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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Guard Whitney Coleman scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team to a 56-45 victory over Union in a Liberty League contest at the Viniar Center.  With the win RPI improves to 13-9 overall and 8-3 in the league clinches a spot in the league tournament.  The Dutchwomen fall to 6-16 and 4-8.

Coleman (Rancho Cucamonga, CA / Etiwanda), a graduate student, also had eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in 39 minutes of action.  She had 15 points and five rebounds in the first half, helping the Engineers to a 36-28 edge.  Hillary McKinley (Quinebaug, CT / Tourtellotte Memorial) led RPI in rebounding with nine total.  She also sored six points.

For Union, junior Lauren McCormick (Hoosick Falls, NY / Catholic Central) had a team-best 13 points with seven rebounds and two assists.  Classmate Leah Pepe (Amsterdam, NY / Amsterdam) added 12 points, while senior Rachel Titcomb (Henniker, NH / John Stark Regional) had a game-high 14 rebounds in her final regular season home game as the Dutchwomen celebrated Senior Day.

The Dutchwomen jumped out to a five-point lead, 21-7, six minutes into the first half before RPI fought back to tie the score at 16-16 at the 9:31 mark.  The half was back-and-forth until the visitors pulled ahead by eight points, 33-25, on a layup from junior Allison Connor (Hudson, NY / Hudson) with just under two minutes left.

RPI opened the second half by answering a two-point basket by Union's Talitha Linden-Darrow (West Sand Lake, NY / Averill Park) with a three-pointer by sophomore Laura Easterling (Ventura, CA / Ventura) for a nine-point lead, 39-30.  Union went on a 9-1 run, highlighted by five points from Pope, to cut its deficit to 40-39 with 14:44 remaining.  The Engineers went on a run of their own, 11-4 over the next 12 minutes for a 51-43 lead at the 2:51 mark.  RPI went on to win by 11 points.

Rensselaer is back in action on Tuesday night at league foe Vassar in Poughkeepsie at 6pm.  Union travels to Clarkson on Friday night for a 6pm contest.