Freshman guard Kaley Sheehan was one of two Lake Forest starters with fewer than five fouls and her team-high 19 points Wednesday night helped the Foresters prevail 64-54 at Lawrence University.
Sheehan also grabbed five rebounds and added four steals in the contest. She is averaging 17 points per game in the team's three-game winning streak that has taken the Foresters from 1-3 to 4-3 in the Midwest Conference and tied-for-fourth in the league standings.
Fellow freshman guard Katie Neher finished with a season-high 11 points off the bench and was the visitors' only other player to score in double figures. Junior guard Kelsey Burton led the Foresters with 11 rebounds and senior guard Zaria Sydnor with four assists.
Lake Forest led 15-10 after the opening period but Lawrence scored the first six points of the second. Sheehan then connected on one of her three baskets from three-point range and the Foresters led the rest of the way. The margin reached 12 points late in the half after a 9-2 run that included two three-pointers from Neher and one from Sheehan. The Vikings scored the final four points of the second quarter on free throws and trailed 35-27 at halftime.
The home team opened the second half with another 6-0 run and closed to within a point again at 37-36. Lake Forest held off the charge and extended the lead to eight points at 51-43 at the end of the third quarter. The Foresters led by as many as 10 on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter but that advantage was back down to five after a pair of Viking free throws with 2:55 on the clock. Lawrence was held scoreless the rest of the way, however, and the Foresters came away with the 10-point victory.
Lake Forest limited Lawrence to 23.4 percent shooting from the field and surrendered just one three-pointer in the contest. The Vikings, however, took advantage of 30 fouls called on the Foresters and knocked down 31 of 38 attempts from the free throw line. The visitors pulled down 17 offensive rebounds and had a 45-38 edge on the boards overall.
The win evened the Foresters' overall record on the season at 7-7 while Lawrence fell to 4-10 (1-6 MWC).
Lake Forest will host Cornell College for Alumni Day on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.