Peru State College Athletics

(Peru, Ne.)- The Peru State College volleyball team showcased an impressive 3-1 victory over Heart of America Athletic Conference foe Baker on Wednesday night. After dropping the opening set 20-25, the Bobcats won in straight sets of 25-18, 25-20, and 25-18.
 
The win takes Peru State to 11-6 overall and 3-3 in Heart play while Baker falls to 13-4 overall and 3-3 in the Conference slate.
 
Set one began with both teams trading blows as the Bobcats would use a 3-1 push to knot the score at 11, Baker found a 5-2 series to hold a three-point lead (16-13) and after both teams swapped 2-0 runs, Peru State would score four of the next five to even the score 19-19. Baker would respond with five straight to force a Bobcat timeout, then after trading points a Peru State error would end the set 25-20.
 
The second set opened with the Wildcats claiming the opening point until the Bobcats answered with an 11-3 series to hold a seven-point advantage (11-4), but Baker responded through an 8-1 run to tie the set at 12. Some back and forth led to a 3-1 Wildcat push taking the lead 16-15, then back-to-back Shealie Wiebers (Papillion, Nebraska. / Papillion-La Vista High School) kills sparked an 8-1 launch to hold the lead and bring the score to 23-17. Baker would score once more but two Peru State points would take the set 25-18.
 
Set three began with a Baker red card to give the Bobcats a 1-0 advantage, but neither team could pull away as a 3-1 Wildcat series would knot the score at eight. Peru State used an 11-2 explosion which featured three total blocks by Chancie Deaton (Payson, Ariz. / Payson) would bring the score to 19-10. Baker clawed back with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to two (21-19), until the Bobcats responded with a 4-1 push to claim the set 25-20.
 
The fourth set started with neither team able to claim a lead until a string of Peru State errors would give the Wildcats a four-point lead (11-7), but a 9-2 Bobcat series highlighted by three scores from Wiebers delivered Peru State a three-point advantage (16-13). Baker answered with four unanswered to force a Bobcat timeout (17-16) but a 9-1 Peru State run which saw three kills and two total blocks by Addison Schnieder (Humphrey, Nebraska. / Humphrey High School) would win the set and the match 25-18.
 
Offensively Schneider led the Bobcats with a career-high 15 kills on an impressive .619 clip while Eden Moore (Eagle, Nebraska. / Waverly High School) and Brinley Falkinburg (Lincoln, Nebraska. / Lincoln East High School) both notched eight, Teodora Bulatovic (Tivat, Montenegro. / SMŠ "Mladost" Tivat) logged 23 assists while Samantha Chesley (Lincoln, Nebraska. / Pius X High School) totaled 20. Bulatovic marked a game-high four service aces while Wiebers found three.
 
Defensively Wibers put up 15 digs on the night while Braelyn Braithwaite (Elkhorn, Nebraska. / Elkhorn South High School) had 14 and Falkinburg totaled 10. Deaton led the blocking efforts with three solo blocks and three block assists.
 
Peru State returns to action on Saturday where the Bobcats take on Conference foe Benedictine on Saturday in the Al Wheeler Activity Center at 12:00 P.M.