The Lake Forest College women's basketball team was edged out 61-59 at the University of Chicago Tuesday night. Forester sophomore guard/forward Gina Ambrose scored a career-high 13 points against the #2 team in the nation.
Ambrose shot 3-for-4 from three-point range in the game and surpassed her previous career-high of 12 set nearly a year ago. She scored eight of her points in the first half to help keep the Foresters in the contest.
Lake Forest junior point guard Sam Schuring led all players in the game with a season-high 23 points, tied for team-high honors with seven rebounds, and added three assists and three steals. She scored 15 points during the second half.
Forester freshman forward Rose Coll scored a dozen points and matched Schuring's seven boards in her first career start.
Chicago shot 40.7 percent from the field, slightly better than the Foresters' 37.5 percent. Both teams made five three-pointers and 12 free throws. Lake Forest was out-rebounded 37-30 but committed 16 turnovers while forcing 19.
The home team scored the game's first seven points but Ambrose poured in eight points in two-and-a-half minutes to tie the score at 13. A layup by Schuring gave the visitors a 17-16 lead but Chicago closed out the period on a 23-8 run and led 39-25 at halftime.
The Maroons scored the first basket of the second half and led by 16 again after a pair of free throws with 16:58 to play. However, a 15-2 Forester run over the next 8-plus minutes trimmed the deficit to just three points (47-44) and a layup by Schuring with 4:30 on the clock gave Lake Forest a 56-55 lead. Chicago tied the game on a free throw and then regained the lead for good on a three-pointer with 1:52 left. The Foresters held the home team scoreless for the game's final 71 seconds but were unable to come back again. A three-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out and the Maroons escaped with the victory.
Chicago is now 3-0 on the season while the Foresters' second straight loss to a team ranked among the top 10 in the nation left them with a record of 1-2.
Lake Forest will begin Midwest Conference play against Beloit College at home Sunday afternoon. The game will begin at 1:00.