Peru State College Athletics

(Peru, Ne.)- The Peru State College volleyball team picked up a win Thursday evening against Benedictine University Mesa in the home opener for the 2026 season. The Bobcats took the game after a four-set battle with scores of 25-16, 17-25, 25-21, and 25-22.
 
The victory improves Peru State to 4-1 overall on the season while the Redhawks fall to 1-1 overall.
 
The Bobcats opened the first set with a 7-2 run that featured back-to-back service aces from Samantha Chesley (Lincoln, Neb. / Pius X) to force a Redhawk timeout, Benedictine Mesa pushed back to bring the score withing one (11-10) and held on to keep the game within three (17-14). Peru State launched forward with an 8-2 surge that featured two service aces from Teodora Bulatovic (Tivat, Montenegro / SMŠ "Mladost" Tivat) and Braelyn Braithwaite (Elkhorn, Neb. / Elkhorn South) to take the first set 25-16.
 
Set two started off with an 11-4 run by the Redhawks until Peru State responded with a 9-2 stretch with three straight kills by Shealie Wiebers (Papillion, Neb. / Papillion-La Vista) to knot the set at 13. Benedictine Mesa answered with six straight points and never looked back as they grabbed the second set 25-17.
 
Neither team could pull away to open off set three as the score was even at 13-13 after five ties and two lead changes, until Peru State had a 6-1 run powered by four straight points by Brinley Falkinburg (Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln East) to take a five-point advantage 19-14. Benedictine Mesa pushed back with a 7-3 run to bring the game within one (22-21), but a Redhawk Error and two straight kills by Eden Moore (Eagle, Neb. / Waverly) took home the third set 25-21
 
The fourth and final set opened with a 6-0 run by Benedictine Mesa until the Bobcats responded with a 4-0 stretch, both teams went back and forth as the Redhawks led by two (11-9) then Peru State found a 7-1 push to take a four-point lead (16-12). Benedictine Mesa used runs of 3-1 and 4-2 to tie up the score at 19 and after a Bobcat kill the Redhawks scored two straight to take the lead 21-20. But Peru State scored three straight to force a timeout and after a Benedictine Mesa score, two Bobcat kills claimed the set and victory 25-21.
 
Moore led the offense with a season-high 18 kills while Wiebers and Falkinburg tagged 14 and 13. Bulatovic notched a season-high 27 assists while Chesley and Braithwaite marked 17 and 11.
 
Bulatovic had 23 digs on the night while Braithwaite had 19 and Moore and Chancie Deaton (Payson, Ariz. / Payson) both had four total blocks.
 
Peru State returns to play Tuesday when the Bobcats go on the road to take on Nebraska-Kearney.