Knights dominate once again

By PAUL DUNLAP

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- Martin Luther College volleyball coach Drew Buck threw every combination he could think of on the floor Tuesday night.

The results were strikingly familiar.

The Knights improved to 15-4 on the season with a 15-3, 15-0, 15-5 rout of Crown College in a match that lasted just 54 minutes.

"It's homecoming week, and there were some parents here tonight," Buck said. "This was a match that I hoped I would be able do some different things with some different combinations on the floor. Everything I had planned to do I was able to do, so you're always pleased when you can do that."

Buck started with his normal starting rotation, and kills from Rachel Kramer and Kelly Gawrisch plus the serving of Emily Hahnke pushed MLC to a quick 6-0 lead in game one. Crown would pull within 6-3 on Knight miscues, but Kelly Gawrisch would have three more kills and an ace tip as MLC reeled off the remaining nine points -- capped off by a Kramer ace block.

"We had played Crown earlier in the year, and its a young team," Buck said. "They had one player leave school, and the injuries they're going through, plus they're young to begin with. They work hard, though, and they're the kind of team you have to look out for."

Game two started and ended with a Sarah Backus kill, and in between was complete domination by the Knights. Becky Pate had three straight kills at one point, and two Jenny Nommensen ace serves made the score 7-0. Emily Hahnke served the last five points of the shutout.

The third game saw players thrown in to positions they weren't familiar with, and it showed. Both teams struggled to a 5-4 Crown edge before Kramer got the Knights going. Her kill and two ace blocks would be the catalyst for an 11-0 MLC run to end the match. Ohm ended it with another ace block.

"That last combination I threw in in game three was kind of a fun thing," Buck admitted. "I was just hoping we could get through that. It took us awhile to get going, but after it got 5-5 we took charge."

Hahnke led the Knights with 13 service points and 16 set assists. Kramer had six kills and four ace blocks, Kelly Gawrisch added eight service points and seven kills, Ohm had three ace blocks, Nommensen served three aces, and Gena Schwartz led with 10 digs.

MLC (15-4, 2-0 UMAC) will host Carleton College Saturday, 3 p.m., during homecoming festivities.