Eagles Bounce Back with Sweep of Bobcats

PERU, Neb. – Avila volleyball traveled back to the state of Nebraska where the Eagles (3-7) shook off a recent string of losses by sweeping Peru State (5-8) in three tight sets on Tuesday night.

After a difficult week the week prior in what's been a challenging non-conference season thus far, the Eagles went right back on the road on Tuesday to face a Bobcat squad that has seen a ton of other KCAC teams so far this fall, with mixed results. But though this matchup against a KCAC side was quite close – PSU scored at least 20 points in all three sets – Avila's offense was quite a bit more clinical than PSU's was, leading the Eagles to a much-needed win in straight sets.

Peru State took the first major lead of the match with a 7-4 edge in the first set that Avila immediately wiped out with a four-point run on the serve of Reagan Moody. Peru State then went ahead briefly, 10-9, but after Avila tied it up on a Diamond Sedlak kill the Eagles seized control, steadily pulling out to a 19-14 lead.

The Bobcats managed to get back to within a single point and then saved two set points from the Eagles, but Avila made good on its third attempt – three of Avila's final five points, including the game-winner, came courtesy of kills by Sedlak, leading Avila to a 25-22 win to start the night.

Avila then got off to a brilliant start in set two, scoring the first seven points of the frame, the last two coming off aces from Daphne Gardner. Avila then stretched that lead to as many as ten points, 15-5, when Phoebe Riddle and Maddie Jones teamed up for a block. PSU finally got into the set and managed to string a couple of points together at different intervals, but the Bobcats never threatened to break into that big early Eagle edge. Gardner set up Chelsea Schatzer to finish off a convincing 25-20 win.

Avila once against started strong in the third set, up 5-1 immediately on Sedlak's serve. But this time Peru State had a response, scoring the next five points to take a 6-5 lead. It was close early, but once the Eagles grabbed the lead on the serve of Ava Leathers the visitors never trailed again.

PSU cut it to two after a mini rally that Avila eliminated by scoring six of the next eight to build their largest lead, 22-16, thanks to a pair of kills by both Riddle and Paige Huhman, and though the Bobcats managed to hang around for a little while late one final service error closed the book on the third set, giving the Eagles a 25-22 win and a straight sets victory.

Addison Schneider was the most efficient hitter on a Bobcat team that hit just .101 in the match to Avila's .175 – Schneider tallied seven kills with no errors, a .438 hit percentage. Jones led the Eagles with a game-high 13 kills on .265 hitting, while Sedlak had 11; Dittmer and Riddle combined for 11 with only two errors. Gardner got back to her double-double ways with 33 assists and 10 digs; Abigail Blake led all players with 16 digs, and Reagan Moody had 14.

Up next, Avila volleyball gets a little time off before the Eagles begin conference competition next week. Saint Mary is first up on the conference slate for the Eagles, in a game scheduled for 7 PM on Wednesday, September 20 in Mabee Fieldhouse. For any updates about the game, stay tuned to avilaathletics.com.