SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team dropped a tough 3-1 (25-21, 25-18, 18-25, 26-24) match to Clarkson University in Liberty League action on Friday evening at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
The loss was a stinging one for Union (15-7, 3-3 Liberty League) in the race for postseason positioning, as the Garnet Chargers drop behind Clarkson (11-12, 4-3 Liberty League) in the conference standings into a tie for fourth place with two conference matches remaining.
 
Junior Shannon McGrath led Union with 16 kills and 13 digs, while first-year Allie Kronenberg added a double-double of 34 assists and 11 digs to go with six blocks and three kills. Junior Georgia Pool paced the team with 23 digs and junior Emma Main added 11 digs and two service aces.
 
Sophomores Shelby McKim and Maddie McCarron both put down five kills and a career-high eight blocks, followed by classmate Erin Stevens with five kills and seven blocks. As a team, Union recorded 16 blocks, the most in a match since registering 16.5 blocks in a five-setter against Skidmore College on October 28, 2011.
 
Grace Hanson was huge for the Golden Knights with 23 kills, followed by Allyson Treichel with 13 kills and a team-best five blocks. Abigail Spector chipped in a match-best 26 digs for the visitors as well.
 
For the second straight conference match, Union found itself in a 2-0 hole after dropping the opening two frames. A 5-0 run early in the first set was enough for Clarkson to take advantage, opening up a 12-7 lead and never allowing the home team to get closer than three. The Garnet Chargers started strong in the second stanza, holding a 13-7 lead after a kill by first-year Georgia Pinciaro, but an 11-1 run by Clarkson put the visitors back in front and was followed soon after by a 7-2 stretch to take a two-set edge.
 
Union did not go away quietly, however, using a strong third set to extend the match. Trailing 10-8, the home team scored 10-of-11 points to open up an 18-11 advantage on the strength of three Stevens-McCarron blocks. Union's last two points also came off blocks by McKim and Kronenberg to keep the match alive.
 
The Garnet Chargers used a 6-1 run midway through the fourth frame to open up a 14-9 advantage, followed by another 6-1 stretch that put Union up 22-16. Clarkson mounted a minor comeback but Union still held three set points at 24-21; however, three Golden Knight kills and two critical service aces allowed the visitors to rattle off five straight points and finish off the win.
 
Union will look to shake off the loss tomorrow, when the team celebrates Senior Day before a 2 p.m. match against St. Lawrence University at Viniar Athletic Center.