MOUNT VERNON – Coming off a 22-day layoff from competition, Cornell's shooters were blazing from long range in Saturday's 75-68 women's basketball triumph over Lake Forest Saturday inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
 
The Rams (6-6 overall, 5-0 MWC) sank a season-high 15 3-point goals – one shy of the school record – and kept their perfect Midwest Conference record intact with a first-place showdown looming against Knox next week.
 
Hot shooting carried the Rams down the stretch, after Lake Forest (3-8 overall, 0-5 MWC) went ahead 58-57 with less than five minutes to go in regulation. Cornell buried four 3-pointers during a 12-1 run over the next three minutes, starting with sophomore Kennedy Pawloski's first triple of the season.
 
Madison Osborn, Kali March and Megan Gandrup each netted a 3-pointer during the decisive spurt that put the Rams ahead 69-59 with 1:37 remaining. After the Foresters pulled within 71-68, Cornell closed it out with two free throws apiece from March and Osborn.
 
Senior post Madison Wauters complemented Cornell's outside game with a big effort of 16 points and 16 rebounds. It was her fifth double-double of the season.    
 
Osborn connected for five 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 17 points. March shot 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and totaled 16 points, six assists and six steals.
 
The Rams finished 15-of-37 shooting from 3-point land and went 8-of-8 from the foul line. Gandrup and Victoria Saucedo chipped in eight points apiece for Cornell, which hurried the Foresters into 20 turnovers.   
 
Coming up – The Rams travel to play MWC unbeaten Knox (9-4 overall, 4-0 MWC) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Galesburg, Ill.