(Peru, Neb.) – It took five sets, but the Peru State volleyball team captured their second win of the season by defeating Friends (Kan.) in their opening match of the Five Points Bank Classic hosted by Hastings College.
 
The Bobcats won 25-18, 21-25, 26-24, 24-26, 16-14 to improve to 2-6 on the season while Friends dropped to 6-7.
 
In their evening match, the 'Cats fell to undefeated McPherson (Kan.) in straight sets – 25-17, 25-12, 25-18. The Bulldogs improved to 11-0 on the year while Peru State fell to 2-7.
   
First Set Action
 
The Bobcats scored the first point of the set and after breaking a 1-1 tie, the 'Cats actually never trailed in the rest of the match. Peru State built an early 10-4 lead after Kira Shapiro (Omaha) put down a kill off an assist by Hannah Burianek (Lincoln). The Bobcats increased their lead later to 15-6 on a Falcon attack error. Friends would come back and close it to 18-13 before a ball-handling error was called on the Falcons. A kill by Shapiro from Burianek ended the match.

 
Second Set Action
 
The second set was similar in how it went with Friends leading most of the entire way. The Falcons built early five- and six-point leads only to see the Bobcats close within two at 22-20 after Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Las Cruces, N.M.) get a kill off an assist from Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carlos, Venezuela). On the next serve, there would be a long rally before Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) put down a kill to make it 22-21 Friends. The Falcons would score the next three points for the win.
 
Third Set Action
 
As the score would indicate the third set was very tight throughout. Peru State's largest early lead was at 10-7 after Quinonez Holguin got another kill, this time on an assist from Burianek. Later, the 'Cats had a five-point lead at 18-13 after Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) pounded a kill from Burianek. But, Friends would not give up. The Falcons went on an 11-4 run and had set point at 24-22 before Jaspe and Burianek hooked up for point 23 for the 'Cats. A triple block by Hannah Sexton (Beatrice), Jaspe, and Cami Ruiz (Bogota, Columbia) tied the game at 24-24. An attack error by Friends made it set point for the Bobcats. Jaspe would end the set with a kill off an assist from Quinonez Holguin.
 
Fourth Set Action

 
Another tight set occurred in the fourth with Friends leading most of the way only to see the Bobcats fight back and have a chance to end the match. The Falcons led 23-19 before Peru State clawed its way back into the set. A kill by Shapiro off an assist from Burianek made it 23-20. Quinonez Holguin then served an ace to cut the deficit to 23-21. A Falcon attack error made it 23-22 and then a second-straight attack error tied the game at 23-23. A kill by Cudney from Quinonez Holguin gave the Bobcats a chance to win the match. However, the Falcons scored the next three points to force a fifth set.
 
Fifth Set Action
 
The Bobcats jumped out to a 6-1 lead and then held on for the 16-14 set and match win. Peru State would actually extend its lead to 10-3 after a kill by Shapiro from Burianek. Later, the 'Cats still would lead, but it was cut to 13-10 after a Peru State service error. After the Falcons scored two more points, Janjevic secured a kill from Quinonez Holguin to give the 'Cats match point. But, Friends, was not done as they scored two points to tie it up at 14-14. Janjevic scored on a kill off an assist from Quinonez Holguin to make it 15-14. After a long rally, a Falcon attack error gave the 'Cats the 16-14 deciding set win.

FRIENDS BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
There were 36 ties in the match with 11 different lead changes. Peru State had its best-hitting match of the season as they finished hitting .312 while Friends finished at .255.
 
Both teams had eight service aces, but the 'Cats gave Friends seven points on service errors. Peru State had one more dig than the Falcons with 63.

 
Individual Statistics
 
Four Bobcats finished in double-digit and career-high totals in kills. Jaspe finished with 22 kills while hitting .372. As a junior Jaspe had 19 kills in one match. Cudney added high 15 kills and hit .379. In addition, Janjevic had a career-high 14 kills and hit a solid .440 while Shapiro added 13 kills and hit .444.
 
Quinonez Holguin and Burianek both had career-high assist total as they finished with 33 and 31 assists respectively.
 
Quinonez Holguin and Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) each had two service aces to lead the team. Ruiz, Cudney, Burianek, and Jaspe each had one service ace.
 
Cudney and Birkle each had 15 digs to lead the team with Quinonez Holguin adding 11. Alexis Cox (Brighton, Colo.) added seven digs while Burianek finished with six.
 
Janjevic was credited with two solo blocks and one block assists. Ruiz, Shapiro, and Sexton each had two block assists.
   
First Set Action
 
The Bulldogs jumped to a 2-0 lead before Shapiro put the Bobcats on the board with a kill off an assist from Janjevic. McPherson would lead the rest of the way with Peru State getting as close as two at 15-13 after a double block by Mallory Matthies (Omaha) and Janjevic.

 
Second Set Action
 
McPherson would jump to a 4-0 run in the second set before Janjevic scored with a kill off an assist from Quinonez Holguin. The closest the 'Cats would be the rest of the set was at 8-6 after Janjevic had a service ace.
 
Third Set Action
 
A kill by Shapiro from Burianek and then a Bulldog attach error gave the Bobcats a 2-0 lead in the third set. But McPherson would go on a 5-0 run and then never trailed the rest of the match. Peru State was within four at 15-11 after Janjevic and Quinonez Holguin hooked up, but the Bulldogs would pull away after that for the win.

MCPHERSON BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
After hitting at a season-high mark, the Bobcats hit .000 in the loss to McPherson while the Bulldogs hit .188.
 
McPherson served the Bobcats off the floor with nine aces while the 'Cats only had two.
 
Peru State did finish with more digs in the match – 49 compared to 41.

 
Individual Statistics
 
No Bobcat finished with double-digit kills – quite the contrast from the first match of the day. Janjevic had seven kills while Shapiro and Jaspe each added six.
 
Quinonez Holguin and Burianek finished with 14 and 12 assists respectively.
 
Janjevic was credited with both of the Bobcat service aces.
 
Birkle led the team with 14 digs while Cudney added ten.
 
Janjevic had three block assists while Jaspe added two.
 
Saturday Matches
 
Peru State is playing two more matches in the tournament on Saturday. At 10 a.m., the Bobcats were taking on Kansas Wesleyan. The Coyotes were 9-3 heading into the match having won six in a row, including both of their matches on Friday in Hastings.
 
Then, at 4 p.m., the 'Cats are to face the NAIA's third-ranked team, the Columbia (Mo.) Cougars. Columbia is presently 7-1 and also won their first two matches in Hastings.
 
First Home Match
 
Peru State's first home match will be Tuesday, Sept. 11, when the Bobcats host the NAIA's second-ranked team and Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) foe Grand View (Iowa) at 7 p.m. The Vikings are off to a 9-0 start.