NEW ULM, Minn.-- North Central hung around the whole night but never found the needed momentum to overcome Martin Luther College. The Rams made a final surge that came up short in a 57-52 loss to the Knights on Friday evening.

Women's Basketball led just one time, briefly in the early stages of the game but also were rarely out of reach on Friday night. The Rams fell behind by their largest deficit, 23-10, with around four minutes left in the half. But as they would all night, they fought back and were down 27-19 at halftime.

North Central (5-14, 1-8 UMAC) came out of the locker room ready to compete for their elusive second win in conference play and scored the first eight points of the half to tie it up 27-27 at 16:51 remaining. Martin Luther took the lead back on their next posession but it remained a two score game for most of the next ten minutes.

The Knights were able to push the difference back to 47-39 with 5:36 left after a series of five consecutive offensive rebounds were finally turned into a lay-up. North Central would continue to fight their way back into the game and a three-point shot from freshman Marissa Kari (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) made it just 48-42 with 4:27 left.

Eventually the Rams would trail 55-49 with 1:17 left but they could not convert a lay-up and the Knights were able to run out the clock even though Kari hit another three-point shot with eight seconds left. Martin Luther iced it with a pair of free throws on their final posession.

Marissa Kari posted a game high 19 points on the night on 5-7 shooting from the three point line. Freshman Lizzy Swanson (Askov, Minn./East Central) added 11 points while Junior Jamie High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) added 10 points and a game high 14 rebounds.

North Central is back in action on Saturday with another road conference game. The Rams tip-off at Bethany Lutheran College (Mankato, Minn.) at 3 p.m.