LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Illinois College volleyball team ran its record to 10-3 (2-0 Midwest Conference) by overcoming a challenge from Lake Forest College and taking home a four-set win (25-20, 18-25, 25-22, 25-19) over the Foresters on Saturday afternoon.
Nothing came easy on Saturday, but Illinois College was able to survive thanks in part to a 10-2 edge in total blocks in the match. Four of those came in the first set as the Lady Blues jumped on top. The last tie in the set came at 5-5, but the Foresters stuck with IC and never let the Lady Blues get too far ahead. Down the stretch, Illinois College was on top, 20-18, and scored five of the next seven points on a combination of kills from
Ali Pankey and attack errors from Olivia Smith.
A 3-0 start from Lake Forest set the tone for a rough second set for Illinois College. Though the Lady Blues managed to come back and lead midway through the set, the Foresters reasserted themselves and scored eight out of nine points during one span to take a commanding lead. IC did itself no favors, committing seven attack errors in the set and hitting a match-low rate of .021 as a team.
Responding to the challenge, Illinois College put the first five points of the third set on the board and held off a charge from Lake Forest. The Foresters drew within a single point on three occasions in the closing stages of the set, but a kill from
Carlee Bale combined with three errors from Lake Forest helped the Lady Blues finish it off for a 2-1 lead.
A 2-1 lead slipped away for Illinois College on Friday night, so the Lady Blues put those lessons to work on Saturday, finishing the Foresters off in four. Illinois College had its best hitting percentage of the match in the fourth set at .302, collecting 18 kills as a team. Bale had six of those and five came after she entered the match with the Lady Blues behind by a score of 12-11. Fittingly, it was Pankey and Bale who had the final two points as IC closed it out.
Pankey's third double-double of the week included 20 kills, 20 digs and four block assists. Ganley had her second straight double-double as well with 46 assists and 13 digs.
Maddie Ramsey ended the day with 12 kills, two solo blocks and two block assists. Bale had seven kills on nine swings for a .778 hitting percentage.
Madie Budd led Illinois College in digs on Saturday with 24.
Reagan Gifford also added 12.
MWC play continues for the Lady Blues on Tuesday night with a 7 p.m. match at Monmouth College.
