SCHENECTADY, NY -- Senior
Nicole Merigliano scored a career high four goals to lead the Union College field hockey team to a comeback 6-5 field hockey win over St. Lawrence University at Frank Bailey Field Friday.
The Dutchwomen, who trailed 3-0 just under 27 minutes into the game, improved to 4-8 and 1-2 in league play. The Saints fell to 3-7 for the season and 1-2 in the LIberty League.
Merigliano had four goals and eight shots. Union outshot the Saints, 25-22, and St. Lawrence had a 10-8 advantage in corners. Nicole Matos made 11 saves for the Saints and
Molly McCune stopped eight for Union.
St. Lawrence opened the scoring at 5:19 when Ali Ferenczy took a corner pass from Lizzy Saward and shot it in the left side for her second of the year. The Saints made it 2-0 over seven minutes later as Kate HIggins notched her first of the season. Her goal at 12:52 came through a crowd, a sweep shot inside the right post. At 26:47, Saward notched her fifth of the fall and St. Lawrence was up, 3-0. A shot from Ferenczy was tipped by Saward.
But Union stormed back to tie it with three scores in a span of just 1:20. All three were scored by Merigliano, who notched her second hat trick in the month. Her eighth of the year came off a rebound of her own shot at 32:45. At 33:38, she picked up a loose ball and banged in #9, and then completed the natural hat trick at 34:05 with a backhander from 15 yards out on the far left of the cage.
Union took the lead for the first time with 29:59 left in the second half. Merigliano took a quick pass from
Meggie Ferrari and shot it in for her fourth and #11 of the fall. The Dutchwomen added insurance at 47:53 on Ferrari's third of the season. She took a pass from
Ali Flake on the left of the cage just under 10 yards away for a 5-3 Union lead.
The Saints got back to within one (5-4) when Samantha Haab's drive from five yards out found the back of the net, assisted by Ferenczy with 17:55 left in the second half. The goals kept coming at 59:01 from Union's
Allison Troy on a pass from Ferrari for a 6-4 lead, then the Saints at 61:19 on a Grace O'Neil score to get the vistors back to within one.
Union continues Liberty League play Saturday at Bailey Field when the Dutchwomen host Skidmore at 5:30 p.m. St. Lawrence continues league play Saturday at 2 p.m. at Vassar.