SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Senior Megan Lee and junior Maura Conan came one point and one rebound short of double-doubles, respectively, to lead the Union College women's basketball team to a 53-44 victory over Mount St. Mary College in the team's 2022-23 home opener on Sunday evening at Viniar Athletic Center.

Conan set new career highs with a game-high 12 points and nine rebounds to lead a balanced Union (2-2) scoring attack, while Lee registered nine points and a career-high 15 rebounds. First-year Jelena Perovic added eight points and junior Grace Enselek chipped in six points and six boards as well for the home team.

Charlotte Twohig tied the game-high with 12 points and added six rebounds and three steals, while Lauren Desrats added 11 points for Mount St. Mary (3-2).

Neither team put on an offensive clinic in the first period, with the teams combining for just 11 points. But nine of those 11 were scored by the home team, as Union limited Mount St. Mary to 1-of-18 shooting. With the score tied at two with 7:34 left, the Dutchwomen held the Knights scoreless the rest of the way and got buckets from Lee, senior Kendall Degenhardt and sophomore Emma Riley.

Union led for the entirety of the second stanza, although Mount St. Mary got the deficit down to one after a pair of Brianna Guglielmo free throws made the score 13-12 with 3:09 left. However, Perovic hit a layup on the next possession and scored the team's final six points of the frame to put Union up 19-13 at the half.

The home team built up its lead to as many as 12 points early in the third period following back-to-back buckets from Lee and senior Elizabeth Pica with 7:12 left. However, the Knights closed the frame with an 11-2 run that evened the score at 33 headed to the fourth frame.

Despite the late run, Union responded with the first six points of the fourth period, getting a jumper by Degenhardt and four points from Lee to take back the lead for good at 39-33 with 8:14 remaining. After the Knights whittled the lead down to three, Conan hit a big three with 3:13 on the clock to bring the lead back up to six, and the junior hit five freebies down the stretch as Union held on for the win.

The Union defense limited Mount St. Mary to 19.4 percent shooting (13 of 67) from the field and 12.9 percent (4 of 31) from beyond the arc. Union finished the game shooting 33.9 percent (20 of 59) from the field and dominated on the glass with 60 rebounds.

Union will begin Liberty League play next weekend with a trip to the North Country, beginning on Friday night with a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at St. Lawrence University.