Lake Forest Splits Pair of Hoop n Surf Classic Games in Hawaii
Foresters rout Virginia Wesleyan, fall to Christopher Newport

Nicole Baich

Junior center Nicole Baich (Westchester, Ill./Nazareth Academy) led Lake Forest with 16 points and nine rebounds against Virginia Wesleyan. Senior guard/forward Andrea Durante (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) was next on the squad with 15 points. Senior guard Lizzy Bauer (Madison, Wis./Madison West) scored eight points and dished out a game-high four assists.

The Foresters shot a season-high 57.1 percent from the field, made one of five three-point field goal attempts, and knocked down 23 of 34 free throws in the contest. Virginia Wesleyan shot 34.5 percent from the floor, 4-for-18 from beyond the arc, and 12-for-20 from the foul line. Lake Forest held a commanding 52-20 edge in rebounds but committed 36 turnovers while forcing 27.

The Foresters scored 27 of the game’s first 31 points and increased their lead to 43-14 at halftime. After the difference reached 33 early in the second half, Virginia Wesleyan closed to within 12 with 8:50 play before a 10-0 Lake Forest run put the game out of reach.

Durante and Baich led the Foresters again on Monday with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Freshman forward Claire Schmidt (Kankakee, Ill./Bishop McNamara) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and sophomore forward Ashley Cretacci (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) recorded three steals.

Lake Forest was out-shot 38.5 percent to 35.8 percent. The Foresters shot 4-for-12 from three-point range while the Lady Captains were 2-for-9. The teams combined to make 31 of 56 free throws. Christopher Newport out-rebounded Lake Forest 47-43 and committed five fewer turnovers (26-21).

A 24-5 first half run by the Lady Captains gave them a 30-14 lead and they held a 34-18 advantage at intermission. A 15-2 Forester run early in the second half cut the lead to three but the team would get no closer. A Lake Forest basket with 19 seconds left cut it to three again and a missed free throw gave the Foresters a chance to complete the comeback, but a three-point attempt at the buzzer was unsuccessful.

Baich was named to the Hoop n Surf Classic All-Tournament Team after recording 28 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 12-for-17 from the field (70.6%) in the two games combined.

Lake Forest will resume Midwest Conference play with a home game against Grinnell College on Saturday, January 6, at 1:00 p.m.

Lake Forest - Virginia Wesleyan Box Score
Lake Forest - Christopher Newport Box Score