SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's lacrosse team was outscored by a 9-4 margin after a hot start to the game in falling to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by a 9-8 score in Liberty League action on a rainy Wednesday evening at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
 
Junior Lana Mickelson scored a career-high five goals and had a hand in six of the team's eight tallies on the night, while sophomore Gillian Joseph added two goals and two assists for Union (6-3, 2-3 Liberty League)
 
Lauren DeLeo scored a team-leading four goals for Rensselaer (6-4, 3-2 Liberty League), including the game-winning tally with 1:54 left in regulation. RPI controlled the draw after DeLeo's goal, but junior Sammy Johnson made a huge play to force a turnover and give the Garnet Chargers one last chance. However, RPI goalie Jenny Canfield came up with her 13th and final save of the game to deny a good scoring attempt from first-year Maddie Dineen and allow the Engineers to escape with a win.
 
The game started off perfectly for Union, as the home team forced a shot-clock violation on the opening possession and then got a goal from first-year Stella Del Papa to strike first. Joseph scored less than a minute later, and Mickelson scored two in a row to put Union up 4-0 with 5:34 left in the first period. However, RPI scored the final three goals of the frame to get back within one and the teams went scoreless for over 14 minutes in the second before Mickelson deposited her third in the final minute to give the Garnet Chargers a 5-3 lead at the break.
 
The teams traded goals in the first 3:01 of the third quarter, and a Joseph tally with 3:15 left gave Union its last lead of the night at 7-6. RPI responded to that with two goals 19 seconds apart to take its first lead at 8-7 headed into the fourth. The teams again engaged in a defensive struggle in the final stanza, with Union forcing four RPI turnovers (including a pair of shot clock violations) before Mickelson evened the score at eight with 4:23 remaining.
 
Junior Sydney Widlitz made a huge stop and sophomore Anna Dembowski caused a turnover on the next possession to give Union a chance to take the lead with less than three minutes left, but RPI forced Union into only its second failed clear of the game to get the ball back and set up DeLeo for the go-ahead score.
 
Union finished the game with a slight 28-25 edge in shots, but Canfield's 13 saves – including seven in the second half – were the difference for the Engineers.
 
The Garnet Chargers will play four of their final five regular-season games on the road, beginning on Saturday with a 1 p.m. matchup at Skidmore College.