ALBANY, N.Y. – Behind a match-high 17 kills from junior Gillian Gore, the Union College women's volleyball team picked up a 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-19, 25-11) victory over The Sage Colleges in non-conference action on Thursday night.
 
Gore led all players in kills and digs on the evening, adding a match-best 21 digs to her 17-kill performance. Classmate Lara Atalay also had a double-double with 11 kills and 16 digs, while freshman Denesha Lafontant responded well to her first collegiate start with eight kills on .429 hitting and a match-best five blocks.
 
Senior Maegan Teets and freshman Haley Kresch split the setting duties, with Teets chipping in 20 assists, four kills and five digs, and Kresch adding a match-best 22 assists, three kills and a pair of blocks.
 
Union never trailed in the opening set, recording 13 kills in taking an early lead. Gore put down four kills and freshman Sofia Barth added three of her own as the visitors took four of the first five points and never looked back.
 
The Dutchwomen again had 13 kills and seven errors in the second stanza, but a six-point deficit proved to be just too much to overcome. The visitors shaved the lead down to one at 22-21 after an ace by junior Kaylee Velasquez, but two Union errors helped give the set to the home team.
 
Atalay led the way for Union in the third set, as she accounted for seven of the team's 16 kills on the way to a 2-1 lead. Her seven put downs were more than all Sage players combined (five). Union then jumped out to an early lead in the fourth on the way to closing out the match.
 
Union will return to action on Saturday, when the Dutchwomen host their final tri-match of the season beginning with a noon match against SUNY Brockport at the Viniar Athletic Center.