Behind a 32-point performance by senior guard Danielle Canulli, the Lake Forest College women's basketball team prevailed 73-65 at Beloit College Wednesday evening. The Foresters are now 6-5 in Midwest Conference play.
Canulli shot 12-for-22 from the field and also led the visitors with a career-high-tying nine rebounds. She joined Allison Grubbs (1997-2001) as the only two players in program history to score at least 30 points in a game three times. Canulli finished with 33 points against Knox College in December of 2013 and scored a career-high 36 at Knox last February.
Junior forward K.C. Stralka and junior guard Michelle Ricolcol also reached double figures on Wednesday with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Stralka shot 6-for-9 from the field, pulled down seven rebounds, blocked four shots, and added three steals. Ricolcol shot 5-for-9 from the floor and recorded a pair of steals.
Senior guard Jenna Rice finished with six rebounds and a game-high six assists, including the 200th of her career. She is now tied for ninth place in program history with 201 assists over the last four seasons.
The Foresters shot 46 percent from the field whle limiting the Buccaneers to just 32 percent. However, Lake Forest made just one of 10 attempts from three-point range and 14 of 29 free throws. Beloit was 2-for-13 from beyond the arc and 29-for-41 from the line. The home team had a 47-40 edge in rebounds but committed 22 turnovers to the Foresters' 14.
Beloit's only lead of the game was 5-4 and preceeded a 17-5 run by Lake Forest. The Buccaneers scored the next eight points and pulled to within three points at 27-24 with 5:24 to play in the opening half. The Foresters responded with a 10-2 run and led 37-29 at intermission.
Lake Forest led by as many as 17 points early in the second half but Beloit chipped away at the lead and trailed by just five (66-61) with 3:19 remaining. Canulli made all four of her free throw attempts in the final minute to prevent the comeback.
The victory raised the Foresters' overall record to 6-9. The Buccaneers fell to 5-11 overall and 4-7 in the league.
Lake Forest will continue conference play Saturday afternoon against Cornell College. The game will begin at 3:00 p.m.
