SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Junior Jelena Perovic led the Union College women's basketball team offensively with a game-high 16 points and the Garnet Chargers held another opponent under 30 percent shooting in posting a 59-46 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Liberty League action on Friday evening at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
With the win, Union (12-8, 9-4 Liberty League) remains in fourth place, two full games ahead of St. Lawrence University and Skidmore College in a tie for fifth, and now sits just a half-game behind Rochester Institute of Technology in third with five games remaining.
 
Perovic led all players with 16 points and 12 rebounds on the night, recording her third double-double of the season. Senior Jenna Forman chipped in eight points, nine rebounds and three blocks, while senior Grace Arcoleo and junior Grace Ceseretti picked up eight and seven points, respectively.
 
RPI (10-10, 4-9 Liberty League) came out of the gates shooting almost 50 percent from the field and took its largest lead of the game at 14-9 with 3:00 on the clock in the opening frame. However, the Garnet Chargers closed on an 8-2 run to take a 17-16 lead after 10 minutes. Perovic scored four of the team's eight points during the run.
 
Union outscored RPI 13-5 in the second stanza, holding the Engineers to 1-for-14 shooting to take a nine-point lead into the break. Back-to-back buckets from Ceseretti and Forman started an early run and Arcoleo followed with a three to put the home team up eight at 24-16. After the Engineers got back within five at the midway point, the Garnet Chargers scored the final four points of the frame from seniors Emma Riley and Claudia Porto to take a 30-21 advantage into the locker room.
 
The home team outscored the visitors 20-14 in a higher-scoring third period, as the Garnet Chargers shot 52.9 percent (9 of 17) to take a commanding 50-35 lead into the final frame. RPI started the period with an 8-4 run to get back within five at 34-29 with 7:29 left. However, Union responded with a 16-6 stretch to close out the stanza, with six different players recording buckets, to extend its lead.
 
The advantage grew to as many as 16 in the fourth after a Perovic turn-around made the score 56-40 in favor of Union with 4:59 remaining, allowing the home team to cruise home for the win.
 
Union finished the night shooting 40.7 percent (24 of 59) from the field and outscored RPI 36-22 in the paint. The Garnet Chargers also limited RPI to 29.3 percent (17 of 58) shooting from the field and just a 16.7 percent (4 of 24) effort from beyond the arc.
 
Union will be back in action tomorrow with another key conference matchup against second-place Vassar College beginning at 2 p.m.