The Lake Forest College women's basketball team defeated visiting Beloit College 87-74 Wednesday night.
The Foresters' scoring total was their highest of the season in a regulation game and 31 of those points, the fourth-most in program history, came on 41 free throw attempts. Only once in school history has a Forester connected for more than the 13 foul shots junior guard Maurissa Edwards made out of her 15 tries.
Edwards finished with 18 points, six steals, and a career-high eight assists. Senior guard Katie Neher scored 20 points and added a game-high nine rebounds while senior forward Annie Lally paced the home team with a season-high 23 points. Lally shot 9-for-12 from the field, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out a career-high four assists.
Lake Forest out-rebounded the Buccaneers 47-36 and outscored them 31-14 from the foul line.
Beloit's only lead of the game lasted 25 seconds late in the opening quarter, which ended with the teams tied at 20. A three-pointer by Edwards early in the second put the home team on top for good and began a 13-2 run that extended the lead to double figures.
The Foresters were ahead 39-27 at halftime and the margin grew to 25 points in the third quarter. The Buccaneers closed to within nine in the final minute of the contest but got no closer.
Lake Forest improved to 4-9 overall this season and 1-5 in Midwest Conference play. Beloit fell to 6-9 overall and 2-5 in the league.
The Foresters will be back on the road this Saturday at Illinois College. The game will begin at 3:00 p.m.