MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - Cornell jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game, but Coe used a balanced attack down the stretch to defeat the Rams 63-62. The win was the 100th at Coe for Randi Peterson.
The Rams held their largest lead of the game at 18-10 with 11:14 to play in the first half when the Kohawks went on an 18-7 run in the next 5:46 to take a 28-25 lead with 4:37 left in the opening half. Cornell ended the first half on a 10-3 run, taking a 35-31 lead into the break.
Coe scored the first five points of the second half in less than a minute to tie the game. Camille Marie-Lidd hit a layup and free throw with 13:11 to play, followed by a layup from Rikkie Mulloy :25 later to give the Rams a 46-41 lead, their largest of the second half. Sophomore Hannah Breitbach (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) hit back-to-back baskets for the Kohawks to cut the lead to one with 11:47 to play.
Cornell led 50-45 with 10:50 to play before freshman Lindsey Jipp (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) hit a 3-pointer to spark a 9-2 Kohawk run in the next 3:59. Mulloy hit a jumper with 2:43 to play to tie the game for the seventh time in the second half. Senior Kayla Waskow (Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton) gave the Kohawks a two point lead on a pair of free throws before Breitbach hit a 3-pointer with 1:46 to play to give Coe a 63-58 lead.
A layup by Kathryn Schilling with :29 to play cut Coe's lead to 63-62. The Kohawks missed the front end of a one-and-one, but got the rebound with :26 to play. After getting the offensive rebound, Coe again missed the front end of a one-and-one, with India Pearce getting the rebound for the Rams with :15 to play. Mulloy's shot with :02 to play missed, as Waskow grabbed the rebound.
Peterson became the first women's basketball coach at Coe to win 100 games and the second overall for Coe Basketball. Cornell Head Coach Brent Brase coached the Kohawk men's team from 1994-2005, compiling 146 wins.
The Kohawks shot 12-of-28 in each half, finishing the game at 42.9 percent. Cornell's bench outscored Coe's 26-16.
Waskow led the Kohawks with 18 points, while Breitbach added 15 and seniorLeslie Ware (Des Moines, Iowa/Johnston) dropping in 12. Mulloy led the Rams with a game-high 20 points. Waskow became the fifth player in school history to surpass 1,100 career points in the game, while Ware became the 25th player to score 700 points. Waskow was 8-of-13 from the field, moving into second on Coe's career field goals list with 426.
Freshman Megan Hayes (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf) had a game-high 10 rebounds, while Waskow added seven. Sophomore Mary Halvorson (Waterville, Iowa/Waukon) grabbed six boards. Ware finished with three assists, while Waskow blocked two shots. Breitbach had two steals.
The Kohawks sit alone atop the Iowa Conference standings at 7-1 at the midway point of the conference slate. Coe, 13-4 overall, will travel to Loras on Saturday. Tipoff against the Duhawks (10-7, 5-3 IIAC) is scheduled for 2 p.m.