SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team split a pair of matches on day two of the Union/Russell Sage Crosstown Challenge on Saturday, falling to Williams College by a 3-2 score before rebounding for a 3-0 win over SUNY Oneonta at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Junior Shannon McGrath led Union (7-3) with 28 kills and six service aces, followed by first-year Georgia Pinciaro with 20 kills and five aces. Sophomore Shelby McKim led the way at the net with nine blocks and junior Georgia Pool dug out a team-best 27 balls, while first-year Allie Kronenberg dished out 72 assists to go with seven kills, 18 digs and three aces.
 
Williams 3, Union 2 (19-15, 26-24, 21-25, 25-19, 15-10)
 
Union held a 2-1 lead to start the day against Williams, but the Garnet Chargers fell off over the final two frames to suffer a tough 3-2 loss.
 
McGrath led four Garnet Chargers in double figures with 13 kills, followed by Pinciaro with 12 and sophomores Maddie McCarron and Erin Stevens with 10 apiece. McGrath added 13 digs for a double-double, while Kronenberg recorded 43 assists and 12 digs to go with five kills.
 
Union jumped out to an early 5-1 lead and never trailed in taking the opening set. Union overcame an early 10-2 deficit in the second stanza to take an 18-16 advantage and had a set point at 24-23, but the Ephs scored the final three points to even the match. The Garnet Chargers trailed for much of the third frame, but closed on a 9-4 run to take a 2-1 lead.
 
The home team started out with a lead in the fourth frame, holding a 14-12 lead before Williams rattled off a 12-3 stretch to take a 24-17 lead and eventually extend the match. The Ephs then scored seven of the first 10 points in the deciding fifth set, allowing the visitors to escape with the win.
 
Union 3, SUNY Oneonta 0 (25-19, 25-19, 25-20)
 
Union rebounded well in the final match of the event, hitting .258 to sweep away SUNY Oneonta and finish off a 3-1 weekend. McGrath again led the way with 15 kills and a team-best nine digs, and Pinciaro had another good effort with eight kills on .412 hitting.
 
Trailing 17-16 in the opening frame, Union closed on a 9-2 run to grab a one-set lead. The home team again provided a closing kick in the middle set, using another 9-2 stretch to turn a 16-15 lead into a commanding 23-16 advantage on the way to a two-set edge. Starting the third set on a 6-1 run, Union never trailed on the way to competing the sweep.
 
Union will continue its homestand on Wednesday with a non-conference match against Utica University beginning at 7 p.m.