SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Thirteen players recorded at least one point as the Union College women's basketball team rolled past Bard College, 81-50, for its seventh straight Liberty League victory on Friday night at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
It was a team effort for Union (11-3, 7-0 Liberty League) to earn its fifth straight win overall and stay atop the conference standings, with senior Grace Ceseretti leading the squad with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and a 3-of-5 effort from long range. Classmate Kate Peek finished close behind with 12 points, while first-year Ryley Tate-Padian led the bench effort with 10 points and matched sophomore Olivia Cunningham for the game-high with eight rebounds.
 
Sophomore Aiko Bastiaens (nine points) and first-year Aiden Gill (five points) also posted career-high totals on the night, while first-year Hazel Hoog scored the first points of her career as well.
 
Union shot 53.2 percent (33 of 62) from the field on the evening and limited Bard (3-10, 1-6 Liberty League) to just a 27.8 percent (15 of 54) connection rate and 20 turnovers at the other end, while also posting a commanding 45-29 edge on the glass.
 
The Garnet Chargers started off slow on Friday and trailed for a majority of the opening frame, but Union responded with a commanding 24-4 second stanza to gain control. The home team hit 10-of-16 field goals (62.5 percent) from the field and limited Bard to 1-of-9 shooting in the period while forcing 13 turnovers over the 10-minute span. Ceseretti led all scorers with eight points and classmate Grace Ardito added seven in the period, which saw Union go from down four to up 16 (38-22) at the half.
 
Union outscored Bard by double figures again in the third period, putting up 27 points thanks to 11-of-17 shooting to further extend the advantage. Nine different players scored for the home team in the frame, paced by five points from Bastiaens.  The home team then cruised through the fourth frame, building the lead to as many as 35 after a three from first-year Ryanne Gulbin put Union up 81-46 entering the final minute of the game.
 
Union will finish off a challenging week tomorrow with a 3 p.m. tipoff against Vassar College.