The Lake Forest College women's basketball team defeated visiting Knox College 95-89 on Saturday. Forester senior guard Danielle Canulli and junior guard Michelle Ricolcol became the first teammates in program history to score at least 30 points in the same game.
Canulli led all players in the game with 35 points and added a career-high 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. She shot 13-for-23 from the field and 9-for-11 from the free throw line and also had a pair of steals in the contest. Canulli became the first player in program history to score at least 30 points four times in her career.
Ricolcol's previous career-high was 20 points. She connected on 13 of 22 shots from the field, made five of six free throws, and chipped in with six rebounds and four assists.
In addition to Canulli, two other Foresters reached double figures and set career-highs in rebounds. Junior forward K.C. Stralka recorded her third double-double of the year, scoring a season-high 15 points and grabbing 14 boards. She also dished out three assists. Sophomore forward Brittany Avonts finished with eight points and pulled down 11 rebounds.
Forester senior guard Jenna Rice dished out a game-high seven assists.
Lake Forest had a commanding 67-46 edge in rebounds for the game, helping make up for the home team's 39 turnovers. The Foresters shot 48.6 percent from the floor while holding Knox to just 29.7 percent. The teams combined to make 48 of 66 free throws.
The Foresters jumped out to an early lead and never trailed in the contest. They led by as many as 13 on two occasions early in the first half but a 19-6 run by the Prairie Fire tied the score at 32 with 7:26 left in the period. Lake Forest built the lead back up to eight points later in the half, which ended with the home team ahead 51-44.
Lake Forest extended its lead to as many as 18 in the second half but was outscored 20-6 during a six-minute span and was nursing an 80-76 advantage with 4:26 remaining. A traditional three-point play by Canulli a minute-and-a-half later made it a nine-point game but Knox chipped away and pulled to within three (92-89) with 24 seconds on the clock. Canulli, however, made three of four free throws to help secure the victory.
The Foresters extended their winning streak to seven games and improved to 11-9 overall and 10-5 in Midwest Conference play. Knox fell to 9-11 overall and 7-7 in the league.
Lake Forest will travel to St. Norbert College to take on the conference's first-place team Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.