Sophomore outside hitter Grace Larson pounded out a career-high 22 kills to help lead the Lake Forest College volleyball team to a 25-17, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19 victory over Trinity International University at home Tuesday night.
Larson's five aces in the contest were also a career-high and she added 14 digs for her third double-double of the season. Senior outside hitter Paige Jespersen also postde a double-double with a dozen kills and as many digs and her six aces tied a career-high. Larson's kill total and Jespersen's aces mark on the night are each tied for sixth in program history for a four-set match. Junior right side hitter Natalie Olson recorded career-highs with nine kills and six digs.
Junior setter Lexi Kleva finished the evening with a season-high 44 assists and she added 12 digs. Senior libero Briahna Havis led the home team with 17 digs.
After the Trojans won the first point of the night, Lake Forest took the next three and led throughout the opening set. The margin grew to as many as 11 points at 22-11 before the visitors pulled back to within six. Kills by Larson and Jespersen finished it off.
The Foresters led by as many as four points twice in the early part of set two. After a timeout, Trinity International won six of the next seven points to take the lead and neither team led by more than three again in the set. Lake Forest fought off a pair of set point opportunities but the Trojans took the next two points to even the match at one set apiece.
Trinity International won the first three points of the third set and had the lead until the Foresters finally tied the score at 13. The teams were tied again eight more times in the set, the last at 23-23. Kleva then set up Olson to put the home team on top and assisted on Larson's eighth kill of the set to close it out.
A kill by Jespersen broke a 13-13 tie in set four and she stepped back and served for eight more points as the Foresters pulled away. The Trojans pulled back to within five points at 24-19 before an errant serve finished off the match.
The Foresters are now 2-3 on the season and Trinity International 3-7.
Lake Forest will travel to Illinois Wesleyan University for three matches at this weekend's Barker Chevrolet Classic I. The Foresters will take on Coe College Friday night at 7:30, William Woods University at noon on Saturday, and MacMurray College at 2:00 Saturday afternoon.
