GENEVA, N.Y. – The Union College field hockey team suffered a tough 1-0 defeat to William Smith College in a Liberty League matchup on Friday afternoon at McCooey Field.
The loss drops Union (7-6, 2-3 Liberty League) into sixth place in the conference standings with three matches remaining, a half-game behind William Smith (8-8, 3-2 Liberty League) and the University of Rochester in a tie for fourth.
Junior
Tess Parker made six games to keep the Garnet Chargers in the contest, but one second-quarter tally proved to be enough for the Herons.
Both goalies made two saves over the opening 30 minutes, as the home team held a 7-3 edge in shots. William Smith struck with 3:56 left in the second stanza, when Mia Batchelder tipped home a penalty corner pass to provide the game's first and eventually only goal.
The third quarter was a defensive struggle on both sides of the field, with the teams combining for just two shots and two penalty corners. Parker made the only save of the frame to keep it a one-goal game headed to the fourth.
The Garnet Chargers needed just 43 seconds to get a shot early in the fourth off the stick of senior
Rachel Ostiguy, and Parker followed with a stop off an early Heron corner attempt. Union had two corners and took two shots a few minutes later, but one attempt was blocked and another went wide. The visitors managed only two blocked shots over the final 10 minutes as the game-tying goal eluded them.
William Smith ended the afternoon with a 12-9 edge in shots and also out-cornered Union by a 10-3 margin.
Union will return to action on Sunday with a noon matchup against Rochester at Frank Bailey Field for the team's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game.
