(Peru, Neb.) – On Saturday, October 9, Evangel University won against Peru State College 3-1 to improve to 13-9 overall and 5-5 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
 
The 'Cats fell to 3-21 overall and 1-9 in conference play.
 
In the first set the Valor was in control as they would score the first six points of the set before an error on Evangel gave the Bobcats the service trailing 6-1.
 
The Valor would go on a 2-0 run before Alexandria Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.) would get a kill off the set from Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) to cut into Evangel's lead 8-2. Peru State would get back-to-back service aces from Sidney Peck (Manitoba, Canada) to get the 'Cats back within four points as they would still trail 8-4.
 
An attacking error would keep the 'Cats run alive as they would trail by three points at 8-5. The Valor would come back with a 4-0 run to get the lead back to 12-5. Evangel would not trail in set one and would take the set by a score of 25-12.
 
In the second set Peru State would get on the board first with an error on Evangel. The Valor would come right back to tie the game at 1-1. The 'Cats would take the lead back after kill a by Chavarria off the assist from Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.) as they would lead 2-1.
 
As the score would be tied at 2-2, the Bobcats would get a kill from Ace Swadogo (Omaha) off the set from Rios and a service ace from Cassie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to lead 4-2. Peru State would continue to lead until the Valor would tie the game at six and again at seven.
 
Peru State would lead 8-7 after a kill from Jaddy Duarte (Brasilia, Brazil) off the set from Davis. Rios would extend the 'Cats lead off the service ace to make the score 9-7 in favor of the Bobcats. Five straight points from Evangel would see Peru State trailing 12-9. The Valor would not give up the lead from this point on as they would go on to win the second set in a close game 25-22.
 
The Valor would score the first point of the third set to lead 1-0, but the 'Cats would strike back with a point of their own on a kill by Haley VanLeuvan (Elgin, Ore.) off the assist from Birkle to tie the game at 1-1. VanLeuvan would get another kill to take the lead off the set from Birkle once again.
 
Evangel would tie the game at 2-2 before VanLeuvan would get her third straight kill off the assist from Davis this time as the Bobcats would lead 3-2. The four set would be tight as the game would be tied at four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten before the Valor would take a two-point lead at 12-10.
 
Evangel would see their lead grow by two points as they would lead 14-10 at this point. Peru State would make the fight back as the game would be all tie up at 20-20. Once again, the score would tie up at 23-23 this time. The 'Cats would eventually find a way to win the tightly-contested set 26-24.
 
In the four set Peru State would score first off an error on the Valor. Evangel would come right back and score the next two points of the four set to take the lead 2-1. A kill by Chavarria off the pass for Rios would tie us back up at 2-2.
 
Peru State would score two straight points to take the 4-2 lead off a kill from VanLeuvan off the assist from Davis and an attacking error on the Valor. Evangel would tie the game at four and again at five.
 
Valor would go on a 20-10 run to finish the game and end up winning the four set of the conference match up 25-15.
 
Stats
 
Peck led the team with three service aces. Birkle added one service ace of her own.
 
Chavarria and VanLeuvan led the team in kills with ten each. Swadogo added eight kills of her own and Duarte added seven kills in the game.
 
Birkle led the team with 13 digs while Alyssa Bock (Plattsmouth) added 12. Rios added 11 digs as well
 
Davis was tied for a game-high 20 assists while Rios added 17 assists of her own.
 
VanLeuvan added two solo blocks and two block assists while Swadago finished with three block assists. Dawson Sharman (Sidney) added two block assists in the contest.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will be on the road again on Wednesday October 13, as they travel to Lamoni, Iowa, to take on Graceland University (1-16, 0-9).
 
They will be at home this weekend for a pair of Heart contests. On Friday, they will host Mount Mercy University at 3:30 p.m. On Saturday, Clarke University will be the opponent at 3:30 p.m. On Saturday's game it will be the annually Dig Pink game.