Dec. 21, 2002

Box Score

Ithaca, N.Y. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette women out rebounded its opponent for the first time this season, 43-37, and got a team-high 15 points from Colleen Fitzpatrick (Springfield, Pa./Notre Dame), but fell to host Cornell 64-43 Saturday afternoon.

The Leopards fell behind 30-13 in the opening half against a tough Cornell defense that held Lafayette scoreless for a six-minute stretch early on. Fitzpatrick tallied six first-half points and Liz Rojahn netted four, but Lafayette committed 22 first-half turnovers and went to the locker room trailing 32-17.

Lafayette started the second-half with more intensity and forced the pace against the Big Red, cutting what was once a 25-point lead down to 14 at the 11-minute mark, by finding Fitzpatrick and Rojahn in the post. Lafayette also managed to turn the tide offensively by shooting 42.3 percent from the field in the second-half, while holding Cornell to 35.1 percent, but in the end the Leopards could not overcome the first-half deficit.

Three Cornell players finished in double-figures, and ten Big Red found the bottom of the net, led by 13 points apiece from Karen Force and Lauren Kilduff.

Lafayette returns to the hardwood after the New Year, when the Leopards travel to the University of Albany on Jan. 2 at 5 p.m.