(Peru, Neb.) – On Saturday, September 18, the 'Cats faced Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) foe Clarke University. The Pride took the game 3-0 to improve to 5-7 overall in 2-1 in the Heart. In the second game the Bobcats played Cardinal Stritch University. The Wolves won the second game 3-0 to improve to 6-2 overall.
 
Peru State fell to 2-13 overall and 0-3 in the Heart.
 
Clarke Game
 
Peru State would get the first two points of the game off an attacking error on the Pride in set one. Cassie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) would get a service ace to give the 'Cats a 3-0 lead in the set.
 
The Pride would strike back to the game at three. Peru State would take the lead right back and then go on a 4-1 run to take a 7-4 lead. The Pride would eventually tie the game at eight, nine and ten. Clarke would take the lead at 11-10.
 
The rest of the game was tight as one had a bigger lead than two. The Pride would go on to win the first set 25-23.
 
Clarke would strike first in the second set but the 'Cats would get a kill from Michell Beer (Salem) off the assist from Davis. The Bobcats would take the lead off a kill from Dawson Sharman (Sidney). Peru State would then go on a 6-2 run to take an 8-3 lead in the game.
 
The Pride came back and tied the game at nine. Clarke went on an 8-1 to take a 17-10 lead in the second set. The Pride would go on to win the second set 25-17.
 
The third set started off good for the 'Cats as they would take the early 1-0 lead in the game off the error from the Pride. After a Clarke point, Beer would get a kill off the assist from Davis to take a 2-1 lead. Peru State would have the lead most of the first part of the set until Clarke was able to tie the game at ten.
 
Clarke would get their first lead in the game at 11-10. The game would be tight as Peru State would eventually take the lead back at 18-17 after a kill by Katie Mendick (Bellevue) off the pass from Rios.
 
Clarke would eventually take the lead back and win set three 27-25.
 
Stats
 
Beer led the team with seven kills. Alexandria Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.), Paige Crouch (Holton, Kan.), and Sharman each had four kills in the game.
 
Davis led the team with 14 assists. Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.) added eight assists.
 
Cheyenn Birkle (Holden, Mo.) had a team-high 11 digs. Davis added nine digs.
 
Crouch finished with two solo blocks. Tiana Cornist (Bellevue) added four assisted blocks while Chavarria had two.
 
Cardinal Strich Game
 
The first set started off good as the 'Cats got on the board first with a kill from Hailey VanLeuvan (Elgin, Ore.). The Bobcats would see the score increase by one more as Jamie Copenharve (Omaha) got a kill off the assist from Davis to give Peru State a 2-0 lead.
 
The Wolves would tie the game at four and then go on a 4-1 run to take an 8-5 advantage. After a kill by Ace Swadogo (Omaha) off the assist from Rios and an attacking error on Cardinal Stritch the game would be tied at ten.
 
The rest of the game would be very tight until the very end. The Wolves would eventually be able to pull away late as they would take set one 25-18.
 
Cardinal Stritch would jump out to a 4-1 lead in the opening minutes of the second set. A 6-3 run by the Wolves saw their lead increase to 10-4.
 
The rest of the set two would be back and forth. But Peru State was unable to get within striking distance as the Wolves used the early lead in the early part of the game to win 25-19.
 
The third set started off just like the second set for Cardinal Stritch as they would score the first three points of the set.
 
A kill by Beer off the pass from Rios would see the 'Cats only down two as the Wolves would still lead 3-1.
 
Peru State would eventually tie the game at six after a kill by Cornist. Cardinal Stritch would then go on a 4-0 run to take the lead back and have a 10-6 advantage.
 
The Wolves finished on a 15-8 run to win set number three 25-14.
 
Stats
 
Sidney Peck (Manitoba, Canada) led the team in kills with seven. Copenharve added five kills.
 
Davis led the team with 13 assists while Rios added seven.
 
Birkle had team-high 15 digs. Hannah Burianek (Lincoln) and Alyssa Bock (Plattsmouth) each finished with seven digs.
 
Swadogo had two assisted blocks.
 
Upcoming Game
 
Peru State will be back at home against conference foe Graceland University with the junior varsity starting at 5 p.m. and varsity starting at 7 p.m.