The Lake Forest College volleyball team defeated Ripon College 25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 25-18 Friday night in final home match of the season.
The Foresters' five graduating seniors -- Hannah Nauert, Olivia Drevs, Allyson Richards, Ollivia Smith, and Isabel Donnelly -- were honored on the court before the contest.
Smith went on to lead the home team with 17 kills and added 13 digs for her ninth career double-double. Freshman Mary Gegen also reached double figures in kills with 14.
Lake Forest sophomore libero Izzi Visnjevac led all players in the match with 16 digs and three aces, Richards tallied 35 assists, and sophomore Haley Bryant had three blocks.
The Foresters trailed by as many as four points in the opening set and faced an 18-16 deficit before an 8-0 run put them on the verge of set point. Ripon finally ended the run but Smith's sixth kill of the set ended it.
The story was reversed in set two with the home team ahead by four early on and 17-15 before surrendering four straight points and the lead. The score was tied at 21 before the Red Hawks won four of the next five points and the set.
Ripon's only lead in set three was 5-4 before the Foresters quickly pulled away. The margin reached eight points at 17-9 and again later at 24-16. The set ended on another kill by Smith.
The visitors won four of the first five points in set four but Lake Forest responded with a 13-5 run and led the rest of the way. The Red Hawks closed to within two at 20-18 but did not win another point. The match ended on an ace from Visnjevac.
After starting the season with a loss, Lake Forest has rattled off four consecutive victories. Ripon fell to 0-2.
The same two teams will play each other again in Ripon Saturday evening at 5:00.
