The Lake Forest College volleyball team began the Midwest Conference portion of its 2011 schedule with a 25-18, 25-21, 25-12 victory at Illinois College Friday night. Forester junior Molly McCloskey tied for match-high honors with 14 kills and she added eight digs and a pair of aces.
Fellow Forester junior Cori Cooper also had 14 kills and, with 10 digs, recorded her fifth double-double of the year. Kristen Braun, another junior, pounded out nine kills without an error in 18 attempts for a .500 hitting percentage. Led by Bruan and McCloskey (.364), Lake Forest recorded a season-high .325 team hitting percentage.
Junior Tia Rupnik led the visitors in digs with 13 while Cooper's 10 were matched by freshmen Torie Pasiewicz and Brooke Perkins. Rupnik also had two aces. Pasiewicz led the visitors with 20 assists.
The opening set was tied at 11 before the Foresters closed it out on a 14-7 run, during which they did not lose consecutive points.
Lake Forest trailed 17-16 in set two before Cooper recorded back-to-back kills and three during a 7-1 run that put the visitors ahead for good.
The Foresters lost consecutive points just once during a convincing third-set victory that closed out the match.
Lake Forets is now 6-7 overall and will continue league play at Monmouth College tomorrow afternoon at 1:00.