LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Macalester women's basketball team opened the 2023-24 season with a trip to Illinois for the Lake Forest Tournament. The Scots took on the host this evening, putting on a dominating performance, and winning the game 78-49.

The Foresters took an early 3-0 lead to begin the game, but the Scots answered back with a 10-2 run. Senior guard Andrea Palmen (Kenosha, Wis./The Prairie School kicked off the run while junior guard/forward Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) tallied an and-one. Sophomore forward Ellie Corbett (Austin, Texas/James Bowie), junior guard/forward Katherine Norquist (Chicago, Ill./Walter Payton College Prep), and first year guard Acacia Edmond (Houston, Texas/Shadow Creek) also got in on the action. Important free throws made by junior guard Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door) at the end of the quarter kept the Scots ahead 16-11. In the second quarter, the Foresters were able to tie the game up, 18-18, with 6:53 left in the half. First year guard Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan) sank a free throw to get back in the lead and kick off a 9-0 run for the Scots. Macalester continued to hold the lead, 31-26 into the break.

In the third, Macalester held Lake Forest scoreless for the first four and a half minutes. The Scots built their lead to 45-26, with Norquist and Daley each registering four points in the 14-0 run. Back-to-back three pointers from Norquist and Corbett with just over two minutes left in the quarter helped the Scots lead 55-38 heading into the final 10 minutes. Edmond opened the fourth with a three-pointer of her own, and the Scots domination continued, going on a 15-2 run. First year guard Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) tacked on four of those points while fellow first year guard/forward Gillian Krebs (Gilbert, Ariz./Lincoln Preparatory Academy) knocked down the last four points for the Scots, taking the game 78-49.

Starks led the team with 22 points and nine rebounds. Norquist also recorded double digits in scoring, with 15 points. Macalester registered 45.5% from the field and 73.7% from the free throw line. Norquist, Starks, Norton, and Edmond each had two assists in the game.

The Scots close out their trip to Illinois tomorrow afternoon. Macalester will play Calvin University at 2:00 p.m.