NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College volleyball team battled to a 3-1 loss against Gustavus Adolphus College on Tuesday by the scores of 25-16, 25-19, 28-30, 25-18.

The Gusties, riding a 14-game win streak heading into the match, took an early 1-0 lead in the match before the Knights fought back. MLC jumped to a 16-13 lead in the second set, but GAC pulled away late by scoring the final six points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Knights wouldn't give in, diving for balls on defense and hitting .306 on the attack in the third set. GAC led 22-20 late in the set, but the Knights battled until finally prevailing 30-28 to force a fourth game. Kira Grev and Jade St. Germaine were both strong for MLC in the set with six kills apiece.

MLC was unable to even the match and force a fifth set, however, as GAC blocked four MLC attacks, and the Knights struggled with ten errors in the fourth set to help the Gusties come away with the win.

Grev led MLC with 15 kills in the match, and finished with six kills in both the second and third games. Rylee Weisensel came on late with nine of her ten kills in the final two sets, and hit a team-best .358 for the match. St. Germaine was also strong with 12 total kills.

Emily Neeb led four MLC players with at least ten digs with 14, while Taylor Weber and Megan Lemke each finished with 13. 

MLC fell to 3-16 on the season in defeat. The Gusties improved to 15-2 with the win.

The Knights will return to conference player tomorrow (Wednesday, October 7), when they travel to North Central for a match scheduled to start at 7 p.m.