The Lake Forest College women's basketball team hosted and defeated Ripon College 76-46 Friday night and is now 6-5 overall and 4-2 in Midwest Conference play this season. Sophomore guard Alex Messacar made five three-pointers and led the home team with 17 points.

All seven of Messacar's field goal attempts were from beyond the arc and she knocked down both of her free throws in the contest. She also tied for game-high honors with four assists.

Senior forward Tabytha Harvey and sophomore guard Sam Schuring also reached double figures for Lake Forest with 12 and 11 points, respectively. They each added five rebounds and Schuring matched Messcar's four assists.

Freshman forward Lauren Erickson led the Foresters with six rebounds and senior guard Aimee Lockwood recorded a game-high four steals.

Lake Forest made exactly half of its 56 field goal attempts while holding Ripon to just 27.8 percent shooting from the floor. The Foresters were also 7-for-19 from three-point range and 13-for-17 from the free throw line. The visitors also made 13 free throws but needed 21 attempts and they shot 3-for-11 on three-pointers. The home team was slightly out-rebounded 37-36 but committed a season-low nine turnovers while forcing 16 Red Hawks miscues.

The Foresters scored the game-first seven points and led throughout. A 9-0 Lake Forest first half run extended the lead to 17 points (26-9) and the margin reached 20 before a Ripon three-pointer in the final minute of the period made the halftime score 38-21.

The Red Hawks got no closer than 15 points in the second half before the Foresters increased their advantage and put the game out of reach.

Ripon fell to 4-8 overall and 3-4 in league play.

Lake Forest will host Beloit College at 3:00 tomorrow afternoon.