GENEVA, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Union College women's lacrosse team battled hard against one of the nation's top teams, eventually falling short to top-seeded and #8/7 William Smith College by an 18-8 score in the Liberty League Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon at Boswell Field at David J. Urick Stadium.
 
Senior Grace Heiting led Union (7-10) with four points on two goals and two assists in her final game, finishing her stellar senior year with 61 goals and 22 assists for 83 points. Her 83 points in 16 games make her the first player in program history to average more than five points per game in a season, eclipsing the previous standard of 4.85 points per game by Hall of Famer Molly Flanagan '05 on 2004, while also finishing third in single-season points and tied for fifth in single-season goals at Union.
 
Junior Drew Charlton and first-year Greta Maurer both added two goals each for Union as well. The defensive effort was led by junior Dana Truini, who caused four turnovers and grabbed two ground balls, and senior Elizabeth Hernberg, who chipped in three caused turnovers and two ground balls.
 
William Smith (16-1) was paced by Allie McGinty, who registered a game-high eight points on a goal and seven assists, and Anna Murphy, who scored seven goals on nine shots.
 
The Herons started the game with three straight goals before Heiting got Union on the board with her 60th of the season with 6:06 remaining in the first quarter. The home team outshot the visitors by an 11-4 margin over the first quarter to take a 4-1 lead. The Dutchwomen outshot the Herons 7-6 in the second stanza, but five of William Smith's six shots found the back of the net to build up a 9-3 advantage at the half.
 
Five different Union players scored in the second half, with Heiting, Charlton and junior Katie Julien scoring in the third quarter and Maurer and sophomore Anna Smith capping the scoring in the fourth frame.
 
Saturday's game marks the final collegiate contest for Union's six seniors, all of whom assumed a starting role this season: Heiting, Hernberg, Grace O'Hara, Kit Christian, Ali Sommers and Jenna Paszek.