A basket by junior guard Danielle Canulli with 4.0 seconds on the clock gave the Forester women's basketball team a 65-64 victory over visiting Ripon College Tuesday night. Canulli finished with 11 points in the contest.
Lake Forest had led by as many as eight points in the second half but the Red Hawks chipped away at the deficit and trailed by just one after a three-pointer with 1:16 remaining. Forester senior guard Sam Schuring was fouled and made both free throws with 1:08 left but a pair of free throws by the visitors with 52.6 seconds to play made it a one-point game once again. After a miss by Schuring, sophomore forward K.C. Stralka grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled with 25.7 seconds on the clock. She made one of two free throws to give the home team a two-points advantage that disappeared on a Ripon three-pointer with 11.1 to play. After a timeout, the Foresters got the ball up the court and to Canulli on the right baseline. She drove to the basket and banked in the layup with 4.0 seconds on the clock. The Red Hawks were able to get off a nearly half-court shot at the buzzer that fell short, sealing the victory for Lake Forest.
Schuring led all players and matched her season-high with 21 points and she added four rebounds, four assists, and six steals. Canulli was the only other Forester to score in double figures. Stralka pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, including five at the offensive end of the court.
Ripon shot 45 percent from the field and made nine of 17 three-pointers and 11 of 14 foul shots. Lake Forest shot just 41 percent from the field and knocked down six of 15 from beyond the arc. However, the home team shot 17-for-23 from the free throw line and out-rebounded the Red Hawks 34-26.
The dramatic victory raised the Foresters overall record on the season to 6-15 and lifted their Midwest Conference mark to 6-10. Ripon fell to 8-12 overall and 8-7 in the league.
Lake Forest will be off this weekend and the team's next game will be next Wednesday night at Lawrence University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
