TROY, NY — The RPI field hockey team's historic 2026 season came to an end this afternoon as the Engineers fell to Union, 4-2, in the Liberty League Championship game at Harkness Field.
RPI concludes the season with a 15-3 overall record after reaching the conference championship following the first Liberty League regular season title in program history.
Union struck first late in the opening quarter when Rowan Dapson finished a setup from Maddie Greco to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. RPI generated five shots and two penalty corners during the period, while
Olivia Brovak made three saves to keep the Engineers within one entering the second.
The Engineers responded immediately in the second quarter.
Ria Patel forced a save before
Sophia Brown had an attempt cleared away on a defensive save by Nadia Michienzi. Brown stayed with the pressure and found the back of the cage moments later to even the contest at 1-1.
RPI continued to control much of the offensive play throughout the remainder of the half, finishing the second quarter with an 11-2 advantage in shots and eight penalty corners.
Emily Dubord,
Emily Frey and Patel each generated additional opportunities, but Union goalkeeper Tess Parker kept the game tied entering halftime.
Union moved back in front during the third quarter.
Ryan Spagnolo initially denied Dapson with a defensive save following a penalty corner, but the visitors continued the sequence before Lily Durivage finished a feed from Dapson to give Union a 2-1 advantage. RPI answered with additional pressure from Dubord and Brown but was unable to find the equalizer before the end of the period.
The visitors extended the margin in the fourth. Brovak made consecutive saves during a Union attacking sequence before Amy Vytopilova scored off an assist from Durivage. Dapson added her second goal of the afternoon shortly thereafter, with Greco recording her second assist, to push the Union lead to 4-1.
RPI continued to battle through the closing minutes and generated four late penalty corners. Dubord,
Ella Downing and Patel each put shots on goal during the final push before
Val Palmiotti converted a penalty stroke to account for the 4-2 final.
Brown and Palmiotti accounted for the two RPI goals. Dubord led the Engineers with eight shots, including two on goal, while Brown recorded six attempts and Patel added four. Frey and Downing also placed shots on target.
RPI finished with a 23-16 advantage in total shots and nearly doubled Union in penalty corners, 18-9. The Engineers put nine shots on goal compared to 11 for Union. Brovak played all 60 minutes and made six saves, while Spagnolo added a defensive save. Parker recorded six saves for Union, with the visitors also registering one defensive save.
