by Ryan Fay
SCHENECTADY -- When the final horn sounds on Saturday, the Dutchwomen will see their season come to an end. For five members of the team, their college careers will also come to finish line.
Forwards Nicole Bartlett, Rhianna Kurio, Emma Rambo, and Jeannie Sabourin along with goaltender Alana Marcinko are set to graduate this spring.
The group has left an indelible mark on head coach Claudia Asano Barcomb.
"They're a good group of people," she said after Friday's 2-1 setback to Colgate. "They've always worked their tails off. They've done such a great job and I appreciate everything they've done. They were our second recruiting class and I'm sad to see them graduate."
A native of Joliet, Illinois, Rambo has been one of the most durable assets in program history. Her 134 games played tie her for second most by any Dutchwomen player. The thought of Saturday being her last one in a Union uniform is tough for her to take.
"It's terrible," Rambo said. "I hate to think about it, the but the four years have gone by real fast."
One of the most memorable moments of her Union career came early on.
"In my freshman year, I took out my assistant coach in the first practice. That was pretty funny," she recalled.
Kurio, who is tied for 10th place on the program's career goals list with 13, said one of her best memories came much more recently. Last Saturday, she scored with 16 seconds left in the game to force an eventual 1-1 tie at Yale.
"I was pretty shocked that it went in, actually," she said. "I was just trying to get to the net and luckily it went in."
At 7-22-4, the program is having its best season since winning 11 games during the 2002-2003 campaign. The consensus was the program has come a long way over the duration of the seniors' time at Union.
"It's black and white," Rambo said.
"The girls have really improved the skill that we have," added Kurio.
There's still a ways to go -- notably in league play, where zero of the team's seven wins have come.
"We're more successful outside of our league, which makes me wonder what we need to do in the league," Barcomb said. "At the end of the season, you always re-evaluate and try to figure out what will make you better."
Rambo already has the answer.
"We need to have more good recruiting classes. We could use some good goal scorers and playmakers," she said, likely aware of the team ranking last in Division I at 1.24 goals a game.
Saturday's game against #3 Cornell, which beat Union 8-1 on Feb. 1, offers the seniors a chance to close their Union careers on a high note.
"[Going out with a win] would be really great, especially against Cornell since they're at the top of the league," Kurio said.
Said Barcomb of Cornell, "They're a very good team. You'll see an excellent offensive team. One of the best players in the league, Brianne Jenner, is on Cornell. But our team is going to put up a good fight."
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