Freshman guard Kelsey Burton led all players with a career-high 24 points but the Forester women's basketball team was defeated 79-60 at Knox College on Saturday.
Burton connected on nine of 13 field goal attempts, including four of seven from three-point range, and added four steals in the contest. The only other Lake Forest player in double figures was junior forward Hannah O'Day, who finished with 10 and tied sophomore forward Molly Schoenlein for team-high honors in rebounds with seven. Sophomore guard Zaria Sydnor led the visitors with four assists.
The Foresters shot 35.9 percent from the field while Knox was at exactly 50 percent. The Prairie Fire outscored their guests 21-15 on three-pointers and 24-9 from the foul line as Lake Forest committed 22 of the game's 35 fouls. The visitors had a 37-32 advantage in rebounds and both teams had 18 turnovers.
Burton's first three-pointer of the game gave the Foresters their last lead, a 5-3 edge after two-and-a-half minutes of play. Knox accounted for 10 of the next 12 points and led 15-9 at the end of the opening quarter.
The Prairie Fire also scored the first seven points of the second quarter and increased their lead to 14 points later in the period. A three-pointer by Sydnor and four points from junior forward Hannah Hiland in the final minute or so of the quarter trimmed the deficit to nine (34-25) at halftime.
The home team led by a dozen points early in the third quarter before a 14-2 Forester run, which included points from five different players, tied the score at 41. Knox, however, responded with a 10-2 run and took a 53-47 lead into the final period.
The Prairie Fire pulled away in the fourth, shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 13-for-15 on free throws in the period.
Lake Forest fell to 6-9 overall and 4-4 in Midwest Conference play this season while Knox improved to 10-5 overall and 5-2 in the league.
The Foresters will return home to face Lawrence University Wednesday night at 7:30.