ST. PAUL – The Northwestern College volleyball team earned at least a share of its third consecutive UMAC regular season championship on Saturday in a 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-22) defeat of Martin Luther College.  With the win, the Eagles are 11-0 in conference competition and 17-9 in 2009.

Chelsea Koth (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) had a 13-kill performance and a .357 attacking percentage, including eight in the second set alone, to lead the Eagles past Martin Luther in kills, 36-60.  Greta King (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) added nine kills for NWC while Hillary Slagter (Prinsburg, Minn./Central Minnesota Christian) (Prinsburg, Minn./Central Minnesota Christian) led the Eagles with 17 assists.

As a team, Northwestern hit .231 while Martin Luther countered with a .088 attacking percentage.

NWC did just as well on defense as it did on offense, as no Martin Luther players recorded more than six kills in the match.  Kelsey Korporal (Sumner, Iowa/Sumner-Fredericksburg) (Sumner, Iowa/Sumner-Fredricksburg) had 14 digs for the Eagles and Danielle Rhodes (Iowa City, Iowa/City) (Iowa City, Iowa/City) added eight more.  Elissa Sandstrom (Cloquet, Minn./Carlton) (Cloquet, Minn./Carlton) had a team-high four blocks for Northwestern. 

Natalie Carroll (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Southeast Polk) (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Southeast Polk) helped the Eagles from the serving line where she recorded three aces on the day.

NWC is now 17-9 overall on the season, while Martin Luther falls to 4-7 in the UMAC and 11-16 overall.  The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 27 when they host a triangular with Crown College and UW-Eau Claire in the Ericksen Center.  Northwestern will play Crown at 3 p.m. before hosting Eau Claire in a 6 p.m. nonconference matchup.