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TROY, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team struck for seven straight goals, including the first six of the second half for a 13-7 advantage, and the Engineers went on to defeat Union College, 16-12, in a Liberty League contest at Renwyck Feild. RPI has now won five straight games to improve to 6-3 overall and 4-0 in the conference. The Dutchwomen fall to 5-4 and 3-1.

Junior Erin Riley (West Nyack, NY / Clarkstown South) led the Engineers with five goals, five draw controls, four ground balls and six shots. Seniors Meg Colitz (East Greenwich, RI / LaSalle Academy) and Michelle Denny (Lusby, MD / Patuxent) added three goals and an assist with six shots apiece. Rachel Scofield (Albany, NY / Colonie), another senior, had two goals, two assists, a team-best six ground balls, four shots and five draw controls in the victory, which was backstopped by junior Erin Amarello (Griswold, CT / St. Bernard School). She finished with three saves in 60 minutes.

Union was led by junior Emily McGrail (Westwood, MA / Westwood), who scored five times (2 free position) with one assist, two ground balls and a pair of draw controls. Ciara Dudeck (Longmeadow, MA / Longmeadow), a junior, scored three times and sophomore Maggie Comiskey (Garden City, NY / Scared Heart Academy) scored twice with one assist and five shots. Freshman Jen Hughes (Wolfeboro, NH / Brewster Academy) stopped eight shots in goal.

Rensselaer opened the contest by scoring four of the first five goals in the opening 10:30 of play, including two goals from Riley. The Dutchwomen countered, scoring the next four goals and six of the next eight - all unassisted - for a 7-6 lead with 3:31 remaining in the first half. McGrail had three of those goals and Dudeck had two. Riley scored her third of the half with 1:33 to play to knot the score at 7-7 at the break.

Junior Erin Masucci (Windham, NH / Central Catholic) needed just 23 seconds of the second half to put the Engineers back in front, 8-7. Denny, Scofield, Colitz and Denny back-to-back gave the home team a six-goal lead, 13-7, before Comiskey tallied for Union at 19:24. After Colitz and Dudeck traded goals, Riley scored twice more for a 16-9 lead with 12:15 to play. The Dutchwomen scored the final three goals, two by McGrail, for the four-goal final margin. 

RPI held a 29-21 edge in shots, including 24-15 on goal, and a 26-23 advantage in ground balls. The Engineers won 21 of 30 draw controls, but Union had 11 of the 12 free position chances.

Rensselaer returns to action on Friday afternoon at RIT (4pm), while the Dutchwomen host Bard at the same time on Friday.