(Peru, Neb.) – The night after pulling off a sweep over Missouri Valley, the Peru State volleyball team was swept by Evangel Saturday in Springfield, Mo.
 
The Crusaders topped the 'Cats 25-9 in each of the first two sets and then completed the sweep with a 25-17 third set win.
 
The win by Evangel kept them one game ahead of Peru State in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) post-season chase with a 7-7 conference mark. The Crusaders improved to 20-9 overall. The Bobcats fell to 10-21 on the year and are 6-8 in the Heart.
 
First Set Action
 
A solo block by Alyssa Childers (Lincoln) gave Peru State the only lead they would have in the first set at 1-0. The Crusaders would score ten straight points and never were pushed by the 'Cats in the first set.
 
Second Set Action
 
Evangel would score the first two points of the second set before Mallory Matthies (Omaha) would get a kill from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Anthony, N.M.). Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.) would follow with a kill off an assist from Cassidy Davis (Colorado Springs) to tie the set at 2-2. Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) came up with a kill from Davis to give Peru State one of its only leads in the set.
 
Later, a kill by Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) off an assist from Davis tied the set at 6-6, but Evangel would score the next point and never trailed after that juncture of the set.
 
Third Set Action
 
A kill by Matthies on an assist from Chavarria gave the 'Cats an early 1-0 lead. Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) would serve up an ace and then Quinonez Holguin got a setter dump for a kill to put the Bobcats up 3-0 at that point.
 
Peru State would still be tied at 7-7 only to see Evangel run off six straight points and the Bobcats would again never really challenge the rest of the match.

EVANGEL GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics

 
Evangel hit .248 in the match and held the Bobcats to a negative hitting percentage at -.089. The Crusaders had more than double the kills as they finished with 41 compared to just 16 for the Bobcats.
 
The Crusaders doubled up the 'Cats on service aces as they finished with four. Evangel finished with 70 digs compared to 48 for Peru State. The Crusaders finished with five total blocks compared to three for the Bobcats.
 
Peru Individual Statistics
 
Cudney led Peru State with five kills while Matthies added four. Quinonez Holguin was the only other Bobcat with more than one kill as she finished with two.
 
Davis and Quinonez Holguin each had six assists.
 
Sarah Brown (Seward) and Birkle each had one service ace.
 
Cudney finished with a match-high 15 digs while Alexis Cox (Brighton, Colo.) added 11. Birkle added six digs.
 
Cudney and Childers were each credited with one solo block. Chavarria and Savanna Davis (Anchorage, Alaska) each had one block assist.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State is off for ten days before travelling to Des Moines to face the 12^th-ranked Grand View Vikings on Oct. 29. The Vikings are 20-9 overall and 12-1 in the Heart. The Vikings will play four more contests before the 'Cats hit town.
 
The Bobcats will then be home for two matches on Nov. 1 and 2. On Nov. 1, Clarke (Iowa) will be the opponent at 7 p.m. The following day, Mount Mercy (Iowa) will be the foe. Both of the teams are currently ahead of Peru State in the Heart North.