(Peru, Neb.) – Although the first set was not pretty, the Bobcat women's volleyball team snapped a seven-game losing streak with a win over the visiting Culver-Stockton Wildcats.
 
This was a key Heart of America Athletic Conference match-up as Peru State defeated the other 'Cats 18-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-17. The Bobcats improved to 10-8 overall and 2-1 in the Heart while the Wildcats fell to 4-10 and 1-2 in the conference.
 
First Set Highlights
 
The Wildcats jumped to a 9-1 advantage before the Bobcats closed it to 9-4. Culver-Stockton maintained the lead throughout with Peru State closing to within three at 19-16 on a kill by Alex Bowman (Thousand Oaks, Calif.). However, the Wildcats finished on a 6-2 run to take the first set.

 
Second Set Highlights
 
The second set was almost the reverse of the first set as the Bobcats jumped to a 4-0 lead on four consecutive attack errors by Culver-Stockton. Peru State led by as many as ten at 17-7 after a kill by Bowman on a Brooke Rudebusch (Moorpark, Calif.) assist. The Wildcats did make the set interesting as they did get within one at the end at 24-23 before Jhessica Martins (Uberlandia, Brazil) put down a kill on an assist from Meg Grose (Peoria, Ariz.).
 
Third Set Highlights
 

The only lead that Culver-Stockton had in the third set was the first point and then after a tie at 3-3, a Wildcat attack error gave the Bobcats the lead for good in the set. Peru State led by as many as seven at 19-12 after a block by Bowman and Rian Kirby (Gretna). A service error by the Wildcats gave Peru State the win.
 
Fourth Set Highlights
 
The first part of the fourth set started close as Peru State only led 4-3 before going on a 5-0 run to lead 9-3. The Bobcats maintained a four-or-five point advantage the rest of the way before back-to-back service aces by Gianna Gangi (Simi Valley, Calif.) gave the Bobcats the set and game.
 
Statistics
 
Martins had a game-high 11 kills while hitting .286 to lead Peru State. Kirby and Cristal Quinonez (Anthony, N.M.) each added nine kills.
 
Rudebusch and Grose lead the Bobcats with 21 and 15 assists respectively.

 
Gangi led the team with two service aces while Rudebusch, Shannon Liewer (Imperial), Grose, and Nohely Perez (Caracas, Venezuela) each added one service ace.
 
Liewer led the team with 19 digs while Martins finished with a double-double as she had ten digs. Gangi and Perez were each one shy of double-digit digs as they each had nine.
 
The Bobcats had a good night blocking as Martins finished with four solo blocks and two block assists. Bowman had three solos and two blocks assists while Janjevic added two solo blocks.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State has a couple of games this Friday night as they travel to Marshall, Mo., to participate in the Missouri Valley Tri-Match. The 'Cats will face Heart for Missouri Valley at 6 p.m. and then will take on York College at 8 p.m. Presently, Mo Valley is 16-4 overall and 2-0 in the Heart. York is currently 7-14 on the season.
 
Next Monday, Sept. 28, the Bobcats will host another conference opponent, Avila University, at 7 p.m. in the AWAC. The Eagles are currently 7-8 and have lost all four conference games.