(Peru, Neb.) – The Peru State volleyball team played a pair of matches in Dubuque, Iowa, and were swept by the hosts Clarke and Northwestern (Minn.).
 
With the two losses, the Bobcats fell to 0-3 overall and are now 0-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) with the loss to Clarke.
 
Clarke Action
 
Clarke won the first match of the day 25-9, 25-21, 25-12 to improve to 2-3 overall and 2-1 in the Heart.
 
First Set Action
 
Jaddy Duarte (Brasilia, Brazil) scored a kill for the first point of the contest off an assist from Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.). The Pride would rattle off four straight points and never trailed the rest of the way.
 
Second Set Action
 
After Clarke scored the first three points of the second set, Haley VanLeuven (Elgin, Ore.) put down a kill from Rios. The Bobcats would keep it close early and were tied at 5-5 before the Pride scored three points.
 
Later, the Bobcats pulled back within four at 16-12 when Jaime Copenharve (Omaha) got a kill off an assist from Hannah Burianek (Lincoln). Again, the Pride would pull away and led by as many as six before VanLeuven and Rios hooked up to make it 22-17 Clarke.
 
After the Pride scored a point, Paige Crouch (Holton, Kan.) put down a kill from Rios to pull the 'Cats back within five at 22-17. Clarke would score again and then the Bobcats would go on a mini-run. Crouch had another kill from Rios and then the Pride had an attack error to make it 23-19. Ofa Moungaafi (West Valley City, Utah) had a kill from Crouch and Clarke followed with an error to make it 23-21.
 
That would be as close as the 'Cats would get as the Pride scored the final two points for the win.
 
Third Set Action
 
The Pride scored the first two points and then led 8-1 before Copenharve scored a kill from Burianek.
 
Later in the set, the closest the Bobcats would be was at 13-8 after Alyssa Bock (Plattsmouth) had a service ace.

CLARKE BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
Clarke hit a very good .322 (comparable to baseball hitting percentages) while holding the Bobcats to .075. The Pride nearly doubled up the 'Cats in kills at 39-20.
 
The Pride had a great day at the serving line as they racked up 15 service aces compared to just one for Peru State.
 
The digs were close as the Pride finished with 40 while the Bobcats had 30. Both teams were credited with just one block each.
 
Peru Individual Statistics
 
VanLeuven led the team with five kills while Copenharve finished with four.
 
Rios was the top setter with 11 assists while Burianek added seven.
 
Bock was credited with the lone service ace.
 
Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) led the 'Cats with 13 digs while Arianna Waschowski (Bellevue) added seven.
 
Crouch and Duarte each had one block assist.
 
Northwestern (Minn.) Action
 
The second match of the day for Peru State was similar to the first as they struggled in the first and third sets while playing a little better in the second. Northwestern would sweep the Bobcats 25-13, 25-19, 25-15 to improve to 3-2 on the season.
 
First Set Action
 
Crouch scored the first point of the match off an assist from Rios, but that was the only lead Peru State would have in the set as Northwestern rattled off nine straight points.
 
Second Set Action
 
A block by Moungaafi and McKenzie Brockhoff (Dearborn, Mo.) put Peru State on top to start the second set. After a pair of Northwestern points, Brockhoff got a kill from Burianek to tie the set at 2-2.
 
The teams would be tied numerous times early in the set with the last tie coming at 14-14 when Copenharve got a kill from Burianek. Northwestern would score the next points and never trailed the rest of the way.
 
Third Set Action
 
After Northwestern scored the first point of the set, Rios got a kill off an assist from Brockhoff. Later, Mattie Nichols (Auburn) would give Peru State a 5-4 lead, but three straight points by Northwestern have them a lead they would not relinquish.
 
Peru State would pull within two at 13-11 after an attack error, but that was as close as they would be the rest of the way.

NORTHWESTERN MN. BOX SCORE
 
Team Statistics
 
Northwestern had 38 kills and hit .271 while Peru State finished with 26 kills while hitting .037. The Eagles had nine service aces with the 'Cats finishing with four.
 
The Eagles had ten more digs than the Bobcats as they finished with 49. Peru State did manage to have one more block as they nailed five total blocks.
 
Peru Individual Statistics
 
Crouch and Duarte led the team with five kills each while Copenharve added four.
 
Rios and Burianek each finished with 11 assists.
 
Waschowski led the team with two service aces while Rios and Nichols each added one.
 
Birkle led the team with 14 digs while Bock had eight and Burianek finishing with seven.
 
Duarte was credited with two solo blocks and one block assist. Crouch and Brockhoff each had two block assists with Moungaafi adding one block assist.
 
Upcoming Contests
 
Peru State will be in Kansas this coming weekend to face another pair of Heart foes.
 
On Friday, the Bobcats will be in Atchison to take on Benedictine at 7:30 p.m. with a junior varsity match to take place prior to the varsity contest. The Ravens also played for the first time this weekend and went 1-1 in Heart play.
 
On Saturday, the 'Cats will be in Baldwin City to face Baker at 6 p.m. The Wildcats are 1-2 having played three contests this past week – all against Heart competition. The junior varsity will face Baker at 4 p.m. on Saturday.