SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team dropped its first match at the 2019 Union Invitational, falling in straight sets to Williams College, 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-15), on Friday night at the Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Junior Gillian Gore came one kill short of a double-double for Union (5-3), recording nine kills to go with her match-high 17 digs. Classmate Sage Shimamoto added 13 assists, seven digs and three kills, while fellow junior Lara Atalay chipped in six kills and 15 digs.
 
Erin Denham led Williams (6-1) with a match-high 13 kills and 10 digs for the evening's only double-double, while Kiley Wallace added nine kills for the visitors, who went 2-0 on the day after a 3-0 win over Plattsburgh State University earlier in the evening.
 
Union did not trail for the early portion of the opening set, getting three kills each from Gore and junior Julia Louis in maintaining a 13-10 edge midway through the frame. After Williams used a 9-3 run to take back the lead, four straight points but the Dutchwomen back ahead by a point at 20-19. However, the Ephs closed on a 6-2 run to grab the opening set.
 
The home team jumped to an early 5-1 lead in the second stanza, but Williams came back with five straight points to get back in front. Union managed to get back regain the lead and held a 17-16 advantage after a kill by junior Katie Moss, but six consecutive points by the visitors provided the final lead change of the set and allowed Williams to take a two-set lead.
 
The Ephs again closed strongly in the third set, scoring 13 of the frame's final 17 points to break open a close contest and secure the sweep.
 
Union will be back in action tomorrow on day two of the Union Invitational, taking on the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at 10 a.m. and Plattsburgh State University at 2 p.m.