SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - The Union College women's basketball team closed the game on a 14-2 run to come back and defeat St. John Fisher College by a 56-52 score in a thrilling non-conference contest on Saturday evening at the Viniar Athletic Center.

Playing at home for the first time this season, Union (1-1) put together an excellent defensive effort to come away with the victory. The Cardinals missed seven of their last eight shots after also were forced into four turnovers in the final 5:53 of the game, as Union tightened up the defense and did just enough on the offensive end to earn its first win of the season.

Senior Nicole Conley had an excellent all-around game for the Dutchwomen, posting a big double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds to go with five blocks and four steals. Junior Elly Vaughan just missed a double-double with nine points and nine boards as well to lead the home team.

Union jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and led for the entirety of the opening quarter, but the middle two periods were not kind to the home team, as Union combined to shoot 4-of-21 in the second and third quarters to allow the Cardinals to maintain a lead. One of Union's keys to hanging around came due to its frequent visits to the charity stripe, with the home team sinking 17 shots from the line over the first 30 minutes.

St. John Fisher (3-2) led 50-42 with 5:54 left in the game before Union finally made its move. Conley singlehandedly dug the Dutchwomen out of the deficit on the offensive end, sinking a pair of threes and then draining a pair of free throws to tie the score at 50 with 2:47 left. Vaughan then put Union up for good with 65 seconds left, hauling in an offensive board and sinking an and-one jumper to make the score 53-50, before a pair of free throws from sophomore IreLee Ferguson helped to clinch the game.

Union did not shoot the ball particularly well from the field, hitting at just a 28.6 percent (14 for 49) clip on the evening, but the home team got to the free-throw line 33 times and hit 23 (69.7 percent) to tough out the victory.

The Dutchwomen are back in action on Tuesday, when the team heads into the city to take on Lehman College beginning at 6 p.m.