(Peru, Neb.) – It was almost the improbable, but the Peru State volleyball team's rally fell just three points short Tuesday night in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
 
The Bobcats had dropped the first two sets and then came back to take the third and fourth sets by the identical scores of 25-22. Then, the host William Penn (WPU) Statesmen jumped to an early lead in the fifth and deciding set before prevailing 15-12 over the 'Cats.
 
With the win, WPU improved to 14-5 on the season and is now 3-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). The Bobcats drop to 5-14 on the season and are 1-6 in conference play.
 

First Set Action
 
A kill by Kira Shapiro (Omaha) off an assist from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Las Cruces, N.M.) started the match. A solo block by Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) put the 'Cats up 2-0 before the Statesmen got on the board. The Bobcats actually led throughout most of the first set and had a 20-14 lead after Janjevic served up an ace. That is when WPU started to make their comeback. Peru State was still up 23-19 after a Taylor Thompson (Norfolk) kill coming on an assist from Quinonez Holguin, but the Statesmen would score the final six points to take set one.
 
Second Set Action
 
WPU jumped to a 3-0 lead before they had back-to-back attack errors. The Bobcats would never have a lead in the second set, but did pull back within two at 16-14 on a kill by Janjevic on an assist from Hannah Burianek (Lincoln). A 9-2 run by the Statesmen would give them the 25-18 win.
 
Third Set Action
 
William Penn would lead 3-1 before Mallory Matthies (Omaha) put down a kill from Burianek. A block by Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carlos, Venezuela) and Janjevic tied the score. Then, Thompson had back-to-back service aces and Peru State would never trail the rest of the set. The Bobcats led by six at 16-10 and Janjevic and Burianek hooked up for a kill. The Statesmen would pull back to within two at 23-21 before Jaspe and Burianek combined to make it 24-21. After WPU scored a point, Matthies put down the winning kill on an assist from Burianek.

 
Fourth Set Action
 
Peru State led the entire fourth set, but could not put the Statesmen away after having big early leads. The 'Cats scored the first six points which culminated with a service ace by Burianek. Later, a block by Janjevic made it 13-2, but this would not be the biggest lead for the Bobcats. An attack error by WPU made it 20-8, but the Statesmen would stage a furious rally as they outscored Peru State 13-3 to make it 23-21. A kill by Matthies from Burianek gave the 'Cats set point, but WPU would get a kill. Matthies would again get the winning set point with a kill.
 
Fifth Set Action
 
The Statesmen would lead 5-1 before Janjevic would get a kill from Burianek. Eventually, the Bobcats would tie it at 8-8 after a service ace by Quinonez Holguin. After WPU scored their ninth point, the Statesmen had an attack error and it was again tied at 9-9. Three straight points by William Penn made it 12-9, but Thompson and Quinonez combined for a kill/assist to stop the run. WPU got a kill, but the 'Cats responded with a block by Shapiro and Janjevic to make it 13-11. Another Statesmen kill gave them match point, but Janjevic put down a spike from Burianek to pull back to 14-12. A double block by WPU gave them set- and match-point.

WILLIAM PENN GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
The team statistics were, as expected, to be somewhat close, but there were disparities in some areas. The Statesmen hit .244 while the Bobcats finished at .217, but had more kills.

 
Peru State had 13 service aces in the match compared to six for WPU, but the 'Cats also gave up eight points on service errors. The Bobcats had two more digs finishing with 78.
 
This was one of few matches during the season where the Bobcats were out-blocked as the Statesmen finished with eight total blocks compared to six for the 'Cats.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Jaspe had a match-high 18 kills while Janjevic added 11 and hit .292. Matthies finished in double-digits with ten kills while Shapiro added seven.
 
Burianek finished with a match- and career-high 32 assists with Quinonez-Holguin added 15.
 
Quinonez Holguin was a terror at the service line as she finished with eight aces which is the high mark for the conference this season. Bobcat records do not show individual game marks, but this is believed to be the most in a single match in many years. Thompson and Janjevic each added two aces while Burianek finished with one.
 
Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) finished with a game-high 20 digs while Burianek added 13. Thompson and Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) each finished with 11 while Jaspe added eight. Quinonez Holguin and Hannah Sexton (Beatrice) each had five digs.
 
Janjevic was credited with two solo blocks and three block assists to lead the team. Shapiro was credited with two block assists while Cami Ruiz (Bogota, Columbia), Matthies, and Jaspe each had one block assist.

 
Upcoming Contests
 
The road does not get any easier for Peru State as they will have to put together consistent matches this weekend at home.
 
On Friday, the 'Cats will host Missouri Valley at 7 p.m. The Vikings will come into the AWAC with a 12-9 mark having fallen Tuesday night to Central Methodist. Mo Valley is 5-3 in the Heart.
 
Saturday, the Evangel (Mo.) Crusaders will be the visitors. Evangel has improved to 13-10 on the season and are now 5-3 in conference play having won their last three in a row, including a win Tuesday night over MidAmerica Nazarene.