(Peru, Neb.) – The Peru State volleyball season was brought to a close at the hands of the MidAmerica Nazarene (MNU) Pioneers in Olathe, Kan., Saturday night.
 
The Pioneers swept the Bobcats 25-19, 25-17, 25-19 to move on to face Grand View (Iowa) in the semifinals of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) Post-Season Championship.
 
Peru State's season ended with a 13-19 mark. MNU improved to 24-9 on the year.
 
First Set Action
 
The Bobcats came out strong as they started the set with a kill from Raechel Knowles (Nassau, Bahamas) off an assist from Brooke Rudebusch (Moorpark, Calif.). Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) followed with a kill on an assist from Meg Grose (Peoria, Ariz.). Hannah Sexton (Beatrice) got a block on the Pioneers and the Bobcats led 3-0. Janjevic would then set Knowles for a kill and Peru State 4-0.

 
Peru State was able to maintain the lead at 8-6 until the Pioneers went on a 4-0 run to take the lead for the first time at 10-8. MNU would never trail after that point in the set.
 
The Pioneers would lead by as many as six at 19-13 late before Peru State would get a kill from Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) from Grose. Then Cudney and Alex Bowman (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) would get a block to pull within four at 19-15.
 
Later, the 'Cats would pull within three at 22-19 on a kill from Rudebusch who was set by Knowles. But, the Pioneers would score three straight to take the first set.
 
Second Set Action
 
MNU scored the first two points of the second set before Sexton put down a kill on an assist from Grose. Sexton would then get another kill, this time on an assist from Janjevic.
 
The teams would trade points and were tied at 6-6 before MNU scored three points to move to a 9-6 and the Pioneers never trailed after that point.
 
Late in the set, Peru State was back within three at 19-16 after Kira Shapiro (Omaha) put down a spike from Rudebusch. But, MNU would outscore the Bobcats 6-1 after that point to take the second set.
 
Third Set Action
 
Janjevic and Rudebusch hooked up for a kill to start the third set and then Knowles and Janjevic blocked a Pioneer attack to put the 'Cats up 2-0 to start the third set. MNU would score three straight points to take a 3-2 lead before a service error knotted the set at 3-3.
 
A 4-0 Pioneer run would give MNU the lead for good as Peru State had to try to fight back the rest of the set.
 
A kill by Bowman off an assist from Grose pulled Peru State within four at 16-12, but that would be as close as the Bobcats would be the rest of the match.

 

MNU GAME BOOK

Statistics
 
The Pioneers hit .265 in the match while holding the Bobcats to a .135 hitting percentage.
 
No Bobcat finished in double figures in kills. Shapiro, Janjevic, and Bowman each had six kills with Janjevic hitting .357.
 
Grose led the team with 13 assists while Rudebusch added eight.
 
The Bobcats did not have any service aces, but committed eight errors. Peru State was aced six times by the Pioneers.
 
Cristina Viera (Montevideo, Uruguay) had a match-high 17 digs with Alaya Roberts (Cibolo, Texas) adding seven. Rudebusch finished with five digs.
 
Janjevic, Bowman, Sexton, and Alynah Adams (Kansas City, Mo.) each had one solo block. Janjevic added three bock assists while Bowman added two.
 
Final Game for Six Seniors
 
It was the final match for six Bobcat seniors. Those playing for the last time in a Peru State uniform were Rudebusch, Knowles, Bowman, Roberts, Grose, and Viera.