(Peru, Neb.) – It was a battle of a pair of teams looking for their first Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) win of the season. The home team, in this case, the Peru State Bobcats, prevailed in four sets with a win over the visiting Graceland Yellowjackets.
 
Peru State won 25-19, 25-20, 18-25, 29-27.
 
The 'Cats improved to 5-11 overall and 1-3 in the Heart. Graceland fell to 9-12 on the season and are still looking for their first conference win against four losses.
 
First Set Action
 
Graceland scored the first two points before Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) put down a kill from Hannah Burianek (Lincoln). Three consecutive Yellowjacket errors, followed by a Janjevic block, made it 5-2 Peru State. The 'Cats would never trail the rest of the way in the first set, although Graceland would tie it late at 18-18. A block by Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) gave the Bobcats their 19^th point. Mollhoff would also get the final point of the set with a kill off an assist from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Las Cruces, N.M.).

 
Second Set Action
 
Janjevic and Burianek would hook up for the first point of the second set. The 'Jackets would score the next three points before Taylor Thompson (Norfolk) made it 3-2 with a kill off an assist from Burianek. A block by Janjevic and Kira Shapiro (Omaha) would tie it at 3-3 before back-to-back errors by Graceland put the 'Cats in the lead 5-3. After the 'Jackets had pulled within one at 8-7, Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carlos, Venezuela) pounded a kill from Quinonez Holguin.
 
Peru State would extend its lead to five at 12-7 and later 14-9 before Graceland would eventually come back and tie it at 20-20. Quinonez Holguin was able to get a dump to fall to make it 21-20. The 'Cats would score the next four points for the win with a block by Mollhoff and Hannah Sexton (Beatrice) ending the second set.
 
Third Set Action
 
The Yellowjackets scored the first point of the third set only to see Janjevic and Burianek team up for a kill/assist to tie it. A Graceland attack error would give the Bobcats their only lead of the third set as the 'Jackets would go on a 5-0 run to lead 7-2. The Yellowjackets would lead by as many as seven at 19-12 before the 'Cats mounted a little rally, but Graceland would finish off the set with a 25-20 win.
 
Fourth Set Action
 
As the final set score would indicate, it was close throughout. There were 22 ties in the set, but only four lead changes. The largest lead by either team was three by the Bobcats.
 
Shapiro started the set with a kill off an assist from Quinonez Holguin. There was never more than a one-point difference until Graceland took an 11-9 lead – their largest lead of the set. Mollhoff got a kill from Burianek and then an attack error by the 'Jackets tied the score at 11-11.
 
Peru State's largest lead came at 22-19 and then again at 24-22 giving the 'Cats three match-point opportunities. But, the Bobcats could not capitalize as the Yellowjackets came back to tie it at 24-24. The 'Cats would have another match point opp after Shapiro got a kill from Quinonez Holguin to make it 25-24, but once again the Yellowjackets would tie it.
 
The set would be tied at 25-25, 26-26, and 27-27 before a Graceland service error made it 28-27. Match point came on a kill by Shapiro off an assist from Quinonez Holguin.
GRACELAND GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The Bobcats doubled up the 'Jackets in hitting percentage as Peru State hit .228 while Graceland hit .112.

Graceland did have one more service ace than Peru State as they finished with six, but also had seven service errors.
 
The 'Jackets also had more digs as they finished with 80 compared to 76 for the Bobcats.
 
Peru State did have a big advantage in blocking as they finished with 13 total blocks compared to three for Graceland.

 
Individual Statistics
 
Jaspe finished the match with 15 kills to lead the Bobcats while hitting .324. Janjevic added nine kills and hit .500. Thompson and Shapiro each added seven kills with Sexton finishing with five.
 
Burianek led all setters with 26 assists while Quinonez Holguin contributed 15.
 
Janjevic tied for game-high honors with three service aces. Jaspe and Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) each had one service ace.
 
Cudney claimed game-high honors with a career-high 29 digs. Thompson added 19 with Jaspe finishing with 11. Quinonez Holguin contributed six and Burianek five.
 
Mollhoff had her best night in her career in blocking as she had three solo and three block assists. Janjevic added two solo blocks and three block assists. Thompson and Shapiro each finished with one solo block.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State will continue to face Heart competition this weekend. On Friday, they will travel to Atchison, Kan., to take on Benedictine at 7 p.m. The Ravens are now 7-8 on the year and 2-3 in the conference having dropped three contests in a row.
 
On Saturday, the 'Cats will face another set of 'Cats when they take on Baker in Baldwin City, Kan., at 2 p.m. The Wildcats have dropped to 6-12 on the season and are 1-4 in the Heart as they also have lost three conference matches in a row.