(Peru, Neb.) – A third set comeback by the Bobcat volleyball team was thwarted Friday night as the University of St. Mary (USM) Spires snuffed out the hopes of Peru State fans.
 
The 'Cats led 23-19 in the third set and looked to force a fourth set. However, the Spires had other plans and scored six straight points for the set win and sweep of the match.
 
USM improved to 12-7 with the non-conference win while the Bobcats fell to 4-14.
 
First Set Action
 
After the Spires scored the first point, Mallory Matthies (Omaha) put down a kill on an assist from Cassidy Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to tie the score. An attack error by USM put the 'Cats up 2-1. The early part of the first set was tied at 2, 3, and 4 before the Bobcats would eventually lead by two at 8-6 after another attack error by USM.

 
The set was still tight for the next part as well with the score being knotted at 15-15 before the Spires would go on a 3-0 run. The Bobcats could only get as close as two at 20-18 before dropping the first set 25-19.
 
Second Set Action
 
The Bobcats had an early 3-1 lead with the third point coming on a Grace Frederick (Benkelman) kill on an assist from Matthies. The last Bobcat lead would come at 5-4 after Alyssa Childers (Lincoln) on an assist from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Anthony, N.M.).
 
The Spires would extend their early lead to 12-7 before Quinonez Holguin had a setter dump for a kill. However, that was not enough of a spark as USM would extend their lead to 12 at 21-9. Again, it was a Quinonez Holguin had a kill to stop that run.
 
USM would eventually win 25-13.
 
Third Set Action
 
A kill by Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) started the third set coming off an assist from Davis. The Spires would go out to a 5-2 lead before Childers got a kill on an assist from Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.) to make it 5-3. An attack error by the Spires would be followed by a kill from Dawson Sharman (Sidney) on an assist Quinonez Holguin to tie the score. A service ace by Arianna Waschowski (Bellevue) gave the Bobcats their first lead of the set.
 
The middle part of the set was back and forth with each team leading at different points. After being tied at 13, another kill by Quinonez Holguin broke the tie and Peru State led most of the rest of the set. Peru State had its largest lead initially at 21-17 after a service ace by Quinonez Holguin. The Spires would score the next two points only to have back-to-back errors to give the 'Cats what looked like an insurmountable lead at 23-19.

 
The Spires took a time out which was what they obviously needed as they ended up winning the set and match by scoring the last six points.

UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARY SPIRES GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics
 
Peru State was held to a negative hitting percentage as they had 26 kills and 30 errors to hit a negative .032. The Spires finished the night hitting .180. The Bobcats had four service aces while USM had two. The digs were nearly even as the Bobcats had 66 compared to 64 for USM.
 
Peru Individual Statistics
 
Cudney had just six kills, but still led the team. Quinonez Holguin and Childers each finished with four. Savanna Davis (Anchorage, Alaska) played in the final set and added three kills while hitting .500.
 
C. Davis finished with nine assists while Quinonez Holguin added eight.
 
C. Davis also led the team with two service aces while Waschowski and Quinonez Holguin each finished with one.
 

Cudney led the team with 15 digs while Waschowski added 12. Sharman contributed 12 with Quinonez Holguin added nine.
 
Childers led the Bobcats with three block assists while Matthies, Pyper Roseberry (Ralston), Frederick, Chavarria, and S. Davis each had one block assist.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
The Bobcats are hosting Concordia on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs come into the match with a 12-2 mark having dropped their last two contests.
 
Peru State will be back in Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) action next week with three road contests. The Bobcats will be in Canton, Mo., on Saturday to take on Culver-Stockton at 7 p.m. The Wildcats are 7-8 on the year and are 2-3 in the Heart.