SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Union College women's basketball team had a fantastic night on the defensive end, but the offense could not come around as the sixth-seeded Garnet Chargers fell to third-seeded Skidmore College by a 46-43 score in the first round of the Liberty League Tournament on Tuesday evening at Williamson Athletic Center.
 
With the win, Skidmore (15-11) advances to the Liberty League Tournament semifinals, where the Thoroughbreds will face off with second-seeded Vassar College on Friday. Union (13-13) has its season come to a close with the defeat.
 
Junior Jelena Perovic had a team-leading 12 points for Union, followed by senior Jenna Forman with 10 points and five rebounds in her final collegiate game. Junior Grace Arcoleo added a team-best 10 rebounds and six assists for the visitors as well.
 
Perovic and Forman had four points each for Union in the opening frame, as Skidmore opened up a 17-10 edge after one period. Perovic scored on the team's first possession to give the Garnet Chargers the first lead of the night, but back-to-back Skidmore buckets put the home team in front and Union could not string together consecutive baskets for the rest of the frame. A layup by junior Grace Ardito made the score 12-10 with 3:18 left, but the Thoroughbreds ended the frame on a 5-0 run to take a seven-point edge in the second.
 
The teams alternated buckets for the first seven minutes of the second stanza, as Union once again was unable to get any sort of momentum going. Both teams started the period 2-of-12 from the field, but a Forman layup and a three from junior Grace Ceseretti finally gave the visitors a little momentum to get back within five with under 90 seconds left. However, a late Cassie Davidson layup kept the Skidmore lead at seven at the half.
 
Union did an excellent job locking down Skidmore defensively in the second stanza, limiting the Thoroughbreds to 3-of-17 shooting. However, Union could not take advantage at the other end, hitting only 4-of-16 shots.
 
Turnovers on the first two possessions of the third period allowed Skidmore to take the first double-digit lead of the game at 30-19. The lead grew to as many as 13 with 7:01 to go before Union rattled off 10 straight points to get back within five with 1:53 on the clock. Forman started the run with two free throws and a jumper, followed soon after by a three by junior Kate Peek and a Perovic layup. The teams traded threes in the final minute to head into the fourth in a one-possession battle.
 
An Ardito three and a jumper from first-year Olivia Cunningham kept it a one-possession game at the midway point of the fourth, but Cunningham's jumper with 4:23 remaining would be the team's last field goal of the evening. Two Perovic free throws with 2:20 on the clock put the score at 46-43, but the defenses took over after that. Union forced two turnovers and a missed shot, but the visitors missed their final five shots of the evening. After a pair of missed free throws gave the Garnet Chargers one last chance with seven seconds left, a last-second three was blocked and Skidmore escaped to the semifinals.
 
Union limited Skidmore to just 26.2 percent (16 of 61) shooting, but only managed to shoot 30.9 percent (17 of 55) at the other end. The visitors were also done in by 17 turnovers, which resulted in 20 Skidmore points compared to just five for Union.
 
Tuesday's game marks the final collegiate contest for Union's four seniors, Forman, Sophia Poplyk, Claudia Porto and Emma Riley, who reached the postseason in all four seasons in Schenectady.