SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior Lana Mickelson led all players with five points on three goals and two assists as the Union College women's lacrosse team started off Liberty League play with a 10-9 victory over Skidmore College on Saturday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
 
Mickelson tied for the game high with three goals and added a game-best two helpers for her five-point afternoon, while also controlling a game-high four draws for Union (2-3, 1-0 Liberty League). Junior Maddy Schiller chipped in three goals and four Garnet Chargers added one goal apiece. Junior Anna Dembowski led all players with six ground balls and three caused turnovers, followed by senior Claudia Patz with four grounders and two CTs.
 
Skidmore (4-5, 0-3 Liberty League) was paced by Lily Hudner with three goals, Julia Cafasso with two goals and two assists, and Charlotte Taylor with five ground balls and three caused turnovers.
 
After Cafasso opened the scoring for the Thoroughbreds, Union scored three goals in less than four minutes to claim the lead. Doyle evened the score with 9:26 left in the first quarter, followed by tallies by senior Christina Guanci and sophomore Stella Del Papa 36 seconds apart. After Skidmore netted the last goal of the first and the first goal of the second stanza to knot the score,  the Garnet Chargers responded with another 3-0 run to take back the lead for good, beginning with a key player-down goal by Mickelson with 8:27 left. Another Mickelson tally and Schiller's first of the day put the home team up 6-3 before Skidmore got one back before halftime.
 
Union created some separation for the first time by outscoring the visitors 4-1 in the third quarter. Junior Hannah Compa and Schiller found the net 66 seconds apart to make it an 8-4 game. Schiller responded to a Skidmore goal with her third of the afternoon just 40 seconds later to restore the four-goal advantage and Mickelson added another player-down goal to give Union its largest lead of the day at 10-5 after three quarters.
 
The tide turned Skidmore's way in the fourth frame, but Union was able to hold on for the win. The Thoroughbreds got back within three at the midway point of the period, and Hudner made it a 10-8 score with 3:04 remaining. Senior Sydney Widlitz came up with a huge save on the next possession to keep it a two-goal lead, and Union was able to run out much of the remaining two minutes.
 
Widlitz made seven saves to earn the win for Union, while Skidmore's Tatum Walsh kept her team in the game with 14 stops. The Union defense forced Skidmore into 27 turnovers and a 19-of-28 effort on clearing attempts, while the home team also controlled 10-of-19 draws.
 
Union will be back in action on Monday with a 2 p.m. matchup against Colby College.