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Courtesy of Adam Hussman/MLC SID
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
MLC 3, BLC 1
MANKATO -- The Martin Luther College volleyball team left Bethany with a 3-1 win on Tuesday evening in an away contest with the Vikings.
The Knights had a healthy advantage in kills 56-32 in their four-set victory. MLC notched their third consecutive win over the Vikings, as they swept the season series in 2023, with both matches coming down to the wire, resulting in a 3-1 (Sep. 19) and 3-2 (Oct. 10) win.
The only set that MLC dropped on Tuesday was the opening, in which they cut the score to 21-19 after a Lydia Feidt kill and an Anna Kieselhorst service ace. However, the Vikings rattled off four unanswered points to grab the first set 25-19.
That would be all Bethany would get though as MLC put together an impressive 25-16 win in the second set, where they separated in the kills department, gaining the 16-5 edge in the set.
The Knights followed that up by fighting off a Bethany comeback attempt after leading 20-14. Feidt finished off the set with a thunderous kill for the 25-22 advantage that gave MLC the 2-1 lead with a chance to close it out in the fourth set.
MLC was successful in closing out the match and did so by topping the Vikings 25-22 again. Lauren Paulsen put the Knights up 24-20 after a kill and they officially secured their first conference win of the season following a Bethany attack error.
Paulsen tied a season-high in kills (16) and also led the Knights in digs with 25. Anna Kieselhorst was right along with her in digs, recording 24. Grace Kieselhorst finished second on the team in both kills (14) and assists (21), as Ella Walz paced MLC with 26 assists. Meanwhile, Ella Schlei had the best hitting percentage of the evening for the Knights, picking up nine kills on .333 clip.
MLC (4-11, 1-1) continues UMAC competition on Saturday when they play a home doubleheader against North Central at 1 p.m. and Northwestern at 5 p.m.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
BLC 7, MLC 2
MANKATO -- The Martin Luther College women's soccer squad faced off with Bethany for their second conference game of 2024 on Tuesday afternoon. Bethany scored on their first shot of the contest just before the 2nd minute and never looked back as they defeated the Knights 7-2.
Priscilla Boehm had a good look at the net with a chance to tie it up 1-1 early on, but just narrowly missed her shot to the left post of the goal. From there, the Vikings controlled the action and added three more goals in the first period to take a 4-1 lead at intermission.
The MLC goal in the first period came from Rachel Schoeneck around the 37th minute on a pass from Naomi Foley. Schoeneck recorded her second goal of the season with the shot.
Towards the 78th minute of play, Katie Schoeneck got into the act with her eighth goal of the soccer season and tacked onto her UMAC lead in goals scored. Defender Lilianne Zimpelmann dished out the assist on the play.
Bethany was led by defender Olaitz Muguruza, who completed the hat trick, while Elena Lujan Rubio finished with two goals.
MLC (3-4-1, 1-1) will prepare for another conference matchup on the road when they go to Crown College on Saturday, September 28, at 2 p.m.
MEN'S SOCCER
BLC 2, MLC 0
MANKATO -- The Martin Luther College men's soccer squad continued their UMAC play in a road contest at Bethany on Tuesday night. MLC gave a nice effort, but the Vikings came out on top 2-0.
MLC goalkeeper Nicholas Russ gave the best performance of his collegiate career to date, as the freshman picked up 16 saves, making it difficult for Bethany to convert on their 36 shots (18 on goal).
Jaimie Van Wijland broke the scoreless tie in the 27th minute of the first period, getting his shot past Russ. Daniel Almeida added an insurance goal for the Vikings with just over 30 minutes remaining in action.
Meanwhile, the Bethany defense limited the Knights' scoring opportunities and held MLC to one shot on goal.
MLC (1-6-1, 1-2) will be in action in a quick turnaround as they head back to New Ulm for a home contest Wednesday against Oak Hills Christian at 4:30 p.m.