Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

Jan. 26, 2016 – Despite holding a 2-1 set lead and a 12-10 advantage in the fifth set, the North Central College men's volleyball team could not hang on, dropping a 3-2 non-conference matchup at the hands of Benedictine University on Tuesday inside Gregory Arena.
 
With the score knotted at 10 in late in the fifth set, back-to-back kills from Max Lawrence and Jacob Zemba gave North Central (1-2) a two-point lead while forcing a Benedictine University (3-4) timeout.
 
Coming out of the timeout, a Benedictine kill followed by consecutive Cardinal attack errors quickly turned the tables, giving the Eagles a 13-12 lead, this time forcing a North Central timeout.
 
The Benedictine momentum was too much for North Central to handle, as back-to-back kills from Jon Mueller, each set up by Markus Riemer, ended the set 15-13 while clinching the match for Benedictine 3-2.
 
The Cardinals fought back from a 16-12 deficit in set number one to tie the score at 23 late, but a kill and block from Benedictine's Zach Loeding on the final two possessions sealed the first set win for the Eagles.
 
North Central bounced back nicely in the second set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead thanks in part to a kill and service ace off the hand of Andrew Bergstrand, while the Cardinals would lead the rest of the set and go on to win 25-21.
 
Down again early in set number three, the Cardinal battled back from a 7-3 deficit early to take a late 23-22 after a Jake Braceros kill.  After a Benedictine attack error established set point for North Central, Braceros put home the game-winning kill two points later to clinch the set 25-23 and give the Cardinals a 2-1 set lead.
 
Despite a match high .378 attack percentage, finishing with 17 kills to just four errors in the fourth set, North Central never led as the Cardinals were plagued by six service errors.  Benedictine finished with 15 kills to just four errors to take the set 25-23 and even the score 2-2.
 
Overall, North Central finished with a .265 attack percentage to Benedictine's .237, but the Cardinals were doomed by 20 service aces to the Eagles nine in what proved to be the difference in the match.

Lawrence led the Cardinal attack with a match-high 16 kills, while Zemba finished with 15 and just two errors, while turning in a team-best .351 attack percentage.  Braceros also finished in double-figure kills with 15, while adding 10 digs on defense.
 
Raymond Kraus led all players with 42 assists on the evening to go along with nine digs and four kills, while Kevin Messer finished with a team-leading 16 digs.
 
Jake Moran led the Eagle attack with 16 kills, while Sterling Glover finished with 11.  Riemer added 34 assists and 14 digs, while Jonathan Valentini turned in a match-high 18 digs.
 
North Central is back in action on Friday, Jan. 29, taking on Eastern Mennonite University (Virginia) at the Wittenberg University Tiger Invitational with the match slated to begin at 8 p.m. (ET).