Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder volleyball team rallied for a 3-2 victory at home against Lake Forest College (4-12) on Wednesday night. The Foresters won the first set 25-22 and Wheaton tied the match at 1-1 with 25-22 Thunder victory in the second set. Lake Forest was a 25-18 victor in the third set. Wheaton tied the match score at 2-2 with a 25-13 victory in the fourth set. The Thunder won the decisive fifth set 15-9.

Wheaton is now 8-7 on the season. Tonight's match is the first of three at home this week for the Thunder. The Thunder host University of Dubuque on Friday night at 7:00 p.m., and Wheaton hosts North Central in conference match on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.

Senior Audrey Gerze recorded 17 kills for the Thunder, including nine kills in the final two sets. Caroline Capps and Colleen Smith each tallied eight kills and Ashton Major added seven kills. Libero Allie High (PICTURED LEFT) had a team-high 22 digs and Gerze added 12 digs. Mia Staub distributed 24 assists and Marlee Anderson had 21 assists. Wheaton registered eight blocks as a team tonight. Capps led the Thunder with four assisted blocks and Major added three.

Wheaton was strong serving tonight with 13 service aces. Gerze led the Thunder with four aces, while Staub added three. Major had three aces, all coming in the fourth set. Anderson added two aces for the hosts.

The Foresters took the first set 25-22. Gerze led the Thunder with four kills in the opening set and Smith added three. High registered seven digs and Staub had five.

Wheaton was a 25-22 victor in the second set. Gerze again led the hosts with kills and Anderson had a team-high six digs. The Thunder took an early 6-3 lead in the set, however, the Foresters rallied to take a 12-10 lead. Wheaton tied the set at 12-12 and it was back-and-forth in the following points. Major recorded a kill to break a 17-17 tie and give Wheaton a lead it would not relinquish in the set. Wheaton gained a 24-20 lead on a block by Gerze and Naomi Bunker and the Thunder emerged with the 25-22 victory to tie the match score at 1-1.

The Foresters won the third set 25-18 to gain a 2-1 lead in the match score. Smith had a team-high three kills for the hosts and she added five digs.

Wheaton tied the match at 2-2 with a 25-13 victory in the fourth set. The set was tied at 5-5 and then the Thunder scored the next seven points to take a 12-5 lead. Wheaton's 7-0 run was sparked by a Briley Brogan kill and also had included a kill by Capps. Kayley Byerly was part of two assisted blocks in the run and Major had two service aces. Wheaton never trailed in the remainder of the set to send the match to the decisive fifth set. Gerze had six kills in the set and Capps added three. High had eight digs and Gerze added four.

Wheaton won the fifth set 15-9. The Foresters jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the final set. LFC led 6-2 when the Thunder responded with six-consecutive points to give the hosts an 8-6 lead. The guests led 6-3 when Gerze recorded three-consecutive kills to tie the set at 6-6. Wheaton never trailed after its 6-0 run. Anderson recorded a service ace on match point to close out the win for the Thunder. Gerze had three kills on just four attempts in set, all coming in Wheaton's 6-0 run.