The Lake Forest College women's basketball team was edged out 65-62 in its season finale at Knox College on Sunday.
After playing to a 27-27 tie in the first half, the Prairie Fire outscored the Foresters 25-11 in the third quarter and increased their lead to 16 with a basket to begin the fourth. Trailing 60-46 a few minutes later, Lake Forest scored 11 consecutive points to make it a three-point game. The visitors cut the deficit to two points on a layup by senior guard Kelsey Burton with 45.3 seconds left and then to a single point on a runner in the lane by sophomore guard Katie Neher with 9.0 seconds on the clock. After a pair of Knox free throws made the score 65-62, the Foresters were unable to attempt a game-tying three-pointer.
Burton shot 10-for-18 from the field and finished with a game-high 23 points. She also added six rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals in the final appearance of her career.
Neher scored a season-high 14 points and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds on the afternoon. She also recorded five steals and averaged 2.5 per contest during this eight-game season.
Led by junior forward Kara Schoenlein's 10 boards, Lake Forest out-rebounded the home team 45-38. They also out-shot the Prairie Fire 40.7 percent to 36.5 on field goal attempts overall, although Knox connected for eight three-pointers to the Foresters' three. Lake Forest also committed 23 turnovers while forcing just 16.
Burton is the only graduating senior on the Foresters' roster. She ranks third in program history with 1,211 points and 611 rebounds, sixth with 169 steals, and ninth with 224 assists.