MINNEAPOLIS, -- In the midst of the UMAC portion of their 2019 schedule, the North Central University (NCU) volleyball team hosted the Knights of Martin Luther College (MLC) under the lights on Wednesday night. In a courageous effort on the Rams' behalf, they were unable to best the Knights in an incredibly close contest. The Rams ended up falling in the match three sets to two, which has dropped them to below a .500 overall record for the first time since early in the season. This statistic is a written testament to the success NCU has accumulated thus far throughout their 2019 season.

Game Recap

The Rams came came out the gate firing on all cylinders both offensively and defensively. After an incredibly strong first and second set, (25-23, 25-11) NCU was able to take a commanding lead over MLC. After that point, the Knights managed to readjust their rotation and find open hitting lanes along the outside parts of the net and manage more of an offensive attack. From this, the third, fourth and eventual fifth set did not fare well for the Rams as the Knights never looked back and managed to take the remaining three sets and completing their comeback. Although the Rams did drop this match, a well-rounded effort from multiple players tonight resulted in a tremendous battle that showcased NCU's fighting spirit and chemistry they have with one another.

Key Performer(s):

• Senior-captain Rachel Beckman and freshman Alannah Easter provided a one-two punch at the net tonight and showcased themselves as quite the dynamic duo. The two sure-handed setters managed to assist on a total of 43 balls together and were exceptional in their role on the Rams' offensive attack.
• Hannah Fischer posted an all-around performance and was crucial to both the offensive and defensive fronts for the Rams. The lefty out of Kenyon, MN recorded 13 kills to go along with a match-leading 21 digs.

Looking Ahead

After showing resilience in a touch-fought battle, NCU has moved on to a respectable record of 9-10 (1-3 UMAC). The Blue and Gold now set their sights on this upcoming Saturday, where they will hit the road to partake in what should serve as another back-and-forth battle against the University of Minnesota, Morris Cougars. The Rams will look to garner some momentum in the next one as they head into the four remaining matches of their 2019 campaign. Each match from here on out plays a vital role for the Rams and their hopes of UMAC playoff contention.