SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Sophomores
Ryanne Gulbin and
Ryley Tate-Padian scored a game-high 16 points each as the Union College women's basketball team used a strong start and a stronger finish to defeat Utica University by a 59-41 score in the team's home opener on Wednesday night at Viniar Athletic Center.
Union (2-1) got a strong effort from its five starters, who combined for 57 of the team's 59 points. In addition to Gulbin and Tate-Padian with 16 apiece, senior
Morgan Schultz chipped in 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, junior
Olivia Cunningham had eight points, eight rebounds and four assists in her first start of the year, and first-year
Sophia Florio had six points, three assists and four boards.
Gulbin hit a three-pointer on the first possession of the game and the Garnet Chargers never trailed on Wednesday, outscoring Utica (1-1) by a 21-12 margin in the opening frame. Gulbin had a team-leading eight points in the opening period, as Union jumped out to an early 12-3 lead four minutes in and eventually got back to a nine-point lead at the end of the opening 10 minutes after five straight Tate-Padian points. Union shot 47.6 percent (8 of 17) and limited Utica to 4-of-14 (28.5 percent) shooting in the first frame.
The shooting cooled down for the home team in the second stanza, but Union still built up the lead to as many as 11 points on two occasions before settling for a nine-point edge (30-21) at the half.
The Pioneers made their run in the third quarter, scoring 10 straight points to turn a 34-23 deficit into a 34-33 game at the midway point of the period. However, Schultz hit key baskets on Union's next two possessions to quickly bump the lead back up to five in less than a minute, and a Tate-Padian three in the final minute gave the Garnet Chargers a little more cushion up 41-35 after 30 minutes.
Union closed the game strong on both ends of the floor, shooting 54.5 percent (6 of 11) from the field and limiting Utica to just 2-of-16 shooting (12.5 percent) in the fourth. Four Gulbin points and a three-point play from Cunningham quickly bumped the lead back up to double figures at 48-35 with 6:32 on the clock. The lead never got below nine the rest of the way, and a 7-0 run to end the game built up the largest lead of the night at 59-41.
Union finished the game shooting 37.7 percent (23 of 61) from the field and 40.0 percent (6 of 15) from beyond the arc, while limiting Utica to just 27.8 percent (15 of 54) shooting at the other end.
The Garnet Chargers will be back in action on Saturday when the team heads to Russell Sage College for a 3 p.m. tipoff.
