SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Junior
Gillian Joseph scored a game-high six goals and classmate
Maddy Schiller netted her 100th career goal as part of a game-high seven-point effort to lead the second-seeded Union College women's lacrosse team to a 15-7 victory over seventh-seeded Rochester Institute of Technology in the first round of the Liberty League Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
The win advances Union (12-5) to the Liberty League semifinals for the sixth straight season. The Garnet Chargers will host third-seeded Ithaca College on Friday at 4 p.m. in Schenectady.
Schiller led all players with seven points in five goals and two assists, and with her third goal of the game became the 15th player in program history to net 100 career goals. Along with Joseph, who reached 100 earlier this season, the pair are the first set of Union teammates to both score their 100th career goals in the same season and are just two of eight players all-time to do so before their senior year.
Junior
Hannah Compa led the ball control effort with 10 draw controls, while senior
Lana Mickelson picked up five ground balls and caused three turnovers.
Senior
Sydney Widlitz had her best game of the season in goal for Union, turning aside a season-best 14 shots – including five on eight-meter attempts as she held RIT scoreless on six free-position shots. Union, conversely, went 5-of-7 from the arc on Tuesday, with Joseph and senior
Christina Guanci both going 2-for-2 to lead the way.
Widlitz set the tone early with saves on RIT's first two possessions, as the home team scored the first two goals of the afternoon. After the Tigers got back to even, Joseph scored her second of the opening frame to put Union back ahead after 15 minutes, and the Garnet Chargers followed up with a dominant 7-1 second stanza to take total control.
Guanci and Schiller scored in the opening seven minutes before RIT scored its lone goal of the period at the 6:02 mark. After that it was all Union, with Schiller providing the bookends to goals by Joseph, Guanci and Compa. Schiller's fourth of the half came as the clock expired in the second to put Union up 10-3 at the half.
The visitors attempted to get back in the game in the third, but three saves by Widlitz limited RIT to just one goal and tallies from Joseph and Schiller gave the home team a 12-4 lead after 45 minutes. Joseph scored twice to start the fourth quarter to balloon the lead to its largest of the day at 14-4 and Union cruised the rest of the way.
Union will host a conference semifinal for the first time in a decade on Friday at 4 p.m. against Ithaca at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.
