The Forester volleyball team was defeated 15-14, 15-23, 15-18 by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before posted a 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 victory over Marian University on Saturday, day two of the 2015 Forester Invitational. Junior middle blocker Brittany Avonts had five blocks in Lake Forest's first match of the day and 11 kills in the second.
Junior outside hitter Paige Jespersen led the Foresters with six kills and accounted for their only two aces against River Falls. Sophomore setter Lexi Kleva led the home team with 10 assists and senior libero Brianne Honda with 21 digs.
The Falcons finished the first set on an 8-1 run and began the second by winning eight of 11 points. The Foresters pulled back to within a point twice eary in the set and fought off four straight set points to make the score 24-23 before River Falls closed it out.
Lake Forest led by five points early in the third set but the visitors came back and took the lead for good at 13-12. They gradually pulled away to clinch the match.
River Falls finished 4-0 on the weekend to claim the tournament title.
Avonts and freshman outside hitter Grace Larson tied for team-high honors with 11 kills apiece against Marian. Avonts accomplished the feat in just 14 attempts and did not commit an error for a career-best .786 hitting percentage. That mark ranks fourth in program history.
Kleva led the team again with 19 assists, one more than fellow sophomore setter Tori Tinman. Honda and senior defensive specialist Briahna Havis reached double figures with 14 and 12 digs, respectively, and sophomore middle blocker Rebecca Lynch finished with a career-high six blocks.
With the score tied at 14 in the first set, Lake Forest won the point to pull ahead. The Foresters led by between one and four points the rest of the way and kills by senior right side hitter Bailey Everhart and Larson closed it out.
Marian led 22-17 in the second set before the Foresters won eight of nine points to take the set. Everhart and Larson each had a pair of kills during the run.
A 2-1 deficit was the only one the Foresters faced in the third set. They took the lead for good at 5-4 and gradually pulled away. Consecutive kills by Everhart, Avonts, and Larson finished off the match.
After leading the team in kills three times and digs twice on the weekend, Jespersen was named to the Forester Invitational All-Tournament Team.
With two wins and two losses in the tournament, Lake Forest is now 3-2 overall this season. Marian fell to 0-5.
The Foresters will play at home again Tuesday night against Wheaton College. The match will begin at 7:00 p.m.
