(Peru, Neb.) – The Bobcat volleyball team split a pair of matches Friday night in Dubuque, Iowa.
 
In the opening match, which was a Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) game, the 'Cats lost to the host Clarke Crusaders 25-18, 25-17, 25-21. Then, in the second match of the night, Peru State topped Dakota State (DSU) (S.D.) in a non-conference game 15-25, 22-25, 25-9, 25-23, 15-12.
 
With the split the Bobcats are now 4-10 on the year and are 0-2 in the Heart.
   
Set One Action
 
Clarke jumped out to a 4-0 start before a service error gave Peru State its first point. The closest the Bobcats would be in the set was at 14-10 after a kill by Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) put down a kill from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Las Cruces, N.M.). The 'Cats were later within five at 19-14 after a Kira Shapiro (Omaha) kill from Hannah Burianek (Lincoln). The Crusaders would cruise on to the 25-18 win.

 
Set Two Action
 
A solo block by Janjevic gave Peru State the first point of the second set. The Bobcats would have a lead later at 5-4 after a kill by Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) from Shapiro. The Crusaders would go on an 11-4 run to lead 15-9 before they had an attack error to stop the run. Clair Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) got a kill to cut the deficit to four. Later, the 'Cats would get within one at 16-15 after a kill by Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carlos, Venezuela) from Quinonez Holguin. But, Clarke would pull away for the 25-17 set win.
 
Set Three Action
 
A kill by Cudney from Jaspe would stop a 3-0 run by Clarke which started the third set. Peru State would eventually tie the game at 7-7 after an attack error by a Crusader. The game would be tied later at 11-11 after an Arianna Waschowski (Bellevue) service ace. A 4-0 run by Clarke gave them a lead they would not relinquish. Peru State would get back to within two at 23-21 after a kill from Mollhoff off an assist from Shapiro forcing a Clarke timeout. Back-to-back Crusader kills gave Clarke the match.

CLARKE BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
Both teams hit well as Clarke finished the match hitting .312 while the Bobcats hit .263. The digs were nearly even as well as the Crusaders finished with 45 – two more than the 'Cats.
 
Clarke did have seven service aces while Peru State only had two. There was limited blocking as Clarke had two and Peru State had one.
 
Individual Statistics
 
No Bobcat finished in double figures in kills. Jaspe led the team with eight kills while Cudney and Janjevic finished with seven. Janjevic hit a remarkable .583.

 
Quinonez Holguin contributed 11 assists while Burianek added eight.
 
Cudney and Janjevic each had one service ace.
 
Cudney also led the team with 14 digs while Birkle, Quinonez Holguin, and Waschowski each added seven.
 
Janjevic finished with the lone solo block.
   
First Set Action
 
Peru State scored the first point of the set with a kill by Janjevic from Shapiro. The early part of the set was close and was tied at 6-6 after a block by Shapiro. After that tie, the Trojans scored two consecutive points and went on to the easy first set win.
 
Second Set Action
 
Kills by Janjevic from Thompson and then one from Hannah Sexton (Beatrice) were followed by a bad set by DSU to give the 'Cats an early 3-0 lead. Peru State would maintain the early lead and did lead 12-9 after a service error by the Trojans. Dakota State would go on a 5-0 run to take the lead that they would not let go of the rest of the set. The Bobcats did pull within two at 23-21 after a Mollhoff kill from Quinonez Holguin, but DSU would go on to win 25-22.

 
Third Set Action
 
It was all Peru State in the third set. Shapiro put down the first point off an assist from Rylee Pieper (Western). A bad set and an attack error by the Trojans was followed by a Sexton kill from Taylor Thompson (Norfolk) to make it 4-0 Bobcats. The 'Cats would stretch their lead to 11-3 on a kill by Jaspe from Sexton. Later, they had a 19-5 lead after a DSU attack error. A kill by Sexton off an assist from Thompson gave Peru State the 25-9 set win.
 
Fourth Set Action
 
As the score would indicate, the fourth set was close throughout with the 'Cats leading most of the way although the Trojans led early. After it was tied at 9-9, an attack error gave Peru State the lead and they held it from there. The Bobcats built their lead to 15-10 and still had a 21-17 lead after a Janjevic kill. DSU would get within one at several times during the rest of the set, including at 24-23, before Jaspe put down the winning kill off an assist from Shapiro.
 
Fifth Set Action
 
A block by Janjevic and an attack error by DSU gave the Bobcats the 2-0 lead. Peru State would stretch its lead to 7-2 and still maintained the five-point lead at 12-7 after a Trojan service error. Dakota State did get back to within one at 13-12 after a Bobcat attack error. The Trojans returned the favor with an error of their own before Waschowski had a service ace to end the match.

DAKOTA STATE BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
The Bobcats hit .302 for the match which was just the second time this season hitting above .300. The Trojans finished hitting .273.
 
DSU had six service aces compared to four for the 'Cats. Peru State finished with 85 digs while the Trojans had 73.
 
The 'Cats had three solo blocks and seven block assists while DSU finished with two blocks and two block assists.

 
Individual Statistics
 
Janjevic and Jaspe finished with 12 and 11 kills respectively. Janjevic had another good hitting match as finished with a .500 hitting percentage. Sexton added eight kills while Shapiro finished with seven. Mollhoff had six kills with Pieper added five.
 
Thompson led the team with 22 assists while Quinonez Holguin had 17.
 
Jaspe had two service aces with Cudney and Waschowski each finishing with one.
 
Peru State had four players in double digits in digs. Jaspe led the team with 23 digs while Cudney added 19. Thompson contributed 13 with Quinonez Holguin adding ten.
 
Janjevic led the team with three solo blocks and one block assist with Shapiro, Jaspe, Mollhoff, and Sexton each being credited with one solo block. Jaspe added the other block assist.
 
Upcoming Matches
 
Peru State is playing Heart opponent Mount Mercy on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Mustangs are off to a 12-3 start on the year and are 3-1 in conference action having picked up a win over Graceland on Friday night.
 
Graceland will be the Bobcats' opponent Tuesday night at home at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets are 9-9 on the season and are 0-2 in the Heart and will face Clarke on Saturday.