SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Three players scored in double figures and the Union College women's basketball team again played strongly on the defensive end to grind out a 54-31 victory over Bard College in Liberty League action on Tuesday night at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
Juniors Grace Ardito and Jelena Perovic led Union (6-5, 3-1 Liberty League) with a game-high 12 points apiece, followed by classmate Kate Peek with 10 points off the bench in her first game in garnet. Senior Jenna Forman added eight points and a game-high nine rebounds, while junior Grace Arcoleo led all players with four blocks.
 
Bard (2-9, 0-4 Liberty League) was paced by Lexi Miller with 10 points and nine rebounds to go with four steals and two blocks.
 
Ardito hit a three on the opening possession of the game and the Garnet Chargers never trailed, scoring 11 of the game's first 13 points to take control from the outset. Ardito ended the opening frame with a trio of treys to help Union to a 17-9 advantage after 10 minutes.
 
Peek and Perovic scored a team-leading six points each during the second stanza, which saw Union outscore Bard by a 14-5 margin. Peek scored the first six points followed by six in a row from Perovic, before sophomore Davita Honig closed the frame with a bucket to put the home team up 17 (31-14) at the break.
 
The lead reached 20 points for the first time late in the third period after a pair of Peek freebies, and got to as many as 23 for the first time after another Peek layup with 3:57 to go in the fourth that gave the Garnet Chargers a 50-27 lead. The advantage got back to 23 again to end the game thanks to layups by first-year Aiko Bastiaens and sophomore Morgan Schultz in the final two minutes.
 
Union finished the night shooting 35.6 percent (21 of 59) from the field and held a 48-36 edge on the glass. The defense limited the Raptors to 21.8 percent (12 of 55) shooting, including an 0-of-16 mark from long range, and also blocked eight shots.
 
Union will continue Liberty League action on Friday with a 5:30 p.m. matchup against Ithaca College at Viniar Athletic Center.