(Peru, Neb.) – The Big Sky state proved to be too much for the Peru State volleyball team Saturday as the Bobcats were swept by Montana Tech and the University of Providence in the GoSarpy.Com Tournament hosted by Bellevue University.
 
Montana Tech took the first match of the day 25-16, 25-11, 26-24 to improve to 6-4 on the season. In the second match, the University of Providence won 25-17, 25-19, 25-18 to improve to 7-1.
 

With the two losses, Peru State fell to 1-5 on the season.
   
First Set Action
 
Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) gave the Bobcats the first point of the game off an assist from Alexis Cox (Brighton, Colo.). After the Diggers scored three consecutive points, Cudney put down another kill, this time from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Las Cruces, N.M.). A Montana Tech attack tied the game, but the Diggers would then come back to run off five straight points and would never trail the rest of the set.
 
Second Set Action
 
After starting the second set with a service error, the Bobcats were able to come back and knot the score at 1-1 when Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carlos, Venezuela) put down a kill from Taylor Thompson (Norfolk). The Diggers would score the next seven points and once again, never trailed the rest of the second set as they went on for the easy set win.
 
Third Set Action
 
After two points by Montana Tech started the set, Cami Ruiz (Bogota, Columbia) got a kill off the assist from Quinonez Holguin. After the Diggers added a point to lead 3-1, the Bobcats would go on a six-point run which started with a service error by Tech. Jaspe had back-to-back service aces to put the 'Cats on top 4-3 and then the Diggers had an attack error. Ruiz put down the sixth point for Peru State off an assist from Kira Shapiro (Omaha) which was followed by an attack error by the Diggers. At that point, the Bobcats led 7-3.
 
Peru State maintained the lead until Montana Tech tied it at 10-10 and then went ahead. The set was tied at 12, 13, and 14, before Shapiro got a kill from Hannah Burianek (Lincoln). Jaspe had another service ace and then a Digger error put the 'Cats up 17-14. The Diggers would then go on a 9-4 run to lead 23-21. Montana Tech came back and tied it at 23 each before Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) and Jaspe put the 'Cats up with a double block. Tech would go on to score the final two points for the set and match win.

MONTANA TECH BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
Montana Tech hit an outstanding .359 as a team while Peru State was at .218. The Diggers did serve up nine service aces compared to just four for the Bobcats and out-dug the 'Cats 50 to 39.
 
Peru State Individual Statistics
 
Jaspe was the only Bobcat finishing with double-digits in kills as she had 14 while hitting an outstanding .448. Shapiro added six kills while Cudney finished with five.
 
Quinonez Holguin led the team with 16 assists while Thompson added six.
 
Jaspe served up three aces with Thompson adding one.
 
Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) had a team-high 13 digs with Cudney finishing with eight.
 
Peru State did not have any solo blocks. Janjevic was credited with two block assists while Ruiz, Matthies, Shapiro, and Jaspe each being credit with one block assist.
   
First Set Action
 
The Bobcats scored the first point of the match as Ruiz scored a kill off an assist from Quinonez Holguin. With an error by the Argos, the 'Cats were out to a 2-0 lead. Providence would tie it up, but the Bobcats would then go on a 4-0 run that started with a Shapiro kill from Quinonez Holguin. The Argos woke up and then ran off eight straight points and never trailed the rest of the set.
 
Second Set Action
 

After Providence scored the first point, Ruiz and Quinonez Holguin got the 'Cats started. Burianek followed with a service ace to put Peru State up 2-1. Later, the Bobcats were still within one at 12-11 before the Argos scored four before having a service error and led 16-12 at that point. Providence slowly pulled away for the 25-19 set win.
 
Third Set Action
 
Peru State played the Argos closed throughout the early part of the third set and were tied at 10-10 after a Ruiz kill. Three straight Providence points put the Argos ahead for good with the 'Cats being within one at 14-13 after Cudney put down a kill from Janjevic. An 11 to 5 run by Providence finished off the match.

PROVIDENCE BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
Providence finished the match hitting .275 while the Bobcats finished at .170. The 'Cats only had two service aces compared to seven for the Argos. Peru State was also out-dug as they had 35 while Providence finished with 46.
 
Peru State Individual Statistics
 
Ruiz had a season-high seven kills to lead Peru State while hitting .500. Janjevic finished with six kills and also hit .500. Matthies added five kills.
 
Quinonez Holguin finished the game with 18 assists.
 
Burianek was the only Bobcat with any service aces as she finished with two.
 
Birkle led the team with 13 digs while Jaspe added eight and Cudney finished with five.
 
Shapiro had two solo block and one block assists. Jaspe added three block assists.

 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State will play Wednesday night in Bellevue against the Bruins at 7 p.m. Bellevue is presently 5-3 on the year.
 
On Friday and Saturday, the Bobcats will be playing in the Five Points Bank Classic Tournament hosted by Hastings College.
 
On Friday, Peru State will face Friends (Kan.) at 3 p.m. and then take on McPherson (Kan.) at 7 p.m. The Cardinals are presently 5-4 while the Bulldogs have started with the season with a 7-0 mark.
 
Then, on Saturday, the Bobcats will face Kansas Wesleyan at 10 a.m. and will finish the tournament against Columbia (Mo.) at 4 p.m. The Coyotes are 5-3 at this point in the season while the Cougars are 5-1.