LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Knox College volleyball team pushed the second and third sets beyond regulation but could not secure either of them as the Prairie Fire fell at Lake Forest in the final match of the 2025 season, 25-18, 26-24, 28-26. Sophomore Maria Jabor Jahn led Knox (3-26, 1-7 Midwest Conference) with nine kills, while Ireland Van Stone led the Foresters (5-16, 2-6 MWC) to its second league victory of the year with 10 kills.
The opening set was a back-and-forth affair with six ties and three lead changes, which left the Foresters with a slim 12-11 lead. Lake Forest took off from there, securing the next eight points to take charge before eventually winning the stanza.
The Foresters threatened to run off with the second set by taking the first six points. But Knox chipped away at the deficit and eventually took a 15-14 lead thanks to a pair of Jabor Jahn kills. Two more kills from the 6-2 Brazilian helped Knox go up by a 19-17 score, only for Lake Forest to reach set point at 24-22. A Jabor Jahn block and an ace from sophomore Rebeca Hernandez-Rivera knotted the score at 24, but the Foresters took the next two points for a 2-0 lead in the match.
The third set was even more grueling for the Prairie Fire. After falling behind, 18-11, Knox rallied to tie it up at 20 with the last two points coming on back-to-back aces by junior Elle Haddon. Lake Forest then served for match point at 24-23, only to have the Fire win two straight points, giving them the chance to take the set on the next serve. The two sides traded kills before the Foresters won three straight — two on Van Stone kills — to clinch the match.
- Playing in her final match for the Prairie Fire, senior Sam Black led all players with 18 digs, double that of anyone else that took the court.
- Knox served up a dozen aces, one shy of its season high.
- Lake Forest has won the last 11 matches between the two schools.
