SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team twice came back from a set down to even the match, but the Dutchwomen came up a few points short in the decisive fifth frame in suffering a tough 3-2 (25-17, 22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 15-6) defeat to Skidmore College on Wednesday night.
 
Union (7-8, 0-3 Liberty League) battled hard against the Thoroughbreds, with four players reaching double figures in kills. Junior Gillian Gore led the team with 15 kills and five aces to go with 17 digs, while classmate Lara Atalay also had a double-double with 13 kills and 16 digs. Juniors Katie Moss (12 kills) and Stephanie Libonati (10 kills) both reached double figures as well.
 
Junior Sage Shimamoto had 42 assists and also added five kills on the night, while fellow junior Kaylee Velasquez chipped in a match-best 25 digs.
 
After dropping the opening set, Union came back strong in the second stanza, hitting .324 and limiting Skidmore to .080 hitting to even the match. The visitors led for most of the game, but Skidmore (7-7, 2-1 Liberty League) battled back to tie the score at 22 before Libonati put an end to the frame with a kill, an ace and an assist on Gore's set-clinching put down.
 
The third set also featured a late tie at 19-all, but the final six points went to the home team as Skidmore took a 2-1 lead. But Union again battled back to take the fourth set, using a late comeback to force a fifth frame. Down by one at 22-21, Atalay evened the match with a kill and then, after back-to-back Skidmore errors opened the door, Velasquez served up an ace to finish the set off.
 
Unfortunately the comeback came to a halt in the final frame, as Union put down only two of its 20 attacks while Skidmore recorded 11 kills to finish off the win.
 
Union will look to rebound on Saturday, when the Dutchwomen host Mount St. Mary College and St. John Fisher College for a tri-match beginning at noon at the Viniar Athletic Center.