(Peru, Neb.) – The 15^th-ranked Central Methodist (CMU) Eagles proved why they were one of the top teams in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) Saturday afternoon. The Eagles swept the visiting Peru State Bobcats in Fayette, Mo., in the Heart quarterfinals.

CMU won 25-11, 25-11, 25-18 to improve to 28-3 on the year. Peru State finished its 2019 season with an 11-25 mark. The Eagles will face Clarke (Iowa) in the conference semifinals on Nov. 13.

First Set Action

The Bobcats did score the first three points of the contest as they started with a kill from Alyssa Childers (Lincoln) off an assist from Cassidy Davis (Colorado Springs). Davis then set up Alexandra Chavarria (Hollister, Calif.) for the second point. Claire Cudney (Marysville, Kan.) got the third point, also on an assist from Davis.

That would prove to be the only lead the 'Cats would have in the first set as the Eagles would rattle off six straight points and never trailed again.

Second Set Action

This time Central Methodist scored the first three points before Pyper Roseberry (LaVista) got a kill off an assist from Davis. Cudney would get a kill to make it 3-2 before CMU would score 11 straight points to go up 14-2.

The Bobcats would nearly play the Eagles even the rest of the way, but could not get any closer than ten at any one point.

Third Set Action

After the Eagles scored the first point of the third set, Savanna Davis (Anchorage, Alaska) put down a kill on an overpass to tie it at 1-1. CMU would break the tie, but Mallory Matthies (Omaha) would tie in with a kill on an assist from Darlene Quinonez Holguin (Anthony, N.M.).

The early part of the set was close as the Bobcats were tied later at 7-7 on a block by Roseberry. The Eagles would score a couple of points and never trailed the rest of the way.

CENTRAL METHODIST GAME BOOK

Team Statistics

CMU outhit the Bobcats .320-.027 as they finished with 40 kills while Peru State had 29.

The Eagles had three services and only one error while the 'Cats were just the reverse.

Central Methodist finished the contest with 53 digs while the Bobcats had 49. The Eagles also out-blocked the 'Cats seven to four.

Peru Individual Statistics

Cudney, Matthies, and Roseberry each finished with six kills while Chavarria added four.

C. Davis led the team with 14 assists with Quinonez Holguin finishing with nine.

Sarah Brown (Seward) was credited with the lone service ace.

Brown also led the team with ten digs while C. Davis finished with nine. Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) added eight digs while Cudney added seven.

Matthies was credited with one solo block. Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) had three block assists while Roseberry finished with two. Chavarria was credited with the other block assist.

Season Concluded

It was the final contest for the careers of Cudney, Matthies, and Quinonez Holguin. Peru State finished its year with a 7-11 mark which tied them for eighth overall in the Heart.