SCHENECTADY, NY -- Emily McGrail scored three goals and
Natalie Sullivan added two scores to lead Union College to an 11-5 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Friday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field. The Dutchwomen improved to 10-3 overall and 8-0 in the Liberty League, while the Engineers fell to 6-7 overall and 4-3 in the league.
With Skidmore's 11-10 win at William Smith Friday, the Thoroughbreds improved to 7-1 in league play. Thus, the winner of the Skidmore game at Union for Senior Day Saturday at 3 p.m. will decide the Liberty League regular season champion and host for next week's tournament.
Union's
Maggie Comiskey, ranked tied for 20th in NCAA Division III in assists, had two to give her 38 on the season. Union got single goals by Comiskey,
Jackie Hagopian,
Haley Gould,
Ciara Dudeck,
Cailin Pandolfi and
Allison Horst. Hagopian and
Jessica Farland added assists.
Kim Grinhaus made five saves in the net with eight ground balls for the Dutchwomen. Gould had five draw controls and five ground balls.
Erin DeLucca scored two goals for the Engineers, who had single scores from Meg Colitz, Sophie Hager and Jamie Wakefield. Erin Amarello stopped nine shots for RPI. DeLucca recorded five ground balls and Maeve Conway caused four turnovers.
Union outshot RPI, 27-14, and had a 27-21 ground ball advantage. Union was 11 for 15 on clear attempts and RPI was 10 for 23 in clears. Union converted three of five free position shots while RPI was 0 for 1. Union forced 25 turnovers and RPI forced 19.
Union scored the first three goals of the game in 5:36, but RPI got on the board at 19:38 before the Dutchwomen tallied the final five of the half over a span of 18:58 for an 8-1 halftime lead. It was 9-2 after a McGrail goal with 21:14 left but RPI pulled closer on goals by Colitz and DeLucca to make it 9-4 with 17:06 left before Union tallied the next two for a seven goal advantage with 13:32 to play.
McGrail scored her 40th goal of the season with 13:32 left, and now has 156 career points to rank 10th all time at Union. Her 135 career goals ties her for eighth with Nina Mandel '03 in Union career rankings.
