HARTFORD, Conn. – The Union College women's basketball team stormed back from a big deficit to take a lead into the fourth quarter, but the Dutchwomen came up a few points short in a 49-44 defeat at Trinity (Conn.) College in non-conference play on Friday night at Oosting Gymnasium.
 
Senior Amber Raisner led Union (1-5) with 13 points and six rebounds, followed by sophomore Kennedy Clark with eight points in 13 minutes. Bria Fuller led all scorers with 16 points for Trinity (6-2), while Samantha Gallo had the game's only double-double with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Trinity held the lead from the opening possession of the first quarter and remained in control for the entirety of the opening two quarters. The Bantams led by as many as 13 points in the second stanza as the Dutchwomen shot just 6-of-22 (27.2 percent) from the field over the opening 20 minutes.
 
But the visitors responded with a dominant third quarter, hitting 8-of-14 shots from the field and outscoring Trinity 20-6 to take a one-point lead into the fourth. Union started the frame with a 12-0 run, led by four points from junior Megan Lee and capped by a Clark three that made the score 28-27 with 4:38 left. After the teams traded baskets, a layup by senior Darby Leid and a pair of Raisner free throws gave the Dutchwomen a 35-34 lead headed to the fourth.
 
Neither team shot the ball well in the fourth frame, but Trinity got to the free-throw line nine times and made eight to secure the win. The home team started the final quarter with an 8-0 run to take a 42-35 lead with 7:07 left, but Union did not go away. Three times the Dutchwomen decreased the lead to two points, but each time Trinity sunk two free throws to keep Union at bay.
 
Union finished the game shooting 18-of-49 (36.7 percent) from the field, while the Union defense limited Trinity to just 17-of-57 (29.8 percent) shooting. But the Bantams got to the free-throw line 13 times and made 10 to account for the final differential.
 
The Dutchwomen are slated to close out 2021 on December 30 with a home game against Middlebury College set to tipoff at 3 p.m. at Viniar Athletic Center.