Freshman Hannah Nauert finished with a career-high 47 assists but the Forester volleyball team was defeated 25-20, 23-25, 19-25, 26-24, 15-11 by Lawrence University at home on Saturday.
Nauert's previous best was 39 assists in a four-set won over Knox College two weeks earlier. She also set a career-high with 21 digs on Saturday and added a pair of aces.
The Foresters had four players reach double figures in kills for the first time since a five-set victory over Lawrence nearly three years ago. Freshman Olivia Grimmer led the way on Saturday with a dozen, classmate Olivia Smith added 11, and freshman Isabel Donnelly and senior Maxie Mottlowitz each finished one shy of her career-high with 10.
Junior Grace Larson led the home team and tied her career-high with 26 digs while Smith surpased her's with 21. It was also the second double-double of the year for Smith. Freshman Olivia Drevs' 17 digs were more than twice her previous best and she matched Nauert with two aces.
Lake Forest never led in the opening set but kept the score close througout. Lawrence's largest lead was six at 21-15 but the Foresters won four of the next five points to pull to within three. After dropping the next two points, the home team was able to get the serve back but the Vikings took the next point and the set.
Set two was tied 10 times, the last at 13-13. An 8-1 run by the Foresters gave them a five-point advantage but the visitors battled back to within one at 20-19 and again at 24-23. Mottlowitz then closed out the set with her third kill of the set.
The third set was also close until, while already ahead by one, the Foresters rattled off five straight points to take a 22-16 advantage. The teams traded points the rest of the way with a Mottlowitz kill once again finishing it off.
With a chance to clinch the match, the Foresters jumped out to a 10-7 lead in set three. The Vikings then won seven straight points and extended their lead to five several times, the last at 24-19. Lake Forest fought off five straight set points to tie the score before the visitors won two in a row to force a decisive fifth set.
The home team took the first point of set five before dropping nine of the next 10. The Foresters battled back with six straight points and pulled back to within one again at 11-10. The Vikings won the next three points, however, and converted on their second match point opportunity.
The loss dropped the Foresters' overall record to 8-13 and Midwest Conference mark to 1-4. Lawrence improved to 10-13 overall and 5-2 in the league.
Lake Forest will play its final non-conference match of the season Tuesday night at Alverno College. It will begin at 7:30 p.m.
