TROY, N.Y. ­­– Seniors Ali Zumpetta and Cori Winslow scored goals two minutes apart in the second half, to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Union College on Tuesday night at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers improve to 12-3 overall (4-2 Liberty League), while the Dutchwomen drop to 6-4-4 (2-1-3 Liberty League).

Zumpetta (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) broke the scoreless tie in the 78th minute, when she headed home a corner kick from freshman Jacqui Richard (Southwick, MA/Westminster School) for her first goal of the season. Richard delivered a high ball in from the right that Zumpetta smashed past Union sophomore keeper Kelsey Hartsoe (Walingford, CT/Choate Rosemary Hall) and a pair of Dutchwomen defenders on the goal line.

RPI quickly doubled its lead in the 80th minute on Winslow's (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) third tally of the year. Freshman Emily Kaplan (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) drove up the right flank, before whipping a cross inside the Union six-yard box. Winslow got on the end of the ball and tapped it home from close range.

The Engineers then limited Union to just a long distance effort from freshman Paige Sherling (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) over the final 10 minutes.

Union carried play through the early stages of the game and were out-shooting the Engineers 6-0, before Richard missed high a volley from 20 yards out in the 18th minute.

Senior Michelle Staples (Hanson, MA/Silver Lake Regional) turned in the visitors' best first half chance in the 27th minute, when she connected well with a first-time shot from the top of the 18. RPI freshman goalkeeper Joey Lyons (Harwood, MD/Southern) was there to make one of her four saves on the night.

Rensselaer junior Dali Alarian (Folsom, CA/Vista del Lago) made a bid to score in the 34th minute, but her curling right-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area skimmed over the bar.

The Engineers continued their late first half push with shots from Winslow and Richard in the 35th and 40th minutes, respectively, but neither were able to find the target.

Union came out shooting in the second stanza, with freshman Linsey Giles (Bedford, MA/Bedford) registering two early attempts, including a dangerous shot from a tight angle in the 56th minute. She forced Lyons into a save, before the ball flashed across the face of the RPI net, but the Engineers were able to clear before the Dutchwomen could capitalize.

Giles then cut inside of the RPI defense in the 63rd minute, but could not find the frame with a shot from outside the box.

Rensselaer started to regain its edge in the 70th minute, when solid build up led to a left-footed chance for Zumpetta from the top of the 18, but it sailed high and wide of the left post. Five minutes later, Zumpetta set up Kaplan with a lay off near the penalty spot, but Kaplan drilled the shot right into Hartsoe's waiting arms.

With her ninth shutout of the season, Lyons (12-3) ties the single season school record, which is held by Rensselaer Athletics Hall of Famer Laura Gregor '00, who had nine in 1996.

The win over Union is just the fifth in school history and the first in Troy since 2002.

The Engineers return action on Saturday, when they visit Bard (2pm). Union hosts No. 1 William Smith on Saturday (3pm).