TROY, N.Y. – Senior Jenna Forman scored a game-high 14 points, including the game-clinching free throws in the final seconds, as the Union College women's basketball team completed a perfect conference weekend with a hard-fought 63-59 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday afternoon at East Campus Athletic Village Arena.
 
Forman hit 4-of-7 shots from the field and also connected on 6-of-7 free-throw attempts, while grabbing five rebounds as well. Junior Kate Peek had a hot start and finished the day with 13 points, followed by classmate Jelena Perovic with a big game of 12 points, seven rebounds, five blocks and three assists for Union (11-6, 8-2 Liberty League), which is off to its best 10-game conference start since winning eight of its first 10 in 2015-16.
 
RPI (10-7, 4-6 Liberty League) was paced by Ashlyn O'Neil and Siena Smith with 11 points each, followed by Tyler Hormazabal with 10 points.
 
The two teams traded baskets for the first five minutes of the game before the Engineers scored three straight buckets to take the largest lead of the half at 12-6. A layup by Perovic and a three from classmate Grace Ardito got Union back within a point, and a three-point play by fellow junior Grace Arcoleo allowed the visitors to stay within one possession (19-16) after one period.
 
The Garnet Chargers took their first lead at the midway point of the second period as Peek's second three-pointer of the frame put Union up 24-23. After RPI scored five straight to take back the lead, Union closed with a 7-1 run to take a 31-29 advantage into the half, thanks to buckets from senior Claudia Porto and sophomore Morgan Schultz as well as another Peek trifecta.
 
Both teams shot under 40 percent in the opening half, with Union connecting at a 37.5 percent (12 of 32) clip and RPI hitting at just 33.3 percent (10 of 30).
 
Rensselaer outscored Union 10-7 to start the third period, regaining its last lead with 2:42 left on a Hormazabal jumper. But Union closed with the final five points of the frame, getting a three from junior Grace Ceseretti and a jumper by first-year Olivia Cunningham to take a 43-39 lead into the fourth.
 
Two O'Neil buckets tied the score at 43 with 8:01 left in the contest, but Union turned up the efficiency on both ends of the court after that. The Garnet Chargers outscored RPI 14-4 over the next six minutes, beginning with a huge three by senior Sophia Poplyk and a three-point play from Perovic on the next possession. Freebies by Perovic and Ceseretti finished the run and opened up the largest lead of the game at 57-47 with 2:18 on the clock.
 
The Engineers tried to get back into the game in the final minutes, but a three-point play by Forman made it a 60-53 game inside the final minute. A pair of threes got the home team within a point at 60-59 with 11 seconds left, but Forman calmly sunk two free throws to increase the lead to three and a nice defensive play by Arcoleo prevented a three-point attempt and forced a turnover that sealed the win.
 
Union shot 5-for-10 in both the third and fourth periods to finish the game at 42.3 percent (22 of 52), including a 6-of-17 effort from beyond the arc. RPI shot 33.8 percent (22 of 65) from the field and also held a 43-33 edge on the glass.

Union will remain in the Capital Region to start next weekend, heading north to Skidmore College for a 5:30 p.m. matchup on Friday night.