(Peru, Neb.) – The night after the Bobcat volleyball team pulled an upset, the Mount Mercy Mustangs swept Peru State in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
The Mustangs won 25-13, 25-21, 27-25 to improve to 12-6 overall and 2-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). The 'Cats fell to 5-16 on the season in 2-4 in Heart action.
 
First Set Action
 
The Mustangs jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the first set. Later, Mount Mercy would extend their lead to 13-6. The Bobcats were never able to real get closer in the first set and eventually lost by 12.

 
Second Set Action
 
Mount Mercy would again jump out to a lead in the second set. The Mustangs would lead 6-2 before the Bobcats would pull back within three at 8-5 after Mallory Matthies (Omaha) put down a kill off an assist from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Anthony, N.M.).
 
The Mustangs would extend the lead to seven at 15-8 before Claire Cudney (Maryville, Kan.) had a kill on an assist from Quinonez Holguin. A kill from Savanna Davis (Anchorage, Alaska) from Quinonez Holguin made it 15-10. Peru State was within three after a Mustang attack error.
 
Once again, Mount Mercy would extend its lead back to six at 20-14 before the 'Cats took a timeout. A service error made it 20-15. The Mustangs would lead 24-19 before a Cudney service ace followed by a Matthies kill pulled the Bobcats within three. However, that would be as close as Peru State would get.
 
Third Set Action
 
The third set was as close throughout as the final score would indicate. The largest lead the Bobcats would have would be at 14-11 after Matthies had a kill. The Mustangs would eventually tie it at 15 each. The set was then tied at 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25.
 
Mount Mercy did have the match point at 24-23 before Sarah Brown (Seward) got a kill off an assist from Pyper Roseberry (Ralston). Once again, the Mustangs would go ahead with a set point at 25-24 before Roseberry got a kill off an assist from Cudney. Back-to-back kills by Mount Mercy gave them the set and match.

MOUNT MERCY GAME BOOK
 
Team Statistics

 
Mount Mercy more than doubled up the Bobcats in hitting percentage as they hit .298 for the match while Peru State finished at .136. The Mustangs had three service aces while the Bobcats managed to get only one.
 
The Mustangs finished with 61 digs compared to 56 for the 'Cats. The Bobcats did out-block Mount Mercy four to two.
 
Peru Individual Statistics
 
Cudney led the team with ten kills and hit .435. Matthies added nine kills.
 
Quinonez Holguin finished with 18 assists while Cassie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) added nine.
 
Cudney was credited with the lone service ace.
 
Quinonez Holguin and Cudney each finished with 12 digs while Alexis Cox (Brighton, Colo.) and Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) each added six.
 
Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) had one solo block and two block assists. Matthies, Cudney, Grace Frederick (Benkelman), and S. Davis each had one block assist.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State will host a non-conference match with Bellevue Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Bruins, former conference opponents, are 14-4 on the season and have won their last three in a row.
 
On Friday night, the Bobcats will be hosting Grand View (Iowa) in a Heart match at 7 p.m. The Vikings are 13-7 overall and are 7-1 in conference play.
 
The 'Cats will be in Lamoni, Iowa, on Saturday where they will play two matches. First, the Bobcats will take on the hosts Graceland at 1 p.m. The Yellowjackets are 5-16 overall and 1-6 in conference play. Peru State will then face Haskell Indians Nations University at 3 p.m. The Fighting Indians are 6-11 on the year.