ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Union College women's basketball team had one of its best defensive efforts of the season, but the offense was not there to match it as the Dutchwomen dropped a 52-46 contest at Rochester Institute of Technology on Saturday afternoon.
 
Senior Joana Santos had a team-leading 14 points for Union (4-6, 1-3 Liberty League), followed by sophomore Amber Raisner with 10 points. Sophomore Laura Vinton chipped in eight points and six rebounds as well for the visitors.
 
The first half was an offensive struggle for both teams, as Union shot just 5-for-25 (20.0 percent) while RIT (4-7, 2-2 Liberty League) was not much better at 29.6 percent (8 of 27). Combined the two teams hit just two of their 19 attempts from long range as well.
 
The Dutchwomen struggled to find the basket to start the game, but the defense held up at the other end by limiting RIT to 0-for-6 shooting with four turnovers as the visitors held a 4-0 lead at the midway point of the first quarter. After that point, however, RIT finished the frame on a 14-2 run, thanks to six Union turnovers that limited the visitors to just two field-goal attempts.
 
Union got back into the game with a 10-2 run early in the second stanza, starting with a pair of free throws by Santos and including a three-pointer by sophomore Darby Leid five points from senior Elly Vaughan. But the Tigers again closed the period strongly, scoring seven of the final eight points to take a 25-17 lead into the locker rooms.
 
Neither team could gain any traction in the third quarter, with both squads trading mini-runs. On two occasions Union responded to two straight RIT buckets with two of their own, and eventually the visitors got within four after a Santos three made the score 37-33 with 2:09 left. Five straight RIT points to end the frame put the home team up 42-33 after three quarters.
 
The visitors were still within striking distance after a Vinton jumper made the score 49-44 with 6:11 left, at which point the defenses took over. Union held RIT scoreless for nearly six minutes to stay in the game, but the offense was just not there at the other end. Despite multiple second chances on the offensive end, the Dutchwomen missed all five shots and turned the ball over five times as they could not get any closer.
 
Union finished the game shooting 30.9 percent (17 of 55) from the field, including a 6-of-21 mark from beyond the arc. RIT shot 42 percent in the second half to finish the game at 35.8 percent (19 of 53).
 
The Dutchwomen will return to Viniar Athletic Center for the first time in 2020 on Tuesday, when the team hosts William Smith College at 5:30 p.m.