SCHENECTADY, NY – The Sage Colleges outscored hosting Union College 16-7 in the opening quarter, and used that advantage to pick up a 59-47 non-conference victory over the Dutchwomen on Saturday night at the Viniar Athletics Center.
 
Junior Nicole Conley led the way offensively on the afternoon for Union (2-4), as she poured in a game-high 17 points on 6-of-20 shooting, also grabbing eight rebounds, posting four blocks and five steals. Junior Sophie Borg also posted nine points and a game-best 13 boards for the Dutchwomen.
 
The visiting Gators (5-2) started the contest hot from the floor, posting the first 10 points of the game over the first 4:17 after a fast-break lay-up from Emily Parslow.
 
Union posted the next five points on a trifecta from Lily Abarbanel and a lay-up from Jenni Barra, but Sage closed the opening stanza with six of the next eight points.
 
The visiting Gators grew their lead up to 16 points twice during the second quarter, before taking a 15-point edge into the halftime break at 32-17. Conley led the Dutchwomen with six points in the first half, while Barra added five points over the first 20 minutes.
 
In the second half, Sage grew its lead up to as much as 21 points at 2:25 left on a three from Parslow, but Union closed the quarter on a 12-1 run thanks to six-points each from Borg and Conley to make the score 44-32 heading into the fourth.
 
In the final quarter, Union continued to battle back and got as close as eight points twice, the latest with 7:48 remaining on a pair of free throws by Borg. The Gators, though, would put the game away with an 11-1 run to seal their fifth win of the season.
 
Barra chalked up eight points and two steals for the Dutchwomen, who shot 26.2 percent (16-61) from the floor on the afternoon. First-year guard Corina Lindsay added five points, while Elly Vaughan chalked up seven rebounds as well.
 
Sage had three players in double figures, led by Kaitlyn Bowman and Gessica Patregnani with 13 points apiece. Genevieve Schoff also posted 11 points and seven rebounds, while Parslow added nine points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Gators, who shot 42.3-percent (22-52) from the floor including 5-of-11 (45.5-percent) from downtown.
 
Union is now off for the next three weeks before heading north to battle the Pioneers of Utica College, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. in Utica, NY.