SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College field hockey team kept its postseason hopes alive with a big 2-1 victory in its penultimate Liberty League contest of the regular season on Sunday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
The win was a huge one for the postseason hopes of Union (8-6, 3-3 Liberty League), as the Garnet Chargers move into a tie for fourth place with Ithaca College with one game left. Rochester (9-6, 2-3 Liberty League) falls a half-game back of Union into sixth place with the loss.
The Yellow Jackets had the first foray into the offensive end and fired two shots on goal that were saved by junior
Tess Parker, but the Garnet Charger defense conceded only one blocked shot over the final 12-plus minutes of the opening quarter.
The Union offense came alive with eight shots, yet it took until the final minute to finally find a goal. On the team's fifth penalty corner of the frame, first-year
Caroline Ranucci had her shot from the top of the arc saved by Riley Leeser, but the ball bounced right to junior
Maggie Monaghan in front of the net and the junior went five-hole for her second goal of the year.
The Garnet Chargers limited Rochester to just one shot in the second stanza as part of a frame spent largely in the midfield, but the visitors took advantage of their only corner attempt to even the score with 1:32 left on a goal by Hannah Mehta.
Rochester continued to play with momentum in the third quarter, earning two corners in the first three minutes; however, Union was able to turn the tide with under five minutes remaining. Junior
Bobbi Serino sent a ball into the arc, where it was tipped toward the goal by senior
Maddie Greco for classmate
Amy Vytopilova to push over the goal line for her sixth goal of the year. With her 17th career assist, Greco moved into a tie for fourth on the school's career assists list, in addition to the top spots she already holds in career goals (59) and points (135).
Union closed out the game with a strong fourth quarter, keeping Rochester without a shot or a penalty corner over the final 15 minutes.
The Garnet Chargers finished the afternoon with a 15-6 edge in shots and earned 11 penalty corners to UR's five. Parker made two saves to pick up the victory for Union, while Leeser made five saves for UR in the loss.
Union will close out conference play on Saturday with a rematch of last year's Liberty League title game at Vassar College beginning at noon.
