MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – The Grinnell College women's basketball made its best attempt to dent Cornell College's unbeaten league mark, and came very close to succeeding.
 
The Pioneers were within one point in the third quarter, lost some ground and then roared back to within four in the final period before losing 59-52 Wednesday.
 
The Pioneers, who are 6-5 in the Midwest Conference and 8-8 overall, got 14 points from Kayla Morrissey '18, 13 from Lydia Stariha '17 and nine from Haley Lopez '17. Stariha's total ties her season-high, while Lopez tied a career-high.
 
Alex Neckopulos '17 established a season-high with 14 rebounds and career-high with six assists. In the process, she moved into the No. 3 spot on Grinnell's all-time rebound chart with 723, passing Mandi Hill.
 
Morrissey added five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
 
Cornell, 11-0 in the MWC and 13-3 overall, saw itself behind most of the first period before the teams were tied 7-all at its conclusion. The Rams took the lead for good early in the second period and were ahead 29-18 at halftime.
 
Cornell was up 32-21 before the Pioneers put together 9-1 run. Lopez scored three points and Morrissey, Stariha and Neckopulos two apiece to bring the Pioneers within 33-30 with 5:50 left in the third period.
 
Grinnell later came within a point on Gatton's jumper before Cornell closed out the period with five straight points for a 42-36 lead entering the final stanza.
 
It looked as if Cornell would win comfortably after going ahead by 12 with 2:43 left in the game, but Grinnell wasn't done. The Pioneers assembled a 9-1 run, as Gatton made a basket, Stariha a free throw and Lopez and Leah Greenberg '17 3-pointers to make it a 56-52 margin with 31 seconds left.
 
However, Cornell closed out the game with the final three points while the Pioneers missed two shots and turned the ball over once.
 
The Pioneers will face Lawrence University in a league contest Saturday at Darby Gymnasium. Game time is 1 p.m.