Sophomore forward Molly Schoenlein and freshman guard Kelsey Burton posted double-doubles to help lead the Lake Forest College women's basketball team to a 75-67 victory over North Central College at Wheaton College's Beth Baker Classic on Saturday.
Schoenlein established new career-highs with 17 points and 14 rebounds. She shot 8-for-11 from the field, dished out two assists, and added three blocked shots. Burton, who was named to the all-tournament team, scored a dozen points and led all players with a career-high 15 boards. She also had two assists and added four steals in the contest.
Junior forward Hannah O'Day matched Schoenlein's point total and chipped in with five rebounds and three assists. Junior guard Bridget Bilek also reached double figures with 11 points and finished with a career-high and game-high six assists.
Lake Forest shot 38.9 percent from the field and made 17 of 21 foul shots. The Foresters limited the Cardinals to 32.1 percent shooting and out-rebounded them 55-46.
A 10-1 run helped the Foresters open up a seven-point lead in the first quarter lead but the margin was just two at 16-14 when the buzzer sounded. Nine consecutive points by North Central regained the lead for the Cardinals, whose advantage was one (32-31) at halftime.
Schoenlein scored six straight points to open the second half and Lake Forest led the rest of the way. The margin reached as many as 16 points late in the third quarter and 18 early in the fourth. North Central, however, outscored the Foresters 16-4 in a four-minute span to trim the lead to just six points. The Cardinals would get no closer, however, and four free throws by junior forward Hannah Hiland, two by freshman guard Jaianna Brooks, and one by Schoenlein in the final two minutes enabled Lake Forest to secure the victory.
The Foresters are now 1-2 on the season while North Central fell to 0-2.
Lake Forest will begin Midwest Conference play Tuesday night at Beloit College. Tip-off is schduled for 7:30 p.m.
