(Peru, Neb.) – For just the second time this season, the Bobcat volleyball team has won two matches in a row.
 
On Saturday in the confines of the Al Wheeler Activity Center, Peru State was able to take down the visiting Evangel (Mo.) Crusaders in five sets.
 
After easily winning the first set 25-16, the 'Cats dropped the next two 25-18 and 25-13. Peru State would then come back and take the fourth set 25-14 which set up the fifth and deciding set. It was back and forth before the Bobcats prevailed 16-14.

 
With the two wins in a row, the 'Cats improved to 7-14 on the year and are now 3-6 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). Evangel fell to 13-12 overall and are 5-5 in conference play.
 
First Set Action
 
Evangel scored the first point before Hannah Burianek (Lincoln), the birthday girl, fed Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) the ball for the kill. The Crusaders responded with a kill, but Burianek then found Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carlos, Venezuela) for the kill to tie the game at 2-2. A block by Hannah Sexton (Beatrice) gave the Bobcats the next point and they never trailed in the rest of the set.
 
Peru State led by as many as ten at 22-12 after an Evangel attack error. Later, Cami Ruiz (Bogota, Columbia) got a kill from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Las Cruces, N.M.) for the 25^th point.
 
Second Set Action
 
The Crusaders jumped to a 3-0 lead before an attack error put the 'Cats on the board. Peru State's only lead came at 6-5 after Janjevic served up an ace.
 
Evangel would build their lead to ten at 18-8, before Ruiz and Quinonez Holguin stopped the run. Later, Peru State would pull within five at 23-18 after Jaspe put down a kill from Burianek, but it was not enough as the Crusaders would score the next two points for the second set win.
 
Third Set Action
 
The Bobcats never led in the second set and was tied just twice with the last tie coming at 7-7 after Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) had a service ace. Evangel would outscore the 'Cats 18-6 from that point on to run away with the third set.
 
Fourth Set Action
 
Back-to-back attacking errors by the Crusaders put Peru State up to start the fourth set. But Evangel would respond and eventually led 7-5. Jaspe would pull the 'Cats back to 7-6 on a kill from Burianek. Then, another attack miscue by Evangel knotted the game at 7-7. Jaspe would break the tie with another kill, this time on an assist from Quinonez Holguin.
 
Peru State would not trail from that point on. They extended their lead to 18-10 on an Evangel error. Later, Janjevic would score the 25^th point with a solo block.

 
Fifth Set Action
 
In the fifth and deciding set, there were 18 ties and three lead changes. The largest lead of the set came at the very end when the Bobcats won.
 
After a ball-handling miscue by the Bobcats started the set, Janjevic put down a kill to tie it on an assist from Quinonez Holguin. Evangel would later lead at 3-2, but Jaspe put down a kill from Ruiz to tie it. For the most part, Peru State would hold a one-point lead throughout only to see the Crusaders keep knotting things up.
 
After leading 12-11, Peru State would see Evangel score the next two points to take the lead. A kill by Taylor Thompson (Norfolk) off an assist from Quinonez Holguin would tie it back up. The Crusaders would score next to lead 14-13. Peru State was aided by another attacking error by Evangel to tie the score at 14-14.
 
Ruiz would get the next kill off an assist from Burianek to make it 15-14. Janjevic would holler for the ball on the next opportunity and Burianek delivered with Janjevic nailing it for the final point of the set and match.
 
Team Statistics
 
Peru State outhit the visitors .219 to .155, but Evangel finished with 55 kills compared to 52 for the 'Cats. However, the Crusaders had 28 attacking errors.
 
Both teams had double-digit service aces as the Bobcats finished with 11, one more than Evangel.
 
The 'Cats finished with 81 digs which was four more than the Crusaders. Peru State also led Evangel in blocking as they finished with seven total blocks while the Crusaders finished with six.
 
Individual Statistics
 
Jaspe had a match-high 18 kills with Janjevic finishing with 14 while hitting a remarkable .619. Ruiz had her best night at the net finishing with nine kills and hitting .400. Thompson added five kills.
 
Burianek led the team with 27 assists while Quinonez Holguin added 16.
 
Janjevic and Cudney each served up four aces while Jaspe added two. Burianek had one service ace.

 
Cudney had a game-high 19 digs with Jaspe finishing with 13. Burianek and Quinonez Holguin were each credited with ten digs. Thompson and Arianna Waschowski (Bellevue) each added eight digs. Shapiro finished with six digs.
 
Janjevic continued her prowess at the net blocking-wise as she finished with three solo and two block assists. Jaspe and Sexton each added one solo block with Sexton adding one block assist. Thompson also had one block assist.
 
Upcoming Matches
 
Peru State will be heading to Canton, Mo., Tuesday night to take on Culver-Stockton at 7 p.m. The Wildcats are 7-10 overall and are 1-6 in the Heart.
 
The Bobcats will then be off for a week as the College celebrates Homecoming. The following Tuesday, the 'Cats will be in Lamoni, Iowa, to take on Graceland at 7 p.m. The Yellowjackets, like Peru State, won both of its matches this past weekend to improve to 11-15 overall and are now 2-7 in conference action.
 
On Oct. 12 and 13, Peru State will be back home to host Mount Mercy (Iowa) and Clarke (Iowa). The match with Mount Mercy on Friday will begin at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the contest with Clarke will begin at 11 a.m. as the Bobcat football team will be playing at 2:30 p.m.