Foresters Come Up Short in Battle for First Place

Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com
Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com

Senior guard Kelsey Schmitt reached double figures in scoring for the second straight game but the Lake Forest College women's basketball team fell 63-46 at Ripon College on Saturday.

Schimitt led Lake Forest with 11 points and did not commit a turnover in 33 minutes of play. Team-high honors also went to freshman guard Kelsey Burton for her five rebounds and three assists and junior forward Hannah Hiland matched Burton's rebound total.

The Foresters shot just 26.9 percent from the field and were out-rebounded 48-26. The Red Hawks connected on 43.1 percent of their field goal attemptsand outscored their guests 21-9 from three-point range. Lake Forest had the advantage in turnovers, committing 15 while forcing 22.

Ripon scored the game's first seven points and led throughout the contest. The margin reach as many as eight in the opening period, which ended with the home team ahead 16-11. The lead was in double figures during most of the second quarter and the Foresters faced a 31-18 deficit at halftime.

A three-pointer early in the third quarter made it a 12-point game but the visitors got no closer as the Ripon lead grew to 25 in the fourth.

Lake Forest is now 5-7 overall this season and 4-2 in Midwest Conference play. Ripon improved to 7-5 overall and 5-1 in the league.

The Foresters will host their final non-conference game of the regular season on Monday when Illinois Institute of Technology visits the Sports and Recreation Center for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off.