MOORHEAD, MN – University of Mary freshman Natalia Cruz clubbed a game-high and career-best 16 kills and Lauren Randall and Anna Nietfeld joined her in double figures in a narrow road loss for the Marauders. UMary dropped its first Northern Sun road game of the season 3-1 (25-19, 26-28, 25-22, 25-22).
 
Seeing the most collegiate action of her burgeoning collegiate career, Cruz hit a team-high .256 for the match, making just five attack errors. The native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, also had a career-best 12 digs, second on the Marauders.
 
Randall was one of three Marauders (4-7 overall, 0-2 NSIC) with double doubles, combining 14 kills and a team-best 15 digs. Additionally the senior chipped in a team-best three aces. Nietfeld had 12 kills, seven digs and assisted on three blocks.
 
Amanda Lopes was the third UMary player with double digits in two different categories, assists (42) and digs (11).
 
Courtney Selbitschka led the Dragons (7-3, 2-0) with 13 kills. She also had 14 digs. Kylie Kanwischer posted 10 block assists and one solo block.
 
The Marauders held a brief 3-2 lead in the opening set. The largest lead held by the Dragons was the six-point differential in the final score.
 
In a gutsy second set, the Marauders fought off set point three different times. Twice the Dragons lost their chance for the win on poor sets and once on an attack error. Taking advantage, the Marauders rattled off the final three points – the last on a kill by Cruz – to enter intermission even in sets at one apiece.  
 
Down 7-1 early in the third set, the Marauders rallied to take at 17-17. UMary was unable to get over the hump in a 25-22 loss to trail by a set.
 
Needing a win to force a fifth set, the Marauders opened up a 21-17 lead after consecutive kills by Cruz and Nietfeld. Suddenly the Dragons block took over the game. MSUM rattled off seven straight points for a 24-21 lead with four of the points coming off blocks by the Dragons. After a Madison Berghold kill pulled the Marauders within two points, another MSUM block provided the final point of the night for the Dragons.  
 
MSUM held a 20-7 edge in points off blocks.
 
The Marauders continue their four-game road trip with a visit to Minot State on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
 
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