CANTON, N.Y. - The Union College women's basketball team went cold in the fourth period in allowing St. Lawrence University to come back and steal a 58-50 victory from the Dutchwomen in both teams' Liberty League opener on Friday night at Burkman Gymnasium.

Senior Kendall Degenhardt matched her career-high with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting for Union (2-3, 0-1 Liberty League), and was joined in double figures by junior Kennedy Clark and senior Elizabeth Pica with new career highs of 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jackie Malley led a balanced St. Lawrence (3-1, 1-0 Liberty League) attack with 12 points, while Olivia Barringer added eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Despite playing well in the middle two periods, rough shooting in the first and fourth frames managed to sink Union's hopes for a victory on Friday night. 

The visitors started off hitting 4-of-16 shots in the opening period, as St. Lawrence jumped out to a 17-8 lead. After SLU scored the first five points of the second stanza to take a 23-8 lead, Union outscored the Saints by a 19-10 margin the rest of the way to get back into the contest down 33-27 at the half.

Union kept the momentum going in the third quarter, outscoring the Saints 18-12 in the frame to get back to even headed into the final frame, thanks to a Clark three on the quarter's final possession. Unfortunately that momentum came to a halt in the fourth period, with the visitors shooting 1-of-15 from the field and going nearly eight minutes without a field goal. As a result, St. Lawrence outscored Union 13-5 in the final frame to pull away with the win.

The visitors finished the night shooting 32.3 percent (20 of 62) from the field, while the home team was slightly better at 38.6 percent (22 of 57). Bench scoring provided the major difference, with the Saints reserves outscoring their counterparts by a 24-2 margin.

Union will return to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. when the team makes the short trip to Potsdam for another Liberty League matchup with Clarkson University.