Schenectady, NY – Leading by just one goal after the first half, Union (3-1, 2-0) pulled away with eight in the second on its way to a 14-9 Liberty League win at home over Rensselaer (2-3, 0-2). Sophomore Caitlin Cuozzo (Norfolk, MA/King Philip Reg.) scored the game-winning goal early in the second half as part of a 5-0 Dutchwomen run that helped the team earn its third straight win. Cuozzo finished with three goals on the afternoon. For the second straight game junior Stephanie Cronan (Marblehead, MA/Marblehead) led all players with five goals and added a pair of assists.

 

Cronan got Union on the board first in the opening three minutes of the game. She collected a ground ball and raced down the right sideline before breaking in on goal and firing a shot in front past Rensselaer goalie Gianna Casale at 2:33. Natalie White countered for the Red Hawks 12 seconds later. After Kate Phillips controlled the draw White gained possession and crashed the Union zone to fire a low shot past goalie Rachel Beckman (Needham, MA/Needham).

 

Union regained its lead less than two minutes later when Cronan converted on a free position attempt which was followed by a goal from Cuozzo at 13:17 to make it 3-1. Cuozzo took a feed in front from Alexandra Toney (Bayville, NY/Locust Valley), who was on the right side, and faked a high shot before beating Casale low.

 

Kerri Clark responded with an unassisted tally 30 seconds later to bring Rensselaer back to within one. Toney scored two of Union's next three goals to widen the gap at 6-2.

 

The Red Hawks closed out the first half with three unanswered goals of their own to trail by just one goal at 6-5. Kerri Clark scored at the 5:02 mark and Phillips and White scored within 42 seconds of each other with less than two minutes to play. Phillips got her first of three goals with a low shot on Beckman after coming across the front of the goal from the left side and taking a pass from Rebecca Primm.

 

The two teams traded goals at the beginning of the second half beginning with Cronan's at 1:26, followed by Clark's strike just 53 seconds later. Union went on its five-goal run after that to break away from Rensselaer. Cuozzo and freshman Liz Zamore (South Hero, VT/Esssex) each scored two goals during the run.

 

Rensselear scored a pair of goals to end the Union outburst but the Dutchwomen came right back with two of their own.

 

Beckman made four saves for Union in the win. On the other side Casale stopped 11 shots in the loss.

 

The Dutchwomen held a 32-15 shot advantage and a 17-8 edge in draw controls.

 

Up next Union hits the road to face Middlebury on Tuesday, March 28 at 4:00 p.m.