Morningside VB Sweeps Peru State
(Peru, Neb.) – After playing one of their best matches of the season, the Peru State volleyball team faltered Thursday night while being swept by the visiting Morningside Mustangs.
In non-conference play, the Mustangs easily topped the Bobcat 25-12, 25-10, 25-9.
Morningside improved to 8-8 on the year while the 'Cats fell to 1-12 after losing their eighth straight match.
First Set Action
The Mustangs scored the first point of the set on a Peru State error. Pyper Roseberry (LaVista) tied the game with a kill off an assist from Cassie Davis (Colorado Spring). The Bobcats would keep it close through the early part of the set as later Sidney Peck (Manitoba, Canada) put down a kill off an assist from Hannia Rios (Toa Baja, P.R.) to make it 9-7. However, that would be as close as the 'Cats would be the rest of the set.
Second Set Action
After the score was tied at 1-1 after a pair of errors, Mattie Nichols (Auburn) got a back-row attack to fall off an assist from Davis to give the Bobcats their only lead of the set. Again, the early portion of the set was close. But, after the score was 7-5 in Morningside's favor, the Mustangs would score the next four points and would never look back after that point.
Third Set Action
Peru State would never lead in the third set, but would be tied several times early in the final set. Tyra Mollhoff (Lincoln) knotted the score at 3-3 with a kill from Rios. Later, Davis would have a service ace to tie it at 5-5. Finally, a kill by Dawson Sharman (Sidney) tied it at 6-6. Six straight points by the Mustangs would solidify their lead and Morningside would go on for the easy third set win.
MORNINGSIDE GAME BOOK
Team Statistics
Morningside would hit a respectable .258 in the match while holding the Bobcats to a negative -.033 hitting percentage.
The Mustangs had nine service aces while the 'Cats managed three. Morningside finished with 66 digs while Peru State had 54.
Morningside finished with three total team blocks while the Bobcats had just one total team block.
Peru Individual Statistics
Roseberry led the team with five kills while six others each had two kills apiece.
Davis finished with eight assists while Rios contributed five.
Davis also led the team with two service aces while Cheyenne Birkle (Holden, Mo.) finished with one.
Birkle led the team with 19 digs while Nichols added 12.
Mollhoff and Jaddy Duarte (Brasilia, Brazil) each were credited with one block assist.
Upcoming Contests
Peru State will be back in action today as they host Heart of America Athletic Conference (Heart) foe Culver-Stockton (Mo.) at noon. The Wildcats are 2-9 overall and are 2-6 in the Heart North Division. It will be Senior Day and Thank You Day as the Bobcats recognized senior Tyra Mollhoff and graduate assistant Jhessica Martins following the match.
The Bobcats will have one more home match this season. On Tuesday, Peru State will host league-leading Grand View (Iowa) with a junior varsity contest at 5 p.m. and the varsity match to follow at 7 p.m. The Vikings are 9-0 on the year and are 7-0 in conference action