GRINNELL, Iowa – The Grinnell College women's basketball team got defensive while getting out to its best start in more than a decade Saturday afternoon.
 
The Pioneers surrendered a season-low point total and field goal percentage on their way to a 54-37 victory over Lake Forest College at Darby Gymnasium.
 
Grinnell is now 4-2 overall, the best mark for the team since 2003-04, and stayed perfect in Midwest Conference play at 2-0 while beating the Foresters for the third time in a row.
 
Grinnell held the Foresters to just 25.8 percent shooting from the field and grabbed a season-high 51 rebounds.
 
Kayla Morrissey '18 continued her stellar start to the season, posting a double-double with game-highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds. Sophia Gatton '17 added 11 points, while Alex Neckopulos '17 came up with 10 points and eight boards.
 
Haley Lopez '17 had career-highs of four assists and three blocks, while Daria Guzzo added career-bests of three steals and two blocks.
 
The Pioneers nearly held Lake Forest scoreless in the first period, taking a 9-0 lead on two free throws by Morrissey, jumper from Neckopulos, and two layups and free throw by Morrissey.
 
Lake Forest scored with 1:14 left and the Pioneers were on top 9-2 after the first frame.
 
Grinnell continued to push and was up by double digits at 25-14 at intermission.
 
Lake Forest got within single digits once after that, at 27-18 at the 7:16 mark of the third period. But Morrissey went on a spree of a layup and three free throws, and Lydia Stariha '17 added a free throw to make it 33-18 with 3:33 left.
 
The Pioneers cruised from there. With the loss, Lake Forest fell to 2-4 in the MWC and 1-2 overall.
 
Grinnell entertains Cornell College at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Darby Gymnasium.