The Lake Forest College women's basketball team came from behind
to defeat visiting Carroll University 79-75 on Saturday (December
5). The Foresters completed a Midwest Conference opening weekend
sweep of two of the top three teams in preseason coaches poll and
are now 5-2 overall on the year. The Lady Pioneers fell to 3-4
overall and 0-2 in the league.
Three Foresters scored in double figure, led by senior center Lisa Nassin (Evergreen Park, Ill./Evergreen Park) with 22. She shot
11-for-16 from the field and pulled down eight rebounds. Senior
guard Kate Grunauer (Chicago, Ill./Marist) scored a dozen points
and freshman guard Sam Schuring (Elk Grove, Calif./Elk Grove) added
10 to go with five rebounds and a game-high five assists. Senior
guard Tracy Rainey (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) and junior guard Emily Weber (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seven Hills School) led all players in the
game with 11 rebounds and five steals, respectively.
Lake Forest shot 53.7 percent from the field, 2-for-9 from
three-point range, and 19-for-22 from the foul line in the contest.
Carroll connected on 45.2 percent of field goal attempts, including
five of 12 from beyond the arc, and made 14 of 16 free throws. The
Foresters held a commanding 39-23 edge in rebounds but committed 24
turnovers while forcing just 14.
The score was close throughout a first half that included four ties
and nine lead changes. Carroll scored five of the last six points
of the period and led 40-35 at halftime.
The margin was four points when the Lady Pioneers started a 19-4
run that put them ahead 68-49 with 8:58 remaining. After the teams
traded baskets, Lake Forest rattled off 17 points in a row during a
span of four-plus minutes. Carroll finally ended the run with three
free throws and, after each team added another basket, the visitors
led 75-70 with 1:23 to play. Schuring converted a traditional
three-point play less than 10 seconds later and Grunauer tied the
game on a jumper with 41 seconds left. Weber rebounded a Lady
Pioneer miss and was fouled with 14 seconds remaining. She made
both free throws, stole the ball from the Carroll point guard with
less than 10 seconds left, and made two more free throws with five
seconds on the clock to seal the victory.
The Foresters will not play again until participating in the Hope
College Classic Tournament in two weeks (December 18-19). Lake
Forest will take on the University of Chicago Friday evening at
6:00 (EST) and will face either Finlandia University (1:00) or Hope
(3:00) Saturday afternoon.