Contact: Ava Yurchison, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

Box Score

PLYMOUTH, Wis. (Mar. 3, 2017)- Continuing it's three match winning streak, the North Central College Cardinals men's volleyball team prevailed to a five set win to against the Lakeland College Muskies late Friday night.
 
North Central and Lakeland went set-for-set before entering the final set. North Central won the second set 25-18 and fourth set 25-20, after the Muskies claimed the first set 22-25 and the third set 15-25. In the final set, the Cardinals dug deep and edged out a 15-12 victory, improving to 9-5.
 
In the first set, the match was close with the score going back and forth. The Muskies found a spark offensively going on an 8-1 run bringing the score to 12-16 and forcing a North Central timeout. Late in the set, North Central found it's own spark behind a kill from sophomore Jacob Zemba, though it was too late for the Cardinals to come back and they succumbed to the Muskies.
 
Set two ended in favor of the Cardinals. Late in the set, North Central found it's rhythm via a 12-7 run ignited by a Zemba kill from sophomore Raymond Kraus to close out the set. The momentum of the match swung back in Lakeland's favor as they swiftly took the third set.
 
The fourth set found the Cardinals back on the offense with their highest hitting percentage of the match (.344). North Central opened the match on the attack leading 12-8. A kill from freshman Brendan Crawford and sophomore Anthony Kluzak tallied two more points for the Cardinals. The Muskies did not just hand the Cardinals the set, rallying to an 8-4 run. Though, the set closed in favor of the Cardinals with a kill from sophomore Jake Braceros.
 
In the final set, North Central tallied a kill from sophomore Bozhidar Kolev, followed by three straight kills from Braceros. A service error from Lakeland, followed by a Kolev service ace imposed a late Lakeland timeout to which they responded with a kill. Match point was earned for the Cardinals on a Braceros kill.
 
Braceros lead the Cardinals attack with a game-high 13 kills, while Zemba added 12 and Crawford finished with 11 kills. Kraus led all players with 41 assists.
 
Defensively, Crawford turned in four blocks. Braceros, Kraus and sophomore Kevin Messer led the way all with 12 digs apiece.
 
North Central continues it's 2017 campaign by traveling to River Forest, Ill. on March 17 to face Dominican University at 7 p.m. at the Ignini Sports Forum.