ONEONTA, N.Y. – In a game that featured nine second-half goals after a relatively quiet first half, the Union College field hockey team came up just short in a wild 6-5 defeat to SUNY Oneonta in non-conference play on Wednesday afternoon at All College Field.
 
First-year Rachel Ostiguy paced the Union attack with the first two goals of her collegiate career, while classmate Reese Fendelet also netted her first college goal. Senior Grace Krebs and junior Suzanna Wright scored as well for the visitors, who fired 25 shots toward the Oneonta goal only to come up one goal short.
 
Belying what was to come in the second half, the first 30 minutes featured plenty of shots but just one goal for each side. Ostiguy recorded the only goal of the first frame at the 13:21 mark to give Union an early lead, but Morgan Fleming scored her first of the day with 24 seconds left in the second period to knot the score at one.
 
The Red Dragons carried the momentum into the second half, scoring three goals in the opening 7:23 of the third period to take a 4-1 lead. The Garnet Chargers fought back with goals by Wright and Krebs 2:24 apart soon after to get back within one, but another late goal gave Oneonta back a two-goal edge headed to the fourth.
 
Ostiguy struck for a second time with 9:32 to go in the game to once again get Union back within a goal, and the visitors spent the next few minutes looking to finally get back to even. Instead, Abigail Draper scored her second of the game to yet again build the lead back up to two. That goal proved to be the game-winner after Fendelet brought the Garnet Chargers back within one for a third time, albeit with only 66 seconds remaining.
 
Sophomore Sophie Brady and first-year Marion Stuntz both allowed three goals each for Union on the day, with Brady making seven saves and Stuntz stopping two. Maura Leib made 12 saves to earn the win for Oneonta.
 
Union will look to get back on the winning track at home on Saturday, when the team hosts Elms College for a 1 p.m. matchup.