(Peru, Neb.) – While it was close throughout, the MidAmerica Nazarene (MNU) Pioneers were not nice guests as they swept the Peru State volleyball team Friday night.

The Pioneers won 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 to improve to 9-4 overall and 2-0 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). The 'Cats fell to 3-12 on the season and 0-2 in the Heart.

First Set Action

The Bobcats jumped to an early lead as Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) put down a kill from Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.). This was followed by two service aces by Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Anthony, N.M.). An attack error by the Pioneers made it 4-0 before MNU put down a kill. The set was later tied at 5-5 and 6-6 before MNU took the lead.

Later, after the score was tied at 12 each, Quinonez Holguin had another service ace. Peru State would still have a lead at 14-13 after a service error on the Pioneers only to see MNU go out to a 17-14 lead. The Bobcats would later tie the score at 18-18 on a Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) kill off an assist from Quinonez Holguin. Once again the Pioneers would regain the lead and hold on for the 25-22 set win.

Second Set Action

The second set was tied many times throughout with the Bobcats again having an early lead. The 'Cats led 6-3 after Chavarria put down a spike from Quinonez Holguin. Again, the Pioneers would take the lead and the teams would continue to battle back and forth with many ties and lead changes.

Peru State would again have a three-point lead late in the game at 19-16 after Dawson Sharman (Sidney) got a kill from Quinonez Holguin. The Pioneers would come back with four straight points before having an attack error which knotted the set for the last time. MNU would finish off with five straight points for the win.

Third Set Action

MNU jumped out to a 7-1 lead in what was the deciding set. Peru State would slowly chip away at the deficit and pulled within four at 12-8 after an error on the Pioneers. MNU would again extend its lead to as many as eight only to see the 'Cats pluck away. Peru State got within three at 24-21 only to see the Pioneers nail the win with a kill.

MIDAMERICA NAZARENE GAME BOOK

Team Statistics

Peru State was outhit by the Pioneers .202 to .116. MNU finished with a few more digs and had a big difference in blocking as they finished with seven total blocks compared to three for the 'Cats.

Peru Individual Statistics

Cudney led the Bobcats with 11 kills while Mallory Matthies (Omaha) finished with nine. Sharman added six kills.

Cassidy Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) led the team with 15 assists while Quinonez Holguin added 12.

Quinonez Holguin had three service aces while Alexis Cox (Brighton, Colo.), Arianna Waschowski (Bellevue), and Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) each finished with one service ace.

Quinonez Holguin finished with a double-double as she led the team with ten digs. Sharman and Cox each had nine while Cudney contributed eight. Waschowski and Birkle each had six digs.

Sharman was credited with the lone solo block. Mollhoff had two block assists while Sharman and Matthies each had one block assist.

#14 Central Methodist Sweeps Peru State

(Peru, Neb.) – The 14^th-ranked Central Methodist (CMU) Eagles volleyball team took care of business Saturday morning as they swept the Peru State Bobcats in the Al Wheeler Activity Center in Peru.

The Eagles won 25-15, 25-18, 25-22 to improve to 14-2 overall and 4-0 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart). Peru State fell to 3-13 on the season and are still looking for their first conference win having suffered three losses.

First Set Action

The Eagles scored the first two points of the set and never looked back in route to an easier 25-15 first set win.

Second Set Action

Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) scored the first point of the second set with a kill off an assist from Cassidy Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Three straight CMU points gave the Eagles a 3-1 lead by Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Anthony, N.M.) had a setter dump for a kill.

After being tied at 4, 5, 6, and 8, back-to-back attack errors by the Eagles put Peru State up 10-8. A kill by Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) off an assist from Davis put the 'Cats up by three. Later, the Bobcats would lead by four at 16-12 on a service ace by Quinonez Holguin. It was at that point, that CMU would go on a 6-2 run to tie the score. The Eagles would then score the final seven points for the 25-18 set win.

Third Set Action

The third set was much closer throughout. A Dawson Sharman (Sidney) kill would tie the set at 4-4 before Peru State would lead 5-4 after a hitting error by the Eagles. The Bobcats would later led 12-10 on a kill by Cudney on an assist from Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.).

CMU would eventually take the lead after the set was tied at 14-14 and never trailed after the point. The Eagles would build a 23-19 lead before Peru State would try to fight back. A service error made it 23-20 and then Mollhoff had a solo block to pull the Bobcats back within two. Chavarria would get a kill to make it 23-22 CMU, but the Eagles would score the next two points for the win.

CENTRAL METHODIST GAME BOOK

Team Statistics

The Eagles outhit Peru Sate .292 to .117 and finished with 13 more digs than the 'Cats as they had 60. Both teams finished with five total blocks.

Peru Individual Statistics

Cudney led the team with 11 kills and hit a respectable .308. Mallory Matthies (Omaha) added seven kills while Chavarria finished with six.

Quinonez Holguin and Davis each had 12 assists to lead the team. Quinonez Holguin was the only player on either team to record a service ace.

Quinonez Holguin finished with her second-straight double-double as she led the Bobcats with 12 digs. Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) added ten digs while Cudney finished with seven.

Sharman and Chavarria each were credited with a solo block while Mollhoff had two block assists. Cudney, Alyssa Childers (Lincoln), Sharman, and Chavarria each had one block assist.

Upcoming Contests

Peru State will have another busy week as they will host three more contests.

On Tuesday night, William Penn (Iowa) will be the visitors in a Heart matchup at 7 p.m. The Statesmen are 6-7 on the season and are 1-3 in the Heart having dropped their last two contests.

The Bobcats will then host a pair of non-conference opponents on Friday and Saturday. The University of St. Mary will be the visitors Friday night at 7 p.m. The Spires are 10-7 and will play Avila (Mo.) before heading to Peru.

On Saturday, the Concordia Bulldogs will visit the confines of the Al Wheeler Activity Center for a 2 p.m. contest. The Bulldogs, who most likely will be rated in the next coaches' poll started the season with 12 straight wins before losing in five on Saturday to the ninth-ranked Midland Warriors.