(Peru, Neb.) – While having opportunities to win in both the first and third sets, but failed to do so, the Peru State volleyball team dropped its first Heart of America Athletic Conference match this season. The home-standing Clarke Pride topped the Bobcats 27-25, 25-17, 31-29 in Dubuque, Iowa, Tuesday night.
 
With the win, Clarke improved to 14-3 overall and 5-1 in the Heart. Peru State fell to 6-8 on the season and 4-1 in conference action.
 
First Set Action
 
The Bobcats did jump out to a lead in the first set. After being tied at 1-1, a kill by Raechel Knowles (Nassau, Bahamas) off an assist from Brooke Rudebusch (Moorpark, Calif.) started a 6-0 run for Peru State. A block by Hannah Sexton (Beatrice) and Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) was the sixth point in the run making it 7-1 at that point. The Pride pulled within one at 12-11 before Kira Shapiro (Omaha) put down back-to-back spikes from Rudebusch to give the 'Cats a three-point cushion at 14-11. After a Pride timeout, Peru State added two more points on Clarke errors.
 
The Bobcats maintained their lead until Clarke came back to tie it at 23-23 late in the first set. After the Pride went ahead 24-23, a Shapiro/Rudebusch combo knotted it at 24-24. A Pride attack error gave the 'Cats set point, but they could not capitalize on it. Two attack errors on Peru State gave Clarke the 27-25 win.
 
Second Set Action
 
After Shapiro put down a kill from Rudebusch to start the second set, Clarke scored three straight points and never trailed the rest of the way in the second set.
 
Peru State was within two on several occasions – 13-11, 15-13, and 16-14, but never could get any closer as the Pride pulled away for the 25-17 second set win.
 
Third Set Action
 
As the final set score would indicate, the third set was close throughout. Peru State led by four twice early and later did lead by three on several occasions, but could never extend on that lead. The Pride led only once by three which came later in the set.
 
Peru State's first three-point lead came at 9-6 after a ball handling error was called on Clarke forcing a timeout. A Pride attack error gave the 'Cats their first four-point lead at 10-6. The Pride would eventually tie it at 12-12, but Clarke had back-to-back errors and Peru State would go up 14-12.
 
The 'Cats would lead by three at 18-15 after Sexton put down a kill from Meg Grose (Peoria, Ariz.). The Pride would storm back to tie it at 18-18 which caused a Bobcat timeout.
 
Clarke would continue on their run and moved out to a 21-18 advantage. A Clarke service error was followed by a service ace from Taylor Hogan (Pueblo, Colo.) to make it 21-20. Another Pride attack error tied the game at 21-21.
 
Later, the Bobcats would game set point after Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) put down a kill from Grose making it 24-23. The Pride would score two of their own to have match point, but had an attack error to give the Bobcats another chance. After being tied at 26, 27, and 28, Peru State gained set point after Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) and Cudney combined for a block to give the Bobcats a 29-28 advantage. However, three straight kills from the Pride gave them the 31-29 set and match win.

CLARKE BOX SCORE
 
Statistics
 
Again, the Bobcats were well below their hitting goal of .200 as they hit a little better than half of that at .105.
 
Shapiro finished as the only Bobcat in double-digit kills as she had 12. Sexton and Cudney each finished with five kills.
 
Rudebusch and Grose finished with 17 and 13 assists respectively.
 
Alaya Roberts (Cibolo, Texas) and Hogan each had two service aces while Cristina Viera (Montevideo, Uruguay) added one.
 
Viera, the reigning Heart Defender of the Week, finished with a match-high 24 digs. Hogan, Rudebusch, and Roberts each added ten digs.
 
Janjevic had one solo block and three block assists to lead the team. Mollhoff and Shapiro each had three block assists while Sexton was credited with two.
 
Upcoming Matches
 
Peru State will host Evangel (Mo.) on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. prior to the Bobcat football game. The Crusaders are currently 6-12 overall and are 1-4 in the Heart.
 
The Bobcats will then host Grand View (Iowa) next Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Vikings are 11-6 overall and are still perfect in Heart action at 5-0.