(Peru, Neb.) – On Thursday, September 2, in the GoSarpy.com Labor Day Classic, Valley City State would win their first game in the classic 3-0 versus Peru State. It was the first win of the season for the Vikings who improved their 2021 record to 1-4.
 
Peru State falls to 2-4 on the season.
 
The 'Cats would get two straight points to start the first set. The first point was a kill by Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.) off the assist from Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.). Peru State would get another kill from Dawson Sharman (Sidney) off the pass from Cassie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.).
 
The Vikings would get on the board to make it 2-1 in favor of the Bobcats. The 'Cats were able to take the lead after four straight points wit the score 6-1. Valley City State was able to tie the game at 11 and would eventually take the lead at 12-11. The Vikings never looked back as they would remain in front the rest of the set to go on and win 25-20.
 
Set two started the same as the 'Cats would strike first off a kill by Kylie Fischer (Bellevue) off the pass from Mattie Nichols (Auburn). Valley City State would get the point back to tie the game. The Vikings would take the lead 2-1 before the Bobcats would tie the game on an attacking error off Valley City State.
 
Four straight points for Peru State would have them leading 6-2 early in the second set. This would be the largest lead the 'Cats would have in the second set as the Vikings would tie the game again at 14. The game would be tied at 16 before Valley City State would take the lead and never trail again as they took the second set of the game 25-21.
 
Peru State would get two straight points to start the third set off two errors on Valley City State. The Vikings would take a 4-3 lead before a kill by Katie Mendick (Bellevue) off the pass from Davis would tie the game at four.
 
Peru State would go on 5-3 run to lead in the third set 9-6. The game would be close as there was ties at 11, 12, 17, and 22 before three straight points from Valley City would win set three 25-22.
 
Mendick had season-high 11 kills and Chavarria added nine kills of her own.
 
Davis added team-high 15 assists as Rios added 11 assists.
 
Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) had team-high 12 digs as Nichols added nine digs. Davis would add eight. Rios and Hannah Burianek (Lincoln) added seven digs each.
 
Ofaloto Moungaafi (West Valley City, Utah) would have one solo block and an assisted block. Mendick and Michelle Beer (Salem) would have two assisted blocks.
 
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The Bobcats are facing Morningside (Iowa) this morning at 9 a.m. and then will take on Montana Tech at 1 p.m. in the second day of the tournament.