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

Box Score

Mar. 11, 2016 – Snapping a eight-match losing streak, the North Central College men's volleyball team avenged an earlier season loss at Wittenberg University, putting together arguably their most complete match of the season to win 3-0.
 
The Cardinals (3-14, 2-6 Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League) clawed out a 29-27 win in the first set, as both team fought back-and-forth the whole set until a Wittenberg service error gave North Central a 28-27 lead late.  Jake Braceros put home the game-winning kill the following point, set up from Raymond Kraus, giving the Cardinals the all-important first set win.
 
North Central carried that momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 14-9 lead midway through to force a Tiger timeout.  The offensive onslaught continued after the Wittenberg timeout, as a Richard Due service ace and Andrew Bergstrand kill gave the Cardinals a 21-11 advantage late, while another kill from Braceros ended the set 25-14 in favor of North Central.
 
The Cardinals hit an astounding .750 in the second set, finishing with 13 kills to just one error on 16 total attempts, while the Cardinal defense held the Tigers (12-7, 2-5 MCVL) to just .059 hitting, finishing with a match-low six kills.
 
After Wittenberg took a 3-2 lead early in the third set, a four-point Cardinal run turned the tables and forced a Tiger timeout.  The rally was highlighted by blocks from Jacob Zemba and Anthony Kluzak, as well as a service ace from Braceros.
 
The Tigers bounced back to draw to within one of the Cardinal lead 15-14, but back-to-back kills from Braceros and Zemba, along with consecutive service aces from Braceros increased the lead back to five, 19-14 and closed out the set 25-21.
 
The Cardinals finished with a season-high .478 attack percentage, leading the kill margin 45-31, while also finishing with a season-high nine service aces. 
 
Zemba paced the Cardinal offense with 14 kills, while Bozhidar Kolev finished with 13, hitting .750 on the contest, committing just one attack error on 16 total attempts.  Kraus handed out a match-high 36 assists, while Braceros and Kevin Messer each added three service aces and Kluzak led the team with four total blocks.
 
Dylan Kolovitz and Isaiah Brock each finished with eight kills to lead the Tiger offense, while Ross Russell finished with 27 assists and a team-high four digs.
 
North Central wraps up its current six-match home stretch tomorrow at 2 p.m., playing host to No. 11 Mount St. Joseph University.  The link to live in-game statistics is available HERE.