Boxscore

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell women's basketball team played in its final non-conference game of the season this evening, as it dropped a 69-55 decision to Bucknell at Newman Arena. With the loss, the Big Red falls to 5-8 on the season.

Cornell was led by Allie Fedorowicz, who registered 15 points, while Allie Munson matched a season-high with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. Clare Fitzpatrick chipped in nine points and a team-high seven rebounds along with Lauren Benson, who also had seven rebounds to go along with seven assists.

Bucknell (4-9) was led by Cosima Higham, who filled out the stat line with 21 points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots. Joyce Novacek (16) and Trisha Krewson (14) also scored in double-figures.

The Bison shot 41.4 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from 3-point range, while Cornell connected on 30 percent overall and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc. Bucknell also held the slight 45-41 advantage in rebounds and forced 15 Big Red turnovers with seven steals.

Cornell took an early 7-5 lead just over two minutes into the contest, thanks to a pair of jumpers by Fedorowicz and Munson, sandwiched around a 3-pointer from Virginia McMunigal. The lead was short-lived, however, as six unanswered Bison points put the visitors up, 11-7 at the 14:23 mark. A trey by Fedorowicz, followed by a pair of made free throws by Taylor Flynn returned the lead to Cornell, but an 8-3 run gave Bucknell a lead it would not relinquish with 9:39 to play in the first half.

Twice in final nine minutes, the Big Red cut the lead to one-point, but could not get any closer than 22-21, after which, Bucknell outscored Cornell, 8-4 over the final 5:50 to take the 30-25 lead into the intermission.

The Bison extended its lead to 11 points in the early moments of the second half, but back-to-back layups from Christine Vlasic made it a 36-29 game with 17:32 to play in the contest. Bucknell pushed its lead back to double-digits over the next two minutes, but five straight points by Munson made it a 43-38 game at the 9:41 mark. After trading baskets, a layup by Fitzpatrick brought Cornell to within four points, 45-41, but the Bison were able to push its lead back to 11 points, thanks mostly to four points each by Novacek and Higham.

Once more the Big Red cut the Bucknell lead to seven points with a traditional three-point play from Fedorowicz, followed by a free throw by Fitzpatrick, but six straight made free throws put the Bison up, 61-48 with just under two minutes to play. From there, Bucknell cruised to the 69-55 victory.

Cornell is back in action next weekend as welcomes Columbia in its Ivy League opener at Newman Arena on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 2:00 p.m.