The Lake Forest College volleyball team came out on top in its first five-set match of the season Friday night, edging out Benedictine University 21-25, 25-19, 25-18, 17-25, 15-13. The Foresters' second match of the annual Red & Black Triangular was a 25-18, 17-25, 25-9, 25-12 loss to host North Central College. Sophomores Paige Jespersen and Brittany Avonts combined for 50 kills on the night.
Avonts continued to be extremely efficient in the first match of the evening, leading all players with 18 kills against just two errors in 24 attempts for a .667 hitting percentage. It was her third straight match with a hitting percentage of at least .580. Jespersen finished with a career-high 16 kills and added three aces and seven digs. Both Avonts and Jespersen chipped in with three blocks.
Forester senior setter Torie Pasiewicz tallied 29 assists and led the team with 15 digs. Junior Brianne Honda was just one behind Pasiewicz with 14 digs.
The fifth and deciding set was tied at 13 before an Eagle attack error set up match point for the Foresters, which was provided by a solo block by junior Bailey Everhart.
Jespersen led Lake Forest with a dozen kills against North Central and junior Erin Sully added a season-high nine. Pasiewicz lead the visitors with 20 assists, Honda with 11 digs, and Avonts with four blocks.
Lake Forest is now 4-11 on the season. Benedictine fell to 3-11 and North Central improved to 13-2.
The Foresters' next match will be their home opener against Marian University next Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.