Minneapolis, Minn.-- The Rams Volleyball team started conference play Friday night as they took on Crown College (St. Bonafacius, Minn.) in Mankato. 

After both matches in 2014 went to five sets between the Rams (4-8, 1-0) and Crown (3-4, 0-1), the two teams began 2015 in the same fashion as North Central won the match, 3-2 (25-17, 20-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-7).

NCU received another double-double from junior Karlee Huber (Rapid City, S.D./Dakota Wesleyan Univ.) as she recorded a game-high 15 kills to go along with 18 digs in the victory. Junior Katie Strand (Kenyon, Minn./Kenyon-Wanamingo) added 10 kills of her own as the Rams totaled 48 kills in the contest with a hitting percentage of .107.

Junior Elissa Pheneger (Roseville, Minn/Concordia Academy) had a strong all-around game as defensively she led both teams with 26 digs. Pheneger also had a game-high 35 assists as she ranks third in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference with 8.41 assists per set.

After North Central dropped a hard-fought fourth set by a score of 23-25, the Rams responded with an over-powering attack in the match deciding fifth set. NCU recorded nine kills and three errors on 18 total attacks in the set for a hitting percentage of .333. The Rams won the set convincingly by a score of 15-7.

The Volleyball team continues play Saturday, September 19th as they face off against Northland College (Ashland, Wisc.) at 1 p.m. and Bethany Lutheran College (Mankato, Minn.) at 3 p.m. in Mankato.