(Peru, Neb.) – On Friday, September 10, the Bobcats played Mount Marty (S.D.) and lost in five games 3-2. The Lancers improved to 5-3 on the year. The next day Peru State played Presentation College (S.D.) and Dakota State University (S.D.) and dropped both games 3-0. Peru State hosted their annual Fall Classic with seven different schools participating.
 
Presentation improved to 7-2 and Dakota State went to 6-2 on the year.
 
Peru State fell to 2-10 overall on the year.
 
Mount Marty Action
 
The Lancers jumped out to a 3-1 lead over the 'Cats in set one. Jaime Copenharve (Omaha) would get a kill off the pass from Cassie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to get Peru State back within one point at 3-2 in favor of Mount Marty.
 
The game would be tied again at 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10. Peru State largest lead was one in the set. The game would be tied again at 12 until Mount Mercy would eventually take the lead 13-12. The Lancers never trailed again in the set as the Lancers took set one 25-18.
 
Peru State would get things going in the second as Davis would start off with a service ace and Michelle Beer (Salem) would get a kill off the pass from Copenharve. The 'Cats would have an early 2-0 in the second set.
The game would be tied at 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 before the Bobcats broke the tie off a kill from Sidney Peck (Manitoba, Canada) off the assist from Davis with the score 11-10. Peru State would either lead or be tied the rest of the set. Davis would get a kill for game point off the assist from Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) to win the second set 25-20.

Just like set two the first two points of the match would go to the 'Cats. Later, a setting error on the Lancers would see the 'Cats have a 10-4 advantage. Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister Calif.) would get a kill off the pass from Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.) to see the 'Cats lead 13-9.

Mount Marty would fight back in the game as they would even take the lead 20-19. Peru State would end the game on a 6-2 run to take the win in set three 25-22.
The 'Cats started off good as they would put the first points on the board with a kill from Copenharve off the pass from Davis. After an attacking error on the Lancers, Peru State would be up 2-0. The game would eventually be tied at four.
Mount Marty would take the lead 5-4. The Lancers would never trail in the game again as the biggest lead would come at 20-6. Peru State would fight back and even go on some scoring runs but the deficit would be to much as Mount Marty took set four 25-17.

The fifth set of the game saw the Lancers dominate the entire set. The 'Cats didn't have answer for them.  As Mount Mercy would score the first six points of the game before an attacking error got the 'Cats their first point of the set. Mount Mercy would go on to win set five 15-4.

Birkle and Beer had two service aces.

Beer had a team-high 11 kills. Copenharve and Peck each finished with nine kills.

Davis put up 22 assists while Rios added 16.

Birkle had game-high 23 digs while Davis added 10.

Tiana Cornist (Bellevue) added six block assists while Beer had five block assists.

Presentation Action

In set one Peru State would get the first point of the match off an attacking error. After a service ace from Hannah Burianek (Lincoln), the 'Cats would see the lead increase to 4-1. Presentation would fight back as they would tie the game at four and take the lead 5-4.

Presentation would never trail again as the Bobcats would see their biggest deficit 17-9. Peru State would fight back coming within four points at 19-15, but it was not enough as Presentation won the set 25-20.

The first points of set two went to Presentation. A kill by Beer would get the game tied back at one. Presentation would have a 5-4 lead before Peru State would go on a 4-0 run to take the lead 5-8. Presentation would fight back to tie the game at eight.
The second set was very tight most of the way, but the last six points of the match Presentation would pull away to win 25-19.

Peru State would get on the board first after a kill from Paige Crouch (Holton, Kan.) off the pass from Rios. Presentation would score the next three points to take a two-point lead at 3-1. The Bobcats never had the lead again as Presentation would go on to win the third set 25-16.

Birkle finished with two service aces.

Chavarria led the team with nine kills while Crouch had seven kills.

Davis and Rios finished with 16 assists each.

Birkle had 14 digs for a team high. Mattie Nichols (Auburn) added 10 digs of her own.

Cornist added six block assists while Copenharve added three block assists.

Dakota State Action

Dakota State would get the first points of the match off an error from the 'Cats. The Trojans would jump out to a 7-3 lead on Peru State before Beer would get the Bobcats within three after the kill coming from Davis.

Dakota State never trailed at any point in the game as their largest lead came at the end of the first set at 25-12.

The Trojans would score four straight points before Katie Mendick (Bellevue) kill ended the run.

Dakota State dominated most of the second set just like set one not trailing at any point. They would go on to win the second set 25-14.

In the third set after two straight points from Dakota State, a kill by Crouch off the pass from Rios saw the lead trimmed to one.

Peru State would take the lead after a kill by Mendick off the pass from Davis. A service ace from Davis saw their lead grow to 4-2. Dakota State would eventually take the lead at 12-11 and never look back as they would go on a 13-5 run to win set three 25-16.

Davis added two service aces while Beer and Peck each finished with one.

Crouch and Chavarria each had five kills.

Davis added 10 assists while Rios had seven.

Nichols led the team with 11 digs while Birkle added ten.

Beer finished with two blocked assists.

Upcoming Contests

Peru State will be on the road this weekend for three contests. On Friday, they will face Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) foe Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at 7 p.m. The Mustangs are presently 4-5 on the season. The Bobcat junior varsity will face the Mustang jayvee at 5 p.m.

On Saturday, September 18, the 'Cats will be facing Heart opponent Clarke in Dubuque, Iowa, at 1 p.m. with the junior varsity teams facing each other at 11 a.m. The Pride varsity is currently 3-6.

Later on Saturday, the Bobcats will play a non-conference match with Cardinal Stritch (Wisc.) at 3 p.m. Cardinal Stitch is sitting at 4-2 at this point in the early season.