SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's basketball team put up a big fight against the top team in the Liberty League on Saturday, but the Dutchwomen came up a few shots short in a 59-51 loss to Ithaca College on Senior Day at the Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Ithaca (15-5, 11-2 Liberty League) remains atop the conference standings with the victory, while Union (9-11, 6-8 Liberty League) still sits in seventh place, one game back of Rochester Institute of Technology for the sixth spot with four games remaining.
 
Saturday's game was the final home game for Union's four seniors: Joana Santos, Elly Vaughan, Hailey McCall and Kolby McKenzie. Nine different players had a bucket for Union, led by Santos with eight points and seven for Vaughan and sophomore Amber Raisner.
 
Ithaca came out of the gates strong, scoring 15 of the game's first 17 points to take a 15-2 lead with 4:46 left. After missing their first two shots, the Bombers hit seven of their next nine to jump out to the early advantage. Union ended the frame on a 10-4 run to settle down the game, with sophomores Laura Vinton and Kendall Degenhardt both hitting shots from long range during the run.
 
The visitors again started strong in the second stanza, coming out with an 11-3 run to double up Union by a 30-15 score at the midway point. The Dutchwoman defense limited Ithaca to one field goal the rest of the way, however, and a three by Santos brought the home team within 13 (34-21) at the half.
 
Union shot just 25.0 percent (8 of 32) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, while Ithaca hit 14-of-34 shots (41.2 percent). The visitors also dominated in the paint, holding a 22-6 edge in scoring and blocking six shots.
 
The Dutchwomen outscored the Bombers 13-7 in the third quarter to get back in the game. Raisner led Union with five points during the stanza, while the defense limited Ithaca to 3-of-9 shooting and forced six turnovers. While the score was 41-34 after 30 minutes, it was originally a four-point game before the referees ruled that a three by sophomore Anna Metcalf in the waning seconds did not beat the shot clock.
 
The home team again continued to hang with Ithaca in the final frame, getting within four points following a Raisner jumper that made the score 50-46 with 4:02 remaining. However, five straight points gave the Bombers some breathing room in the final minute, allowing the visitors to withstand a pair of threes by Metcalf.
 
Union finished the game shooting 31.1 percent (19 of 61) from the field, while limiting Ithaca to 38.6 percent (22 of 57) shooting.
 
Union will play its final four games of the regular season on the road, beginning on Friday at Vassar College, with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m.