The St. Lawrence University women's basketball team used a flurry of 3-pointers and a pair of free throws by Jenny Scudder to erase a nine-point deficit and tie the score with five minutes remaining, but Union College took advantage of solid free throw shooting down the stretch to pull out a 69-60 victory in the Liberty League opener for both teams on Friday afternoon in Schenectady.
After Kaelyn Kohlasch, Meghan Hynes and Cara Waterson hit 3-pointers in a span of less than a minute, Scudder sank a pair of free throws to knot the game 54-54. Union (5-4 overall, 1-0 Liberty League) responded by scoring the next six points to regain control.
Shayna Davner blocked a layup attempt, grabbed the defensive rebound and was fouled at the 2:34 mark and hit both her free throws to trim the Union lead to 60-58. Union scored nine of the next 11 points from the free throw line to pull away for the win.
The Saints had their biggest lead early in the game as Davner capped a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer to give St. Lawrence (2-6, 0-1) a 14-7 advantage. Union scored the final four points of the opening quarter to take a 20-18 lead.
Kohlasch hit a 3-pointer to give the Saints a four-point lead in the second quarter but the Dutchwomen hit a late 3-pointer to take a 33-31 lead into the halftime break.
Hynes led the Saints with 15 points, Waterson came off the bench to score 12 and Davner finished with 11 points and led the team with seven rebounds. St. Lawrence committed 23 turnovers and Union capitalized with 25 points off turnovers. The Saints finished with six points off eight Union turnovers.
St. Lawrence continues Liberty League play at noon Saturday at Rensselaer and will play at home Tuesday hosting Clarkson at 6 p.m.
