SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – A tough four-minute stretch was enough to spoil a otherwise mostly even contest for the Union College field hockey team on Saturday evening, as three quick Ithaca College goals were enough to deal the Garnet Chargers a 4-0 defeat in both teams' Liberty League opener at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
 
Union (3-4, 0-1 Liberty League) played mostly even with Ithaca (5-3, 1-0 Liberty League) for much of the afternoon, posting a 12-8 edge in penalty corners and only a slight 10-8 disadvantage in shots. The difference came in a span of 4:11 in the first quarter, when the Bombers scored three times to take control of the game.
 
Juliana Valli opened the scoring at the 5:46 mark, followed less than a minute later on Natalie Descalso's first of the day. Avery Moses completed the blitz at the 9:57 mark to put Union in a bad spot.
 
After a scoreless second stanza, Union asserted itself well coming out of halftime, outshooting Ithaca by a 5-1 margin and generating several good scoring opportunities, but five saves by Ithaca's Alex Clough kept her team in front. The fourth period was scoreless as well until the final minute, when Descalso scored her second of the day to round out the scoring.
 
Both sophomore Sophie Brady and first-year Marion Stuntz made two saves in 30 minutes of action each, with Brady allowing three goals and Stuntz conceding one. Clough finished the day with six stops for the Bombers.
 
Union will look to rebound from its first home loss of the season on Wednesday when the team hosts Hamilton College in non-conference action beginning at 6 p.m.