Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton volleyball team closed out the home portion of its 2023 schedule on Tuesday night with a non-conference contest against Lake Forest College. The Thunder shut out the Foresters 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-18) to earn the win tonight.
 
Caroline Capps led the Thunder with eight kills, while Emerson Traweek and Jordan Benford (PICTURED LEFT) each tallied six kills. Faith Bailey had five kills for the hosts. Paige Syswerda had 28 assists for Wheaton tonight.
Libero Grace Autry had a match-high 17 digs for the hosts. Caroline Capps had 13 digs, with Traweek and Syswerda each recording 10 digs. Bailey had six total blocks and Capps recorded three. Traweek had four service aces, and Benford had two aces.

Wheaton won the first set 25-18. The Foresters led 10-7 and Wheaton continued to chip away at the guests lead as the Thunder gained its first advantage at 17-16 and never trailed after that. Wheaton closed out the first set with an 11-2 run. The hosts had five kills in the 11-3 run, with three by Capps and two from Bailey. Capps had four kills in the first set and Bailey had three. Syswerda had 10 assists and Benford led the Thunder with six digs. Autry and Traweek had five digs apiece, while Bailey had five total blocks.

Wheaton never trailed in the second set, winning 25-13. Wheaton pulled out to an 8-4 lead and build its advantage to 16-7. Benford and Traweek each had a team-high three kills in the second set. Syswerda had 10 assists. Autry recorded six digs in the set.

Wheaton rallied to win the third set 25-18. LFC led 6-3 early in the set, but Wheaton responded with a 10-2 run to take a 13-8 lead. Six of the 12 serves that occurred in the span were by Traweek as she recorded three service aces in that instance. Wheaton never looked back after it pulled ahead for the lead. Traweek had a set-best three kills, with two apiece for Capps and Sadie Orange. Syswerda had eight assists and Traweek tallied the three aces. Autry had six digs, with five apiece for Capps and Syswerda.

Wheaton closes out its season on Saturday in a triangular in Madison, Wisconsin. The Thunder take on UW-Oshkosh at 4:00 p.m. on the campus of Edgewood College and Wheaton face the host Edgewood Eagles at 6:00 p.m.