SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's basketball team outscored Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in each of the final three periods to run away with a 60-45 victory in Liberty League action on Tuesday night at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Sophomore Jelena Perovic led all players with a game-high 19 points, hitting 8-of-13 shots from the field, and added six rebounds, two steals, two blocks and an assist. Junior Emma Riley reached double figures with 12 points to go with five boards and four assists, while classmate Jenna Forman chipped in a team-best seven caroms and four assists for Union (6-11, 5-5 Liberty League).
 
RPI (6-11, 3-7 Liberty League) was led by Siena Smith with 15 points, and she was joined in double figures by Nicole DaPra (13 points) and Ahnalese Pearson (10 points, nine rebounds).
 
DaPra and Smith combined for 13 of RPI's 15 first-quarter points as the Engineers jumped out to a 15-10 lead after 10 minutes. A floater by sophomore Grace Arcoleo gave the home team a 6-4 lead 3:18 into the contest, but RPI closed the period on an 11-4 run to take the lead.
 
Union heated up from the field while RPI cooled down in the second period, as the Garnet Chargers outscored the Engineers by a 19-7 margin to take a seven-point lead into the half. After a Smith layup put the visitors up 21-13, Union went on a commanding 16-0 run to take its first lead of the frame. Threes by senior Maddy Mandalinci and first-year Casey Weeren bookended the run, which also saw a pair of threes from Riley and two Perovic buckets. Union hit 7-of-12 shots from the field in the period, including a perfect 4-of-4 from long range, while holding RPI to 3-of-16 shooting.
 
The Garnet Chargers were able to match RPI bucket-for-bucket in the third quarter to keep their lead at six through the first six minutes of the period. A quick 6-0 run bumped the lead up to 12 at 43-31 before a late bucket made it a 10-point game headed to the fourth.
 
Arcoleo started the fourth frame with a three to give Union its largest lead to that point at 46-33, and the lead grew to as many as 15 following a pair of Perovic freebies with 4:32 on the clock. Six straight RPI points brought the lead back to single digits with 3:36 on the clock, but a floater in the lane by Riley stopped the Engineer momentum and Union closed out the game from the free-throw line.
 
Union finished the game shooting 43.1 percent (22 of 51) from the field and hit 5-of-11 attempts from long range in addition to a 11-of-13 effort from the line. The Union bench outscored its RPI counterparts by a 24-0 margin and the home team also posted a 28-18 edge scoring in the paint.
 
Union will continue its four-game homestand with two more games this weekend, beginning with a Friday night matchup against Skidmore College set for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at Viniar Athletic Center.