(Peru, Neb.) – It was expected to be a tight match and it definitely was Friday night in Peru. Unfortunately for the Peru State volleyball team, the visiting Graceland Yellowjackets handed the Bobcats a loss on their home court.
The Yellowjackets stung the 'Cats 22-25, 25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 15-9 to improve to 2-4 overall on the season and 1-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) North Division.
Peru State fell to 1-6 on the year and 0-4 in Heart North action.
First Set Action
The Bobcats got on the board first as the 'Jackets had back-to-back attack errors.
Cassie Davis (Colorado Springs) then served an ace to make it 3-0 which was followed by another Graceland error. The Yellowjackets did get on the board with a Peru State error to make it 4-1.
Haley VanLeuven reaches for a tip which went for a kill.
VanLeuven led the Bobcats with 11 kills.
The Yellowjackets would score three more to tie it up before a Graceland error put the 'Cats back in the lead for actually what be for good in the first set. Peru State would have a lead of nine at 24-15 after
Pyper Roseberry (La Vista) put down a kill from
Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.).
Graceland would put a scare in the 'Cats as they did score seven straight points before
Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) ended the set with a kill on an assist from Rios.
Second Set Action
A kill by Roseberry from Rios gave the Bobcats the lead to start the second set. The set was very tight throughout as there were 16 ties. Graceland eventually go out to an 18-13 advantage before the 'Cats would come back to get within two at 20-18 on a kill by Roseberry. That would be the closest Peru State would get in the rest of the set.
Third Set Action
Graceland would take a 2-0 lead before
Haley VanLeuven (Elgin, Ore.) put down a kill off an assist from
Jaime Copenharve (Omaha) to cut the lead to 2-1. Later, the 'Cats would tie it at 4-4 as
Jaddy Duarte (Brasilia, Brazil) got a kill on an assist from Davis.
Rios would follow with a service ace and then Graceland had a setting error and the Bobcats would lead 6-4. However, the 'Jackets would go on a 5-1 run and then never trailed the rest of the set.
The closest Peru State would be at 24-20 after a 'Jacket error, but Graceland finished it off with a kill.
Fourth Set Action
A kill by Roseberry from Rios started the fourth set and then Mollhoff and Copenharve got a block to make it 2-0. Davis followed with a service error and Graceland then had an attack error.
Peru State would maintain their lead, but Graceland would eventually come back to tie it at 10-10 forcing a Peru State timeout.
Duarte followed with a kill from Rios to give the 'Cats a short lead. The teams would battle back and forth with the last tie coming at 15-15. VanLeuven would get a kill and the Bobcats would eventually go on to win 25-20 after Duarte put down a kill from Roseberry.
Fifth Set Action
After playing pretty decent in the fourth set, the Bobcats came out very flat to start the fifth and fell behind 6-0 forcing the 'Cats to take a timeout.
Unfortunately, Peru State never did get it going in the final set as the Yellowjackets went on to win 15-9.
GRACELAND GAME BOOK
Team Statistics
Peru State actually outhit the 'Jackets, albeit by a small percentage .113 to .100 as the Bobcats finished with one more kill than Graceland with 45.
Hannia Rios goes for one of her
three service aces. Rios also led the
team with 20 assists.
The biggest difference in the contest came from the serving line. The Yellowjackets finished with 18 service aces while Peru State had 11 aces, but also had 11 service errors.
The 'Cats finished with 80 digs – one more than Graceland. Peru State had a better night blocking as the Bobcats finished with eight total blocks – five more than the Yellowjackets.
Peru Individual Statistics
Three Bobcats finished with double digits in kills as VanLeuven led Peru State with 11. Duarte and Roseberry each had ten kills with Duarte hitting at an impressive .556 clip. Mollhoff added six kills.
Rios finished with 20 assists while Davis added 15.
Davis and Rios each had three service aces while Duarte and
Mattie Nichols (Auburn) each had two aces. Arianna Waschowski
(Bellevue) had one service ace.
Waschowski added 22 digs while
Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) finished with 15. Rios was also in double digits in digs with 11.
Mollhoff, Copenharve, and Duarte each were credited with four block assists while VanLeuven and Roseberry each added two block assists.
Junior Varsity Action
After Peru State took the first set, the Sting junior varsity came back to take the next two to win the match two games to one.
Upcoming Contests
Peru State will host a pair of home contests next week on Friday and Saturday.
The Bobcats will host Mount Mercy (Iowa) Friday night at 7 p.m. with a junior varsity match prior to the contest. The Mustangs are 1-1 on the season with the same mark in the Heart North.
Saturday's opponent will be Clarke (Iowa) at 11 a.m. with a junior varsity match to follow the varsity contest. The Crusaders are 3-5 on the year and have a 3-2 mark in the Heart North.
The Peru Association of Student Athletes (PASA), along with Student Activities, will host two different events. On Friday night, PASA will host "Pink Out Night" to support women's volleyball and breast cancer awareness. Students attending will have an opportunity to get a free t-shirt by coming and cheering on the 'Cats.
Saturday morning will be a "Green Out" day against Clarke. Attendees wearing green for Mental Health Awareness Month can get a free snow cone and be entered to win a t-shirt!
