NEW ULM, Minn - The Martin Luther College women's soccer team earned its fourth consecutive shutout in a 3-0 win over North Central on Tuesday.

The Knights entered the game without allowing a goal in the last 333 minutes of game action, and then shut down the Rams for 90 minutes. NCU was credited with 14 total shots, but only four of them were on goal.

Top scorer Dakotah Sparrman entered the game with seven goals in the Rams' first six games, but the Knights took her out of the game with the suffocating defense of sophomore midfielder Carissa Friebe, as well as senior middle defenders Sarah Kell and Emily Muir.

With the Rams' top threat neutralized, the Knights' offense went to work. Hailey Johnson put the Knights on top with a difficult angle shot in the 28th minute for her first goal of the season. 

Leading 1-0 at the break, MLC roared out of the half with a goal by Mary Falck off an assist from Morgan Hill in the 47th minute to take a 2-0 lead. The goal was Falck's first of the season.

Lydia Bitter finished the scoring in the 71st minute with her fifth goal of the season to secure the MLC win.

Johnson was the top offensive threat for MLC throughout the game with seven shots, including three shots on goal. Bitter and Martha Balge each recorded three shots.

Erin Feddersen stopped all four of NCU's shots in goal for the Knights.

MLC improved to 3-1-2 on the season and 2-0-1 in UMAC play with the win. NCU fell to 3-4 overall and 0-3 in league play in defeat.

The Knights will return to action on Saturday, September 23, when they travel to UW-Superior for a game scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m.