Senior outside hitter Paige Jespersen reached double figures in kills for the sixth time this season but the Lake Forest College volleyball team was defeated 23-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-15 at Lawrence University Friday night.
Jespersen's 11 kills led the Foresters and she added eight digs and a pair of aces. Sophomore outside hitter Grace Larson wa snext on the team with nine kills and senior middle blocker Brittany Avonts had seven. Larson and Avonts also finished with a team-high 13 digs and three blocks, respectively. Junior setter Lexi Kleva tallied 35 assists on the night.
Lawrence led the opening set by as many as five points. The Foresters gradually came back, tied the score at 19, and finally took a 22-21 lead on an ace by Larson. A kill by Jespersen made the score 24-23 and an Avonts kill closed out the set.
A six-point run early in the second set broke a 3-3 tie and gave the home team the lead for good. The margin grew to as many as nine points and Lake Forest got no closer than five the rest of the way.
The first three points of set three went to the Vikings and they led throughout. A 9-3 run by the home team made the score 18-10 and the Foresters were unable to pull any closer than three points before dropping the set.
Lake Forest was ahead by two early in the fourth set. Lawrence, however, regained the advantage and, already leading 9-8 rattled off seven straight points to take control. The Viking lead grew to as many as 10 points and the home team took the set by that same margin.
The loss drops the Foresters' overall record on the season to 5-13 and their Midwest Conference mark to 1-4. Lawrence improved to 9-12 overall and 4-2 in the league.
Lake Forest will play another conference contest against host St. Norbert College Saturday afternoon at 1:00. The match will be played at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
