BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Union College women's basketball team dropped a 71-61 contest to Alvernia University on the second and final day of the NYU Tip-Off Classic, hosted by New York University on Sunday afternoon.
Junior Grace Enselek had a solid outing to lead Union (1-2) with a career-high 15 points and seven rebounds in just 19 minutes off the bench. Senior Megan Lee added 14 points and six boards, junior Maura Conan also set a new career high with 11 points, and first-year Jelena Perovic hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds as well.
Tamia Wessels led all players with 18 points for Alvernia (1-2), followed closely by Kayla Williams with 17 points and seven rebounds and Jordan Karmonick with 16 points.
The Golden Wolves jumped out to a 17-5 lead over the first 6:01 of the game, with Karmonick netting eight of those points. Union came back with seven straight points from Enselek and Perovic to get the deficit down to five at 17-12 with 89 seconds left, and the team finished the quarter down nine after a last-second jumper by sophomore Emma Riley.
The Union deficit was only six early in the second stanza before the team went cold, missing six straight shots and turning the ball over five times as Alvernia went on a 15-3 run to take its largest lead of the half with 2:31 remaining. The Golden Wolves eventually took a 45-29 lead into the half.
Union outscored Alvernia in both of the final two quarters, but couldn't do enough to put a huge dent in the deficit. Conan hit a free throw to cap an 8-1 run that ended the third period and got the Dutchwomen back within 14 at 59-45; however, Alvernia quickly ran the lead back to 22 early in the fourth. Union kept Alvernia without a field goal for the final seven minutes and closed out the contest on a 14-2 run, but it was not enough to come all the way back.
Union's shooting got better in every period of the game, but still finished the afternoon shooting just 36.7 percent (22 of 60) from the field. Union held a 45-40 edge on the glass and scored 17 second-chance points to Alvernia's four, but the Golden Wolves shot 40.0 percent (12 of 30) from long range to secure the win.
Union will take some time off for finals and Thanksgiving before returning to action on Sunday, November 27 with the team's home opener against Mount St. Mary College, tipping off at 6 p.m. at Viniar Athletic Center.
