SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sophomore
Maddie Greco scored twice as the Union College field hockey team finished off Liberty League play with its seventh straight victory, a 4-1 win over Skidmore College on Sunday afternoon at Wagner Park.
With the team's sixth conference victory in a row, Union (13-4, 6-1 Liberty League) finishes in a first-place tie with Ithaca College and will be the second seed in the upcoming Liberty League Tournament. The team's current seven-game streak is tied for the second-longest stretch in program history, matching seven-game stints in 2007 and 2008 and trailing only the 14-game winning streak of the Hall of Fame 1988 squad.
Greco led the way for Union with two goals, moving into a tie for third place on the school single-season goals list, just one back of the program standard of 18. Her 38 points are also third on the single-season ledger as well, just two back of the record. Senior
Shaelyn Kelley and sophomore
Molly Halliday also scored for the visitors, who beat Skidmore for the second straight season after snapping a 28-game losing streak last year.
After a scoreless first period, Union got on the board first in the 21st minute. After a penalty corner insert to junior
Megan Dorsey at the top of the arc, she dished to the left side to senior
Kristen O'Shea, who fed a ball toward the back post where Halliday was there to tip it home for her fourth goal of the season.
Both teams put three shots on goal in the opening 30 minutes, but two stops from junior
Sophie Brady and a defensive save by senior
Suzanna Wright kept the visitors in the lead.
The Garnet Chargers increased their lead to three early in the third period thanks to two goals from Greco. The sophomore sensation made it a 2-0 game 1:23 into the quarter with a great individual effort, stealing the ball from a Skidmore defender and taking it from the near endline into the middle before beating the goalie. She struck again 4:32 later, taking a long pass from the right side of the arc by Dorsey and lunging to redirect it home at the back post.
After Skidmore (8-10, 2-5 Liberty League) got on the board early in the fourth frame, Union responded less than three minutes later to regain its comfortable three-goal edge. A quick outlet pass to Greco led to a transition opportunity, and while the ball was knocked off Greco's stick, it came right to senior
Grace Goddard, whose shot was tipped home by Kelley in front for her fifth goal of the season.
Brady did not allow a goal over the first three quarters to earn her 11th victory of the season, matching her 2022 total for the second-most in a season in program history. Her 27th career win moves her into a tie for second in career victories at Union, three back of the program-record of 30.
Union will finish up the regular season with a pair of non-conference games next week, beginning on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. match at Montclair State University.
