Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN -- North Central University (NCU) Volleyball continued conference play today with a busy Saturday of action. The Rams opened the day at home as they played host to the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM) Cougars inside Clark-Danielson Gymnasium before hitting the road later this evening for a matchup against the University of Northwestern (UNW) Eagles. North Central would fall in three straight sets in both matches. Despite a pair of challenging contests against two of the league's top programs, NCU showed steady moments of growth and energy throughout both matches.

Game One Recap:

Set 1: 16-25 | Set 2: 14-25 | Set 3: 21-25

The Rams opened the day strong on their home court, keeping the opening set close early through aggressive swings from sophomore Gabbie Ruzek and freshman Autumn Kaczmarek. Ruzek led the team with 5 kills, while freshman setter Abby Rhoades spread the offense effectively, recording a team-high 11 assists. A handful of errors from the Cougars would give the Rams hope before the set concluded 25-16.

In the second frame, NCU battled through extended rallies and improved defensive coverage. Senior Lexie Semrau contributed at the net with 3 blocks, while Maci Tripp anchored the back row with consistent serve receive and 10 digs. Despite a few late attack errors that allowed the opponent to separate, the Rams remained composed and continued to press offensively before falling 25-14.

The Rams played their best volleyball in the third set. With strong serving from Tatum Olson (2 aces) and solid connection between Rhoades and Brown, NCU surged back from an early deficit to bring the game within two points mid-set. Senior Maizy Sundblad added a pair of late digs to extend crucial points, but a narrow stretch of points swung the final set 25-21.

Game Two Recap:

Set 1: 12-25 | Set 2: 6-25 | Set 3: 13-25

After the quick turnaround, the Rams hit the court at the Ericksen Center in St. Paul to close out the day against the conference-leading Eagles. Senior libero Maci Tripp once again paced the Rams defensively, finishing with a team-high 10 digs and steady passing throughout the match. In the opening frame, Lexie Semrau and Brianna Brown combined for an emphatic block to ignite the Rams' fans. A late surge of defensive effort from Tripp and Maia Scheffler helped NCU push several long rallies before falling 25-12.

In set two, NCU would struggle offensively, committing 12 offensive errors. An early offensive spark with kills from Gabbie Ruzek and Autumn Kaczmarek would be a bright spot for the Rams. Unfortunately, UNE would go on many significant scoring sprees before securing the 25-6 set two win. 

The Rams closed the evening on a more competitive note in the third set, with Ruzek and Maizy Sundblad providing timely swings at the net and Brown contributing defensively. North Central would drop the final frame 25-13.

Looking Ahead:

Up next, NCU hits the road for another UMAC matchup, traveling to Superior, Wisconsin, to face the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Friday, October 31st, inside Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium. First serve is set for 7:00 PM.

As always, all fans are encouraged to tune into the official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X) pages for updates on Rams Volleyball and all things NCU Athletics.