SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's basketball team outscored Clarkson University 20-11 in the pivotal final frame as the Garnet Chargers started the final push for the playoffs with a much-needed 45-40 victory on Friday night at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
The win is a big one for keeping Union (8-14, 7-8 Liberty League) in the race for the postseason, as the Garnet Chargers moved into a tie for fifth place with Rochester Institute of Technology and now sit two games clear of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and William Smith College for the sixth and final postseason spot.
 
Sophomore Jelena Perovic was the top scorer for either side on the night, hitting 9-of-15 shots from the field for 18 points to go with seven rebounds for Union. Junior Jenna Forman also grabbed seven boards along with scoring six points, while sophomore Grace Arcoleo hit a pair of big threes in the fourth period to finish with seven points and a game-high four assists.
 
Cassidy Dumont recorded a team-leading 11 points for Clarkson (4-18, 2-13 Liberty League), followed by Bella Doyle with nine points.
 
The first 20 minutes was a defensive struggle between the two teams, who combined for 19 turnovers. The Garnet Chargers jumped out to a 6-2 lead 4:14 into the contest thanks to baskets by Forman, Perovic and junior Emma Riley. After the visitors battled back to take a 9-8 lead, baskets from Riley and first-year Morgan Schultz gave the home team a 12-9 lead after 10 minutes.
 
Union did not hit a field goal in the second stanza, allowing Clarkson to go on a 9-5 run to take an 18-17 lead into halftime. While the Golden Knights did not shoot the ball well (4 of 11) in the period, the Garnet Chargers missed all six field-goal attempts and turned the ball over six times to help the visitors take back the lead.
 
Clarkson outscored Union 11-8 in the third quarter to maintain its lead, and a jumper by Elizabeth Aiossa on the opening possession of the fourth frame gave the visitors their largest lead of the night at 31-25. However, Union increased the intensity on both ends of the court after that, scoring 11 straight points thanks to four Perovic buckets and an Arcoleo three to take a 36-31 lead with 5:32 left. Union hit 5-of-8 shots from the field and also forced four turnovers during the run.
 
Arcoleo matched a Clarkson three with one of her own to keep Union up by six later in the frame, and the sophomore then fired off a dime to Forman for a clutch layup with 2:05 on the clock that built the lead back up to five at 41-36. After forcing a turnover and a Clarkson miss on the next two possessions, Union went 4-for-6 from the line over the final 47 seconds to clinch the win.
 
Union finished the game shooting 36.2 percent (17 of 47) from the field and turned the ball over 16 times, but converted 18 Clarkson miscues into 15 points and limited the Golden Knights to 39.1 percent (18 of 46) shooting at the other end.
 
Union will return to action tomorrow, when the team celebrates Senior Day before its 2 p.m. tipoff against St. Lawrence University at Viniar Athletic Center.