A buzzer-beating basket by Lake Forest College senior guard Katie Neher sent the game to overtime but the Foresters were eventually defeated 89-81 by visiting Lawrence University.
Neher and junior guard Maurissa Edwards led all player in the game with 24 points apiece. They combined to shoot 14-for-27 from the field and 19-for-25 from the foul line. Neher added eight rebounds and four assists while Edwards chipped in with seven boards and five steals.
Forester senior forward Annie Lally finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals. It was her second career double-double.
Both teams shot 43 percent from the field. The Vikings outscored the Foresters 42-9 on three-pointers while the home team made 26 free throws to Lawrence's 21. Lake Forest also had a 46-35 rebounding edge but committed 21 turnovers while forcing just 18.
Lawrence led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter and 23-16 when it ended. The Foresters came back in the second and the teams went into the locker room at halftime tied at 33.
An 11-0 Lake Forest run in the third quarter turned a four-point deficit into a seven-point advantage and the score going into the fourth was 54-51 in favor of the Foresters. Lake Forest led 63-57 with four minutes to play but an 11-2 run by the Vikings put them on top by three with a minute left. The margin was just two points when Edwards inbounded to Neher with 2.1 seconds on the clock and Neher's turnaround jumper from the baseline went over the corner of the backboard and in to tie the game at 69.
Lawrence led by as many as nine points in the extra period and the Foresters got no closer than five the rest of the way.
Lake Forest is now 5-13 overall and 2-9 in Midwest Conference play while Lawrence improved to 7-13 overall and 3-8 in the league.
The next contest on the Foresters' schedule is their final non-conference game of the season, which will be played at Mount Mary University Monday at 7:00 p.m.
