MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (Blugolds.com) – In a game where neither team led by more than seven points, the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team fell short in the end, 75-68, at Cornell College (Iowa) today.

The Blugolds held Cornell scoreless for the first two minutes and took a 4-0 lead to start the game. Eau Claire led by as many as five points and never trailed over the first seven minutes.

Just over seven minutes into the game, Cornell took its first lead of the day, and the teams then went back and forth for the next few minutes. The Rams then went on a 13-5 run for four minutes and took a six-point lead (32-26) with 2:25 remaining in the first half.

Eau Claire was able to hold Cornell scoreless for the rest of the half and used a 7-0 run before halftime to take a one-point lead (33-32) into the locker room.

The teams again stayed close in the second half as the lead changed hands five times while the score was tied two other times.

After Cornell got up by six (59-53) with less than eight minutes to play, Eau Claire went on a 9-2 run to take a one-point lead. But that was the last time the Blugolds would lead as the Rams outscored the Blugolds 14-6 the rest of the way to win 75-68.

Courtney Lewis (So.-Prairie Du Chien, Wis.) led the game with a career-high 20 points while Cady Roedl (Fr.-Beaver Dam, Wis.) added 14 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc, and led the game with eight assists. Sarah Bingea (Sr.-Delano, Minn.) tied for a game-high nine rebounds

Cornell narrowly outshot the Blugolds 48.3 percent (29-for-60) to 46.4 percent (26-for-56) and led the rebounding advantage 38-28. Both teams committed 19 turnovers.

Eau Claire is now 1-3 on the season while Cornell improves to 3-0.

Thursday the Blugolds will be back at home for a game against Wartburg College (Iowa). Action will get underway in Zorn Arena at 7 p.m. for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night.

-KM-