NEW ULM, Minn. -- The North Central University (NCU) volleyball team traveled to Martin Luther College (MLC) for yet another Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) matchup. It was a very close game but the Knights ultimately got the victory in three close sets (26-24, 25-18, 27-25).

Game Recap

The Knights started out on bit of a run in the first set that was quickly stopped by the Rams. Each team had a spur of points but it always went forth and forth. It came to the last couple of points in which MLC was able to put in the final blow. The second set was similar to the first in how the momentum quickly changed between the teams. NCU had the lead early on in the set but was never able to regain it as the play continued.

In the third, NCU came back from a mid-set 7-0 run by the Knights to get the score within a couple of points. Hailey Lerfald (Wanamingo, MN, Kenyon-Wanamingo High School) was essential to this partial comeback as she had 15 kills on the night, tying her record of kills in a single game. Lerfald also averaged a .565 hitting percentage, surpassing everyone on the court with her accuracy. Makayla Krohnberg (Blaine, MN, Blaine High School), a well rounded player, aided the Rams with eight of her own kills and pitching in 13 digs on the defensive side. While the Rams were able to come back from multiple deficits in each of the sets, the Knights ultimately came out on top. 

Key Performers

• Hailey Lerfald provided 15 kills in three sets while hitting a .565 percentage at the net.
• Makayla Krohnberg had eight kills,13 digs, and one block, showing her versatility on the court.
• Grace Brigson (West Salem, WI, West Salem High School) and Hannah Fischer (Kenyon, MN, Kenyon Wanamingo High School) each had ten digs of their own. Brigson also had 29 assists at setter.

Looking Ahead

With the game today, the Rams wrap up UMAC play, ending the season at 5-9 in the conference. NCU finishes out the regular season with the Rockford tournament held at Rockford University this weekend. The Ram's first game on the tournament is this Friday at 5 pm against Maranatha Baptist University. All fans are encouraged to tune into official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages for updates on the volleyball team and more important information.