(Peru, Neb.) – On September 6, the Bobcats hosted their first home game of the year versus Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) opponent Culver-Stockton College (CSC). The Wildcats would win the game 3-1.eartHeart
 
CSC improved to 3-5 overall and 1-0 in Heart play. The Bobcats fell to 2-7 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
 
Peru State would get on the board first after a kill by Katie Mendick (Bellevue) off the pass from Ofaloto Moungaafi (West Valley City, Utah) to go up 1-0. After an attacking error on the Wildcats, Peru State would see the first two points of the match.
 
Cassie Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) would get a service ace as the Bobcats were up 3-0 on CSC. After a kill by Mattie Nichols (Auburn), Peru State would have a 5-1 lead over the visiting Wildcats. CSC would eventually tie the game at five going on a 4-0 run.
 
The Wildcats would take their first lead of the game at 7-6. The game would be tight the rest of the way as the game would be tied at seven, eight, 11, 12, and 24. Culver-Stockton would eventually get two straight points to win 26-24 in set one.
 
CSC would have a quick start in set number two as they would score three straight points before an attacking error would get the Bobcats on the board. The Bobcats would trail by only two after a kill by Mendick off the pass from Davis with the score at 4-2 in favor of the Wildcats.
 
The game would be tight most of way throughout as the Bobcats would tie the game at 18-18 off a kill by Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.) on the assist from Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.). Peru State would have their first lead in the game off the kill from Dawson Sharman (Sidney, Neb.) off the assist from Nichols.
 
The game would be tied at 19, 20, 20, 24, and 27 before the Wildcats would win 30-28 to take set two.
 
The Bobcats showed up in the third set as they would go on a 7-0 run. A kill by Chavarria and a couple of bad sets by Culver-Stockton saw a quick 3-0 lead for Peru State. After another bad set and an attacking error, the Bobcats' lead rose to 5-0. A service ace by Nichols and an attacking error got Peru State its big lead to start.
 
After the great start the Bobcats didn't hold back. After an ace from Rios and a setting error on Culver-Stockton, the Bobcats saw their largest lead of the game at 12 with the score at 21-9 in favor of Peru State. A kill by Nichols would give the Bobcats game point and a set three win 25-13.
 
The Wildcats scored four straight points to start the four set of the match. Peru State would go on a 5-1 run to tie the game at five. Another 6-0 run for CSC would have the advantage again with the score 11-5.
 
The Bobcats would get within two after a kill from Chavarria off the pass from Rios with the score at 21-19.
 
Culver-Stockon would go on to win the four set 25-21.
 
Davis added three service aces while Rios, Hanna Burianek (Lincoln), and Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) added two.
 
Chavarria had team-high 18 kills. Mendick was second on the team in kills with 11.
 
Rios had game-high 22 assists and Davis added 19 assists of her own in the game.
 
Birkle had team-high 28 digs as Nichols added 16.
 
Tiana Cornist (Bellevue) added four block assists and Sharman added two.
 
Upcoming Games
 
Peru State will be hosting the Bobcat Fall Classic on September 10 and 11. The Bobcats will be playing Mount Marty (S.D.) on Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Peru State will be playing Presentation (S.D.) at 9 a.m. and are also scheduled to play Dakota State (S.D.) at 1 p.m.