The Forester volleyball team hosted and defeated Carroll
University in four sets (25-14, 25-19, 20-25, 25-20) Tuesday night
to raise its Midwest Conference record to 5-2. Sophomore Megan
Trubich recorded seven kills and led all players in the match with
seven aces and 16 digs.
Sophomore Cori Cooper led the home team with 14 kills and added
11 digs for her team-high ninth double-double of the year. Fellow
sophomore Molly McCloskey narrowly missed reaching double figures
in both categories with nine kills and nine digs. Libero Tia
Rupnik, another sophomore, had a dozen digs.
Senior setter Deena Blanchard had 35 assists and a pair of aces
and classmate Mandi Mulliner recorded six kills, three blocks, and
an ace in the final match they will play in the Lake Forest College
Sports & Recreation Center.
Carroll entered the match leading the conference in aces but
recorded just five while the Foresters pounded out 14, their
second-highest total of the season.
Tied at three in the opening set, Lake Forest rattled off five
straight points, including a a pair of Trubich aces, to take the
lead for good. Trubich served up her third ace of the set during
another five-point run that put the home team comfortably ahead
23-13. Mulliner's lone ace of the match eventually closed out the
set.
Blanchard served up the first three points of the second set and
the Foresters led throughout. The Lady Pioneers closed to within
one at 18-17 but the home team pulled away. Cooper's second ace of
the set and a kill by sophomore Kristen Braun accounted for the
team's 24th and 25th points.
Lake Forest fell behind 22-12 in the third set before going on
an 8-1 run to make the score 23-20. Carroll scored the next two
points, however, to force a fourth set.
Blanchard served the first three points of the fourth set as
well. The visitors, however, rebounded and eventually led
14-12, forcing Lake Forest head coach Jennifer Saylor to use a time
out. Kills by Trubich and McCloskey tied the score and, after the
teams split the next four points, Trubich put the home team ahead
for good with her sixth ace of the contest. A Cooper kill followed
by Trubich's final ace gave the Foresters a three-point lead
and they held on for the victory. A block by Trubich and Braun
finished off the match.
Lake Forest is now 12-13 overall this season. Carroll fell to
15-9 overall and 2-3 in league play.
The Foresters will play a pair of non-conference matches Friday
evening at Milwaukke School of Engineering. Lake Forest will take
on Marian University at 6:00 and the hosts at 8:00.
