The Forester volleyball team posted a 25-13, 25-22, 23-25, 25-18 victory over Beloit College at home Saturday afternoon. Lake Forest junior outside hitter Paige Jespersen recorded her ninth double-double of the season.
Jespersen finished the day with 11 kills and 10 digs. She had reached double figures in eight of the team's first 15 matches of the season but was limited to fewer than 10 kills in each of the next nine before Saturday. Fellow junior outside Maxie Mottlowitz set a new career-high by matching Jespersen's 11 kills while freshman outside hitter Grace Larson led all players in the contest with 18.
In the final home match of her career, Forester senior libero Brianne Honda led all players with 21 digs. She was joined by classmates Bailey Everhart and Natalie Literski in being honored prior to the start of the contest.
Sophomore setter Tori Tinman led the home team with 24 assists and added six digs and an ace.
Lake Forest junior middle blocker Brittany Avonts had six totaal blocks on Saturday to tie the program's single-season record of 136.
The first set was tied at five before Jespersen recorded three kills during a 12-2 run that gave the home team a 10-point lead. Lake Forest continued to pull away and Jespersen was also responsible for the kill that closed out the set.
The Foresters faced their first deficit of the day at 11-10 in the second set and the Buccaneers eventually extended the lead to 19-15. A pair of Jespersen kills fueled a five-point run that temporarilty put the home team back on top. The score was tied at 20, 21, and 22 before two kills and a block by Avonts gave Lake Forest a two-sets-to-none advantage.
Beloit had double up the home team 18-9 in the third set before the Foresters won 13 of 18 points to close to within one at 23-22. The visitors took two of the next three points, however, to take the set.
After committing three attack errors to begin set four, Lake Forest won nine of the next 10 points to take the lead for good. Beloit pulled to within three points at 13-10 and 14-11 but would get no closer. A kill by Mottlowitz finished off the contest.
The victory raised the Foresters' overall record to 9-16 and Midwest Conference mark to 5-4. Beloit fell to 4-17 overall and 0-8 in the league.
Despite the win, Lake Forest was eliminated from contention for the four-team MWC Tournament when Ripon College won at Lawrence University. The Foresters will close out the season at Ripon next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
