Senior outside hitter Paige Jespersen served up four aces but the Lake Forest College volleyball team was defeated 25-21, 25-19, 25-18 by visiting Cornell College Friday night.
Jespersen also had eight kills and posted a .286 hitting percentage in the contest. Sophomore outside hitter Grace Larson led the home team with 11 kills and she added seven digs. Senior libero Briahna Havis led the squad with a dozen kills and junior setter Lexi Kleva finished with 27 assists.
Cornell never trailed in the opening set. The visitors took the lead for good at 3-2 and the Foresters closed back to within a point five times, the last at 10-9. The Rams pulled away and eventually led by as many as eight at 20-12. Trailing 24-17, the Foresters fought off four set points before dropping the set 25-21.
After winning six of the first 10 points in set two, Lake Forest dropped the next seven and trailed the rest of the way. The margin eventully grew to 10 at 23-13 and again at 24-14. After avoiding set point four times in the first set, the Foresters did it five times in the second before falling 25-19.
The home team trailed throughout the third set as well, although by just several times, the last at 11-10. The Rams gradually pulled away and were ahead 24-15 before the Foresters won their last three points of the night. Cornell closed out the set 25-18 and the match three sets to none.
Lake Forest fell to 4-12 overall this season and 0-3 in Midwest Cnference play. Cornell improved to 12-6 overall and 4-0 in the league.
The Foresters will host another conference match against Grinnell College Saturday afternoon at 1:00.
