(Sioux City, Iowa.)– The Peru State College volleyball team opened their season earning a split at the Briar Cliff University Triangular in the Newman Flanagan Center in Iowa.
The Bobcats took their first game of the season in straight sets while falling to Briar Cliff in straight sets in the nightcap.
Game 1 – Peru State 3, Avila 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-15
The Bobcats and the Eagles started off the first set neck and neck, with neither team able to build a strong lead as Peru State looked to begin to break off with a 10-7 lead until Avila utilized an 8-3 spurt to capture a two-point lead (15-13). Then the Bobcats opened the scoring with four straight kills that led to an 8-2 run to reclaim the lead 21-17, after an Avila kill Peru State scored three-straight to get to set point (24-18) while the Eagles used a 4-0 push to get back in the game but a Bobcat point took the set 25-22.
The second set opened with both teams trading blows as 11 total ties and six lead changes resulted in Avila taking a one-point advantage 15-14, Peru State surged forward with a 6-2 run to take the lead 20-17. Avila was able to bring the set within one, but a 4-1 Bobcat push resulted in taking the second set 25-21.
The third set began with Peru State powering forward with a 8-1 surge to hold a 11-5 advantage then utilizing runs of 6-3 and 6-2 to push the lead to 23-10, Avila attempted a 5-1 push to get back into competition but a kill by Sophomore
Brinley Falkinburg (Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln East) ended the set and the game 25-15.
Falkinburg led the Bobcats with 10 kills in the game followed behind by senior
Shealie Wiebers (Papillion, Neb. / Papillion-La Vista) and junior
Eden Moore (Eagle, Neb. / Waverly) with six, senior
Teodora Bulatovic (Tivat, Montenegro / SMŠ "Mladost" Tivat) and junior
Samantha Chesley (Lincoln, Neb. Pius X) both claimed 11 assists on the match.
Defensively Wiebers paved the way for Peru State with 11 digs while Chesley and Falkinburg both claimed eight digs respectively, graduate student
Addison Schneider (Humphrey, Neb. / Humphrey) and senior
Chancie Deaton (Payson, Ariz. / Payson) both led the Bobcats with four block assists each.
Game 2 – Briar Cliff 3, Waynesburg 0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-14)
The first set featured Peru State playing catchup as after a five straight scoring series by Briar Cliff, the Bobcats were able to bring the game within two (9-7) until Briar Cliff utilized a 9-3 push and after trading points the Chargers utilized a 5-1 run to win the first set 25-14.
Briar Cliff took advantage of the start of the second set establishing runs of 11-5, 6-2, and 6-3 to hold a 23-10 advantage, after a 5-1 run by Peru State the Chargers scored the final point to win set two 25-15.
The third set began with a 12-4 spurt by Briar Cliff to take the lead and never look back as they took the set and game 25-13.
Falkinburg led the Bobcats with eight kills as Wiebers notched seven, Bulatovic and Chesley posted 14 assists.
Defensively Moore led the way with nine digs while sophomore
Haylie Vollman (Palmyra, Neb. / Palmyra) marked eight.
Peru State returns to play Friday as they travel to the Friends Tournament.
