Lake Forest junior forward Brittany Avonts contributed in several different categories but the Forester women's basketball team was defeated 60-53 by Grinnell College at home on Sunday.
Avonts finished with nine points and led the home team with eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocked shots in 35 minutes of play.
Sophomore guard Kelsey Schmitt led the Foresters with 13 points, followed by junior guard Tara Gloystein with 11 and senior forward K.C. Stralka with 10. Schmitt and Stralka added seven rebounds apiece as Lake Forest out-rebounded the Pioneers 45-34.
The Foresters shot just 35.6 percent from the field and made only one of 14 attempts from three-point range. Grinnell shot 41 percent from the floor and connected on seven of 15 three-pointers. Lake Forest committed 18 turnovers to the visitors' 13.
Gloystein scored seven points and Stralka six in the first quarter and the Foresters led 19-14 at its completion. Lake Forest's lead grew to as many as seven points in the second quarter before a 10-2 run by Grinnell gave the visitors the advantage. The home team regained the lead on a layup by Avonts with 13 seconds remaining in the period but a three-pointer by the Pioneers at the buzzer gave them a 36-35 lead going into the locker room at halftime.
Grinnell scored the first eight points of the second half and outscored the Foresters 14-4 in the third quarter. A Pioneer three-pointer to begin the fourth extended the lead to 14 points and Lake Forest still trailed by a dozen with five minutes remaining. Six straight Forester points cut the deficit in half with three minutes left but neither team scored again until a Pioneer free throw with 11.2 seconds on the clock helped clinch the victory for Grinnell.
The loss ended the Foresters four-game winning streak and dropped their overall record to 7-6 and Midwest Conference mark to 6-3. Grinnell improved to 9-5 overall and 6-3 in the league.
Lake Forest will continue conference play with a home game against Beloit College Wednesday night at 7:30.