SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - First-year
Olivia Cunningham recorded her first collegiate double-double with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Union College women's basketball team past Clarkson University by a 60-45 score in Liberty League action on Saturday afternoon at Viniar Athletic Center.
Cunningham had a huge game for Union (9-6, 6-2 Liberty League), hitting 9-of-13 shots from the field and adding a season-best 10 caroms in just 18 minutes off the bench. Senior
Emma Riley also shot well from the field, hitting 7-of-9 shots on the way to 17 points to go with five boards and a team-best four assists. Junior
Jelena Perovic added eight points and eight boards, and senior
Jenna Forman also chipped in eight points for the home team.
Clarkson (5-10, 1-7 Liberty League) was led by Cassidy Dumont with 17 points and six rebounds.
Cunningham had an excellent first half to lead the Garnet Chargers, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds to lead all players in both categories. Riley added nine points, five boards and three assists over the first 20 minutes, as Union shot 40.0 percent (12 of 30) from the field to take a 31-24 lead into the half.
The Golden Knights held the lead for the opening five minutes, but Union grabbed the advantage for the first time with a 9-0 run that helped the home team take a 16-12 edge into the second stanza. After five straight Clarkson points put the visitors back on top, the Garnet Chargers rattled off an 11-2 stretch to take their largest lead of the half at 27-19 with 2:26 on the clock. Cunningham had a team-best six points during the run, and then added a jumper in the final seconds to put Union up seven at the break.
Following a Clarkson three to open the third, Union broke the game open with an 8-0 run, capped by a Cunningham bucket at the midway point to take a 39-27 lead. The visitors closed to within eight (43-35) at the end of the period, but the Garnet Chargers came back with the first nine points of the fourth to shut the door.
Union shot 39.3 percent (24 of 61) from the field compared to 32.1 percent (18 of 56) for Clarkson, but the home team held a commanding 46-29 edge on the glass that resulted in 13 second-chance points and a 25-11 edge in scoring in the paint.
After five straight games at home, Union will head on the road for the next two weekends, beginning with a trip to Vassar College on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
