MILWAUKEE – The Alverno volleyball team hosted the Lake Forest Foresters for the second time this season inside the Reiman Gymnasium, and dropped a 3-0 decision to its guest. The set scores were 25-17, 25-21, 25-18 as the Foresters picked up the victory.

Junior Ari Rehberg led the Inferno with seven kills on the match, with her well-executed touches on the court to collect a team-best 9.5 points as she also added one service ace and contributed on three blocks. Junior Neilee Newton and freshman Kierra Sherlock each had five kills apiece, while the pair also had three digs apiece. Newton also had a hand in two blocks and added one ace.

Junior Morgan Lemner picked up eight digs on the night and added one ace, while sophomore Isabelle Gemza was second on the team with six digs on the evening. Sophomore Alex McMath had a match-high 20 assists, while she also added three kills and chipped in on one block on the night.

The final four kills on the night for Alverno were split between senior Melanie Coffey and freshman Kenzi Kaminski. Coffey also had one assist and one dig on the evening.

The first set was even through the first eight points as the Inferno got an ace from Gemza and a few unforced errors by the Foresters to keep the score equal at four. Lake Forest took a three-point lead at 7-4 but two more miscues by the Foresters put Alverno back within one. A 9-3 run by Lake Forest was the difference as the Foresters led 17-8 before taking the opening set 25-17.

The second set was a near duplicate copy of the opening stanza as the score was even after the first eight serves, which included a Rehberg kill to put Alverno up by a 2-1 score. After a slew of subs for both sides, the score remained close as an attacking error by Lake Forest evened the score and gave service back to Alverno.

The set remained close as Coffey connected on a kill to make the score 19-16 in favor of Lake Forest, before the Foresters connected on four of the next five points before Rehberg earned service back for the Inferno with a kill as she make the score 23-18. Newton notched an ace to make it 23-19 before a kill gave Lake Forest the advantage of set point, which Alverno had fourth off twice on kills by Rehberg and McMath before Lake Forest won the set 25-21.

Alverno opened an early 3-0 advantage in the third set, but three consecutive kills by the Foresters quickly evened the score. After the next few rallies were split and the teams tied at seven, Lake Forest added the next five point to take a 12-7 lead. An 8-1 rally in the middle of the set gave the Foresters a 20-10 lead but Alverno refused to go down.

Trailing by a 21-11 score the Inferno got a kill by Newton before an attacking error and a block by Rehberg and McMath gave Alverno three unanswered. Gemza capped off the brief 4-0 rally with a service ace to make the score 21-15. However, it was ultimately the Foresters to come out on top at 25-18 in the third set to win the match.

Alverno (1-21, 0-8 NACC) will return to conference competition on Friday evening, when the Inferno host the Dominican Stars at 7 p.m. from Reiman Gymnasium.