Senior libero Briahna Havis matched her career-high with 23 digs but the Lake Forest College volleyball team was defeated 25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19 at Knox College on Saturday.
Havis led all players in the match in digs and added two kills, four assists, and a pair of aces. Forester junior setter Lexi Kleva, sophomore outside hitter Grace Larson, and senior outside hitter Paige Jespersen also reached double figures with 15, 13, and 10 digs, respectively.
Larson led the visitors with 11 kills and she now has seven double-doubles on the year. Jespersen and junior right side hitter Natalie Olson had nine kills apiece with Olson posting a .381 hitting percentage on the afternoon.
The first set was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than two points until a six-point run by the Foresters put them ahead 21-17. Moments later a kill by Havis made the score 22-18 but the Prairie Fire rattled off seven straight point to take the set.
The roles were reversed in set two. Knox led by as many as six points and was ahead 22-17 before an 8-1 run by Lake Forest evened the match. Jespersen kills accounted for four of the Foresters' eight points during their late-set rally.
Lake Forest won seven of the first 10 points of the third set and led 10-8 before Knox used a 10-2 run to take control. The visitors pulled back to within four points three times in the set but got no closer.
Knox started fast in set four, taking six of the first seven points. Lake Forest closed to within two points several times in the set, the last at 21-19, but the Prairie Fire won the next four points, the set, and the match.
The loss dropped the Foresters' overall record to 4-11 and left the team without a victory in two Midwest Conference contests. Knox improved to 4-15 overall and 1-1 in the league.
Lake Forest will continue conference play with a pair of home matches next weekend. The Foresters will host Cornell College Friday night at 7:00 and Grinnell College for Homecoming on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
