SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior
Grace Heiting matched her career high with seven goals as the Union College women's lacrosse clinched a second straight Liberty League Tournament berth with a convincing 19-7 victory over the University of Rochester on Saturday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
The victory assures Union (6-9, 5-5 Liberty League) of a conference tournament appearance and clinches the fifth seed overall, due to Union's victory over Clarkson University earlier in the year. As a result, the Dutchwomen will head to fourth-seeded Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for a first-round game on Tuesday.
Heiting continued her offensive tear on Senior Day, scoring six times in the first 20 minutes of the game and finishing with seven goals on just nine shots, including a 4-of-6 mark from the eight-meter arc. Junior
Drew Charlton and sophomore
Anna Smith netted three goals apiece, and junior
Katie Julien recorded four points on two goals and two assists.
Meanwhile the Union defense, led seniors
Grace O'Hara,
Kit Christian,
Elizabeth Hernberg and
Ali Sommers, helped to stifle the Rochester offensive attack, with the senior quartet combining for nine ground balls and six caused turnovers. And when the Yellow Jackets did get close, fellow senior
Jenna Paszek recorded nine saves to keep the home team ahead in her final home game.
Julien started the day with a goal on Union's opening possession, followed by a Rochester goal on their next chance with the ball. But Heiting followed up with three goals in less than three minutes to quickly put the Dutchwomen up 4-1 with 8:52 on the clock. Those three goals were the start of an extended 11-2 run that gave the home team a nine-goal cushion at 12-3 with 6:18 left in the second period. Heiting had three more during the run for her second hat trick of the game, while Charlton added a pair of goals during the run, which was capped by first-year
Greta Maurer's 15th goal of the season.
Heading into halftime with a 12-4 lead, Union outscored Rochester 5-1 in the third quarter to put the game away, led by two goals from Charlton. Julien and first-year
Sarah Murphy found the net for Union in the final frame as the home team ran out the clock to clinch a postseason spot.
Union finished the game with a 30-19 edge in shots and went 7-of-12 as a team on free-position attempts. The defense also forced 13 of Rochester's 22 turnovers, helping with a 23-14 advantage in ground balls.
More information on Union's Liberty League Tournament first-round matchup will be available on Monday. Check back to UnionAthletics.com for game time and a full tournament preview.
