SCHENECTADY, NY – Despite keeping the No. 3 team in the nation tied at 1-1 through 40 minutes of play, the Union College women's hockey team ended losing to Clarkson, 5-1, on Friday night at Messa Rink.
 
The loss moves the Dutchwomen to 4-11-2 on the season with a 3-4-0 mark in ECAC Hockey play, while the Golden Knights improve to 16-3-1 (7-2-0 ECACH).
 
Freshman netminder Coco Francis made a career-high 57 saves in the contest, as Clarkson out-shot Union 62-19 – it was the most shots a Union goaltender has faced in a games since Nov. 15, 2014 when Quinnipiac had 63 shots on net. Francis recorded a .934 save percentage on the night, only conceding four goals on 61 shots, as the final goal Clarkson scored was on an empty net.
 
The Golden Knights got on the board first, scoring at the 12:19 mark of the first period. The lead wouldn't last long, however, as the Dutchwomen responded less than three minutes later to tie the game back up.
 
Caitlyn McLaren took a shot from the point and Clarkson Shea Tiley left the rebound out in front of her, which was quickly pounced on by Katelyn Russ. The sophomore forward buried the second-chance puck for her team-best seventh goal of the season.
 
Union then skated with the defending national champions for the rest of the first period and the length of the second, despite being out-shot 45-16 through the first 40 minutes.
 
However, in the third period Clarkson broke through the staunch Union defense, and scored four goals before the final buzzer, including one on a power play and one on an empty net.
 
The Dutchwomen return to Messa Rink tomorrow to host No. 8 St. Lawrence at 3 p.m. (ET).