Despite shooting 17-for-18 (94.4%) from the foul line, the Forester women's basketball team was defeated 76-68 by visiting Illinois College Tuesday night. Senior forward Gina Ambrose led Lake Forest with a season-high 21 points in the loss.
The previous program record for free throw percentage in a game was .933 (14-for-15), which the Foresters accomplished on January 5, 2011, against St. Norbert College.
Ambrose, an 81-percent shooter from the line in her career, was actually the only Forester to miss a free throw, connecting on five of six attempts from the charity stripe. She was also 7-for-13 from the field, including 2-for-4 on three-pointers, and added five rebounds.
Sophomore guard Michelle Ricolcol was next on the team with 14 points while junior guard Danielle Canulli and senior guard Sam Schuring added 10 points apiece. Schuring dished out a game-high six assists and junior guard Jenna Rice led Lake Forest with a season-high seven rebounds.
While the Foresters displayed record-setting accuracy from the foul line, the Lady Blues had far more quantity, connecting 35 times in 43 attempts. The discrepancy from the line proved to be the difference in the game as both teams shot approximately 39 percent from the field and committed 21 turnovers.
Lake Forest never led in the game and trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half, which ended with the Lady Blue ahead 35-19.
After a traditional three-point play to open the second half, Illinois College was ahead by 19. A 16-4 run over the next six minutes by the Foresters made the score 42-35 but the visitors responded with a pair of free throws and a layup to extend the lead to 11. A layup by Ricolcol with 10:20 to play pulled the home team to within five at 47-42 but the Lady Blues regained their 11-point advantage three minutes later. Lake Forest closed to within four on free throws by Ambrose with 5:36 to play and again on a layup by Rice with 1:55 left. Illinois College, however, shot 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the final minute-and-a-half to secure the victory.
Lake Forest fell to 1-10 overall and 1-5 in Midwest Conference plahe Lady Blues are now 7-4 overall and 5-1 in the league.
The Foresters will continue league play Friday night at Cornell College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.