Staff photo by Steve Muscatello Martin Luther College's Michael Radue (89) makes a catch as Luke Lambird of Greenville defends on the play during the fourth quarter Saturday at MLC in New Ulm. For more photos of this event go to cu.nujournal.com

NEW ULM — Martin Luther College improved to 3-1 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference as it defeated Greenville University 34-20 on Saturday.

Greenville scored on its opening possession, going 64 yards and using 4:38 off the game clock. Greenville converted on a fourth down with 2 yards to go inside the MLC 10 before a 5-yard rushing touchdown and the lead.

On the following drive the Knights turned the ball over on downs failing to convert a fourth down inside the Greenville 11.

Early in the second quarter, MLC quarterback Zachary Bloomquist stepped up to the line with a third down opportunity on the Knights 39. Bloomquist’s pass to Josh Arndt was caught when Arndt gained a step on the defender and ran into the end zone from 61 yards out.

“Josh is hard to cover with three scores today,” MLC coach Mark Stein said. “We have total confidence in our protection and Zach getting the ball to him.”

With under 3 minutes left to play in the first half, an MLC defender was charged with a personal foul, giving Greenville the ball at the MLC 2.

The Panthers scored on a screen pass, taking the 12-7 lead from the Knights after another failed extra-point attempt.

The Knights had one more opportunity in the first half with 1:27 left. Bloomquist found receivers Josh Schroeder and Arndt to move the ball for MLC across the 50 into Greenville territory.

On the Greenville 31, Bloomquist fired a pass to Arndt who scored with 13 seconds left in the half. The Knights led at the end of the first half 14-12.

“At half-time we looked at the stats and we had 234 yards offense granted that some came from the passing game then that started to open the running game,” Stein said.

In the second half, Bloomquist faked the hand-off to a motioning Josh Wong, turning the opposite way and completed the pass to Arndt behind the line of scrimmage. Arndt carried the ball 34 yards for the score and a 21-12 Knights lead.

The Knights led 27-20 at the end of the third quarter before Josh Wong carried 15 yards untouched for score and the 34-20 lead.

Wong led the Knights with 93 yards on 18 attempts with a touchdown and Nate Stein went 86 yards on 19 attempts. Bloomquist was 14-for-20 with four passing toudowns, 229 yards passing and one rushing touchdown. Arndt led the Knights receiving with 138 yards on five receptions and three scores.

MLC travels to Fulton, Missouri on Saturday taking on Westminster at 1 p.m.