(Peru, Neb.) – For the seventh time in their first ten games, the Bobcat volleyball team swept their opponents in route to their ninth win of the season. Peru State topped the host Benedictine (Kan.) Ravens in Atchison Wednesday night winning 25-17, 25-13, 25-23.
 
With the win, the 'Cats improved to 9-1 overall and 1-0 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Benedictine fell to 4-4 on the season and 0-2 in conference play.

 
First Set Highlights
 
The first set found the teams tied at 1-1, 5-5, and 11-11 before the Bobcats started to pull away. Peru State led 19-11 after Jhessica Martins (Uberlandia, Brazil) put down a kill on an assist from Brooke Rudebusch (Moorpark, Calif.). The teams basically traded points for the rest of the set before Cristal Quinonez (Anthony, N.M.) ended the set with a kill.
 
Second Set Highlights
 
The second set was similar to the first in that it was close early and then the Bobcats started to pull away. Benedictine was still within four at 13-9, but the 'Cats went on an 8-0 run to move out to a 21-9 advantage. Back-to-back service aces by Savannah Moore (Idaho Falls, Idaho) finished off the second set.
 
Third Set Highlights
 

The third set started in a similar fashion seeing Peru State jump out to nine-point lead at 13-4 and later at 20-11. However, the Ravens rallied to close it to 24-23 before Martins put down the game point off a Rudebusch assist.
 
Statistics
 
Rian Kirby (Gretna) and Martins led the Bobcats with 13 and ten kills respectively. Kirby finished the game hitting .400 while Martins hit .346.
 
Rudebusch was credited with 29 assists on the night.
 
Kirby and Moore each had three service aces while Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) and Shannon Liewer (Imperial) each added two service aces.
 
Kirby finished with a double-double as she had 12 digs to lead the team with Gianna Gangi (Simi Valley, Calif.) contributing 11. Liewer finished with nine while Rudebusch had seven digs.
 
Lea Boras (Makarska, Croatia) had the lone solo block while adding two block assists. Kirby, Janjevic, and Quinonez each had two block assists.

BENEDICTINE GAME BOOK

 
Upcoming Games
 
The Bobcats will face some of its toughest competition of the year this weekend when they participate in the Hastings Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Peru State will face two ranked opponents – one each day.
 
On Friday, the 'Cats will take on Montana Tech at 11 a.m. Currently, 20th-ranked Montana Tech is 11-2. At 1 p.m., Peru State will face another Montana team – Montana Western who is presently 3-4.
 
The 19^th-ranked hosts, Hastings, will be Peru State's first opponent at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Broncos are presently 7-3 having been swept at Concordia Wednesday night. The Bobcats' final opponent on Saturday will be Carroll (Mont.) at 5 p.m. Carroll is 3-6 on the season.