SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — The Ithaca College women's basketball team continued its four-game Liberty League road trip on Friday evening with a matchup at Union College. The Garnet Chargers jumped out to an early lead and pulled away in the fourth quarter to hand Ithaca a 69–53 loss Friday evening at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
The Garnet Chargers scored on their first three possessions of the game to open a 7–0 advantage before Ithaca got on the board when Avery McPeek split a pair of free throws with 7:17 remaining in the opening quarter. Tori Drevna followed with a jumper just after the six-minute mark, and Zoraida Icabalceta added her first points of the night midway through the period.
 
Madalyn Barrows buried a 3-pointer with two minutes left in the quarter, but Union answered at the other end as the Chargers closed the period on top, 20–10.
 
Ithaca found its rhythm offensively in the second quarter. McPeek opened the scoring with a jumper, and Icabalceta and Madison Gill followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the deficit to seven. Drevna then knocked down a triple of her own and later traded 3-pointers with Union, bringing the Bombers within four at 28–24 with 5:29 left in the half.
 
Grace McNamara and Gill scored on consecutive possessions to keep Ithaca within striking distance, and a layup and two free throws from Icabalceta trimmed the Union lead to three with 1:50 remaining. Kenzie Perluke converted a free throw in the final seconds, sending the Bombers into halftime trailing just 35–33.
 
Icabalceta led Ithaca with nine first half points, while Drevna added eight. McPeek paced the Bombers on the glass with five rebounds.
 
Union scored the first baskets of the third quarter, but Icabalceta responded with a three-point play early in the period. Mary Bernat added a free throw, and Natalie Tucker connected on a jumper off a Bernat assist with 3:46 remaining. Drevna scored her 10th point of the night on a fast-break layup with 1:34 left, cutting the deficit to eight, but Union carried a 51–43 lead into the final quarter.
 
Drevna opened the fourth quarter with a jumper to bring Ithaca within six, but Union steadily rebuilt its cushion. McNamara knocked down two free throws with 4:44 remaining, and Icabalceta answered with a layup to keep the Bombers within six at the 3:44 mark. The Chargers, however, closed the game on a strong run from the free-throw line and pulled away for the 16-point victory.
 
Icabalceta led Ithaca with 16 points and five rebounds. Drevna finished with 14 points and five boards, while McPeek added eight rebounds to go along with three points.
 
The Bombers close out the road swing on Saturday, January 31 at RIT. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.