PERU, NE - The Peru State volleyball team fell to the University of Saint Mary on Thursday night in three sets. The Bobcats are now 5-9 overall while the Spires improve to 11-4.
 
Below is a breakdown of how the match went…
 
Saint Mary started on a roll up 6-1 before Peru State went on a 7-2 run to tie the first set at eight apiece. Contributing to the run were kills from Erison Vonderschmidt (Falls City), Addison Schneider (Humphrey), a couple of errors from the Spires and then two aces from Olivia Gordon (Oskaloosa, Iowa).
 
The Bobcats and the Spires went back-and-forth for the next couple of points before the Bobcats went up 14-12 after a kill from Vonderschmidt. Peru State and University of Saint Mary then traded points until it was 20-all late in the first.
 
The Spires finished the set on a 5-0 run to take a 25-20 first set win. Saint Mary started out the second set hot as they were up 8-3. The Bobcats then went on a 6-1 run to tie the second set at nine after kills from Vonderschmidt and aces from Gordon.
 
Saint Mary then would get back up by four points before Peru State cut the lead to one after a kill from Reagan Osterhaus (Wetmore, Kan.) and a errors from the Spires to make the score 14-13.
 
The Spires went on a 7-0 run to take a commanding 21-13 lead late in the second. The Bobcats cut the lead down to six trailing 21-15 but would only score three more points in the set as they fell 25-18.
 
In the third set it was tight as the score was knotted at 6-6 after a kill from Vonderschmidt. The Spires then went on a 9-0 run to take a 15-6 lead. The Bobcats were not able to get a run going in the third set as the closest they would get 16-8 after a kill from Shealie Wiebers (Papillion).
 
Saint Mary then went on a 9-4 run to close out the third set 25-12. The Spires won the match 3-0.
 
Here's what head coach Madison Kindle said about tonight's match...

"We served aggressive tonight, just couldn't find a way to put the ball away and made too many errors along the way," said coach Kindle. 

Vonderschmidt led the way in kills with 11. Gordon finished with a team-high four aces. Rylee Hellbusch (Plattsmouth) had 12 assists and Chantal Paniagua (Santo Domingo, D.R.) led the team in digs with 12.
 
Peru State returns home this Saturday, September 16, against Heart Conference opponent Graceland. First serve is set for 3:00 p.m.