Women's Basketball Falls at Home to Cornell on Wednesday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (02/20/2025) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team fell 68-49 at home to Cornell on Wednesday night. The Fighting Scots (5-19, 2-13) finish the season with Senior Day against Grinnell on Saturday.

Delaney Scheidenhelm (New Berlin, Illinois) scored Monmouth's first three points as the Rams built a 13-3 lead. Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) scored four straight for the Scots but the Rams hit a pair of 3-pointers and a bucket inside for a 21-7 lead.

Cornell scored the first five of the second quarter before Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) converted in the lane. Scheidenhelm hit a baseline jumper and Brooklyn Sellers (Freeport, Illinois) made a free throw as the Rams led 31-12. After the visitors scoffed, Madi Finch (Aledo, Illinois) knocked down a jumper for a 34-14 game at halftime.

Cornell pushed the lead to 24 as Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois), Stearns and Scheidenhelm all split free throws. Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) got into the scoring column with a layup before the Rams scored four straight. Jones made two free throws and Stearns made one to get the deficit back to 20. Cornell scored before Stearns hit a 3-pointer, Sellers scored down low and Finch made two buckets for a 9-0 run. The Rams stopped the run at the free throw line for a 46-31 lead. Finch scored again, Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer and Sellers made a a free throw as Monmouth cut the Rams lead to 51-37 after three quarters.

Scheidenhelm made two free throws on Monmouth's first possession of the fourth quarter and added a jumper on the next trip. Jones made two free throws to pull the Scots within 12. The Rams scored seven straight to lead 62-43. Goodrich hit a 3-pointer but Cornell answered and pushed the lead back over 20. Goodrich scored again and added a free throw for the final point in the Rams 68-49 win.

Scheidenhelm led the Scots with 10 points while Stearns had nine. Finch and Goodrich both scored eight points and Stearns led the team with eight rebounds. Hoy led with three assists while Goodrich and Stearns both grabbed two steals.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Scheidenhelm had a career-high in scoring with 10 points and Finch tied her season and career-best with eight points ... Stearns tied her season and career-high with eight rebounds ... The Scots were 14-for-24 at the free throw line ... Cornell leads the all-time series 39-32 with five straight wins ... The Rams won at home 61-55 on Jan. 14 ... The Scots finish the season at home against Grinnell at 1 p.m. Saturday with a pregame Senior Day ceremony.