ROCHESTER, NY- The RIT women's lacrosse team (3-3, 1-0 Liberty League) defeated Liberty League foe Union College (0-2, 0-1 Liberty League) in the conference opener for both schools by a score of 17-12 Friday afternoon from the RIT Turf Field.
 
Emily Livecchi (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) led the way for the Tigers with eight points on five goals and three assists. Alanna Fallone (Penfield, NY/Penfield) also netted five goals and finished with one assist. Meghan Donahue (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) and Maegen Schmauder each finished with two goals. Colette Rigas (Marietta, NY/Marcellus), Brooks Melnyk (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville East) and Steph Darrell (East Norhtport, NY/St. Anthony's) each scored once.
 
Total shots were even at 26-26 and shots on goal were 22-17 in favor of RIT. The Tigers won 16 draw controls and went 5-of-7 on free position shots. Goalkeeper Rebekah Snitkoff (Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Warde) got the win in net for RIT with five saves.
 
Union's Hanna Rosenberger led the Dutchwomen with three goals, while Cailin Pandolfi had two goals and two assits. Ellen Taney had the loss in net for Union, stopping five shots.
 
The Dutchwoman came out first scoring two goals in under a minute to go up 2-0 over the Tigers. Consecutive goals from Livecchi, Donahue and Fallone put RIT up 3-2.
 
Ramsey Walsh tied it up 3-3 at 20:03 in the first half until RIT went on a 6-0 run making it 9-3 with 9:59 to go in the half.
 
RIT would go up 11-4 off of goals from Rigas and Schmauder with 8:02 left in the opening half. Union closed out the scoring with goals from Pandolfi and Rosenberger to make it 11-6 Tigers at the half.
 
Cronin and Lowrey scored consecutive goals to get Union within three just under three minutes into the second to cut the RIT lead to 11-8. Livecchi stretched the Tiger lead to 12-8 with 25:14 to go.
 
Union brought it within two with goals from Pandolfi and Rosenberger making it 12-10 with 17:10 left. RIT would respond with five unanswered goals, including two in a row by Livecchi to pull away and extend its lead to 17-10. Livecchi now has 25 goals in six games this season, while Fallone has 20.
 
Erika Bonnist and Lindsay Gerrato rounded out the scoring with two goals in the last 25 seconds for the Dutchwomen.
 
RIT is right back in action on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. on the Turf Field, as Liberty League competitor Skidmore College comes to town.