17:14 left before back-to-back goals by Robyn Ross, her ninth, and Dolezal, her 41st of the season, gave the Garnet its six-goal advantage.
Hamilton scored consecutive goals by Liz Longley to pull within four, 12-8 with 6:38 left in the game, before Flanagan iced the win with her 59th goal of the season.
The first half was a good defensive battle that saw both teams scoring come in streaks. After Dolezal had given Union a 1-0 lead, Hamilton scored back-to-back goals to take its only lead of the game with 23:11 showing. The Dutchwomen answered the challenge with four consecutive tallies by Stephanie Cronan, Molly Koch, Alexandra Toney and Dolezal for a 5-2 advantage with 6:17 left in the half.
Hamilton, which had dropped a 12-9 decision to Union during the regular season, came right back with the final three goals of the half. Longley's tally with 2:27 remaining enabled the Continentals to take a 5-5 tie into the break.
Hamilton finished the game with a 25-24 overall shot advantage while Union finished with a shot on goal margin of 17-16. The Dutchwomen finished with five more ground balls, 31-26, while both teams won 11 draw controls.
