POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The sixth-seeded Union College women's basketball team had its season come to a close on Tuesday night in the first round of the Liberty League Tournament, falling to third-seeded Vassar College by a 73-57 score at Vassar's Athletics and Fitness Center.
 
Senior Olivia Pachla led Union (10-15) with 17 points and six rebounds in her final game in the garnet and white, while classmate Megan Lee closed out her four-year career with 10 points and six caroms as well.
 
Julia Harvey led three Vassar (18-8) players in double figures with 17 points, followed by Alex Lee with 16 and Eliza Srinivasan with 15.
 
Vassar started the game strong and kept Union off the scoreboard for over four minutes in building up an early 6-0 lead. A pair of buckets from senior Kendall Degenhardt got the visitors back within two, and the team was again within a bucket after a layup by sophomore Claudia Porto late in the frame before a three from Srinivasan put Vassar up 15-10 after one period.
 
The Brewers created some separation by outscoring Union 23-14 in the second stanza. After a free throw by Lee on the opening possession, seven straight points put the Brewers up 22-11 with 7:31 left. A quick 6-2 run got the visitors back within seven at the midway point of the period, but Vassar doubled up Union 14-7 the rest of the way to take a 38-24 lead into halftime.
 
Srinivasan was huge for the Brewers in the opening 20 minutes, scoring all 15 points in the opening half, while Degenhardt finished the first half with a team-leading six points for Union.
 
Union hung with Vassar in the second half, but the team was unable to cut into the deficit. The Vassar lead grew to as many as 21 after a three by Naiya Kurnik put the home team up 53-32 with 2:02 left in the third, but Union scored the final five points of the period to get back within 16. Lee capped a 6-0 run to get Union within 12 at 57-45 midway through the fourth quarter, but the visitors could get no closer the rest of the way.
 
Union finished the game with the better shooting percentage, hitting 25-of-59 shots (42.4 percent) from the field compared to 25-of-63 shooting (39.7 percent) for Vassar. However, the Brewers posted a decisive 42-29 edge on the glass and also hit 10 three-pointers to Union's none to advance to Friday's conference semifinals.
 
Tuesday's game marks the end of the 2022-23 season, with Union earning a third postseason berth in the last four seasons. It also is the final game for Union's four seniors: Degenhardt, Lee, Pachla and Elizabeth Pica.