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Box Score

DUBUQUE, Iowa (March 17, 2018) – Having passed the halfway point in the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League (MCVL) schedule, the North Central College men's volleyball team remains undefeated, improving to 5-0 in conference with a 3-1 win against Loras College on Saturday afternoon.

A kill from Nick Lilley off the hands of Michael Trunzo sparked the Cardinals' offense to start the match and helped North Central gain an early 6-3 lead, but a string of errors would allow the Duhawks to catch up and tie the set 6-6. Two kills from Bozhidar Kolev and Jake Braceros would give the Cardinals the lead once again, but not for long as Loras came back with three consecutive points to take its first lead, 9-8. North Central was able to regain composure and score much-needed points off of an ace from Trunzo and a block from Lilley and Brendan Crawford to take the lead, 16-11. The Duhawks' defense forced four errors and set up a kill by Joe Jendra, but Loras' efforts were not enough. Following a kill by Trunzo off the hands of Braceros, Anthony Kluzak served up an ace and give the Cardinals the first set, 25-17.

North Central's offense came out firing on all cylinders in the second set as the Cardinals took a 6-3 lead thanks to kills from Kolev, Crawford, and Braceros. After a block from Austin Kuchenbecker tied the set 11-11, the Duhawks found their momentum, capitalizing on critical mistakes by North Central to take a 19-15 lead. Braceros, Crawford, and Lilley each tried to help the Cardinals play catch up, but the Duhawks would come out with the win, taking the second set, 25-19.

Both teams went point for point in the third set until kills from Kluzak and Kolev helped the Cardinals break the cycle and take an 8-6 lead, but the Duhawks' defense rallied back to force an error on Kolev and tie the set 13-13. Loras would pull ahead by one off of a kill from Jendra, but it was their first and only lead of the set as the Cardinals held on to win the third set, 25-21, thanks to kills from Braceros and Lilley, as well as a service ace from Kevin Messer.

Loras took command of the fourth set, putting the Cardinals down 11-7 early in the set despite kills from Braceros and a huge block from Lilley, Crawford, and Jason Eslinger that tied the set momentarily at 5-5. The Cardinals refocused and found a rhythm to score five-unanswered points off of kills from Crawford and a block by Eslinger to lead 16-14 and force the Duhawks to take a timeout. The quick break seemed advantageous to Loras as the Duhawks scored four points of their own to take an 18-16 lead. Braceros and Eslinger were not ready to let the match go to five sets and their two kills and a final block from Trunzo and Crawford clinched the fourth set and maintain North Central's perfect MCVL record.

Braceros' 13 kills were a team high while Crawford tallied 12 and Kluzak had six in addition to six blocks to lead the Cardinals' defense. Crawford and Lilley also came up big defensively with five and four blocks, respectively, while Trunzo led the team with two aces and Samuel Kharasch added 12 digs.

North Central (13-7, 5-0 MCVL) continues its quest for a perfect MCVL record as the Cardinals host Greenville University on Friday, March 23 at 7 p.m. A link to live in-game coverage can be found HERE.