Women's Volleyball Holds on To Beat Peru State in Five Games

Lamoni, Iowa., (Oct. 14, 2023)- The Missouri Valley College women's volleyball team traveled to both Lamoni, Iowa, Friday, and Peru, Neb., Saturday for Heart of America Athletic Conference matches against Graceland (Iowa) and Peru State (Neb.).  The Vikings swept the Yellowjackets, then won a five-game match against the Bobcats.

In Saturday's first game against Peru State, Missouri Valley won four-straight points, which included one kill from Oliviera, Simun and Schulte to move ahead, 4-1.  Peru State worked back to a 7-6 lead, and continued to build up the advantage from there.  The Vikings eventually sat in an 18-13 deficit.  Day finished off one kill, and Oliviera capped a run with a kill as MVC won four of five points to cut the gap to 19-17.  The Bobcats answered by winning four of the next five points and making it a 23-17 score.  Missouri Valley was unable to get back into the game late, and PSC won the opener, 25-21.

Game two opened with one kill from Bertholdo and Simun, to go with an ace from Oliviera to help MVC hold a 4-3 advantage.  Peru State came back to win the next five points and move in front, 8-4.  The Vikings chipped away at the deficit, and used three-straight kills from Oliviera, Simun and Bertholdo to tie the game at 12-12.  The Bobcats went back on top, 17-14, then Missouri Valley tied the teams again, after one kill from both Simun and Parera, with the two teaming up on a block, to make it a 17-17 score.  The Vikings went back in front on another kill from Simun, and pulled away late.  After PSC tied the teams at 20-20, Missouri Valley won five of the next six points, helped by one kill from Parera and two kills from Oliviera.  Day and Schulte teamed up on a block to push the score to game-point, and Bertholdo landed the final kill to complete a 25-21 win.

With the match even at one game apiece, The Vikings slowly worked up a lead early in the third game.  Bertholdo landed the first kill of the game for MVC, followed by a block by Parera and Simun.  Simin then put down one kill and an ace, while Oliviera finished off one more kill as the score sat at 8-4.  The two teams traded points over the next stretch, and MVC stayed on top, 15-13.  Peru State won three-straight to pull ahead, 16-15.  Missouri Valley answered with three-straight points, which included one kill from Oliviera, to give the team an 18-16 lead.  Another three-point run from Missouri Valley, using one kill from both Berholdo and Simun, along with an ace from Palsis, made it a 23-21 score.  The Bobcats tied the teams late, but Simun landed another kill, and Bertholdo finished off an ace to give MVC a 25-23 win.

The fourth game started with the Vikings moving in front, as two-straight kills from Oliviera gave the team a 10-6 lead.  Peru State got back into the game, and tied the score at 13-13.  Four of the next five points went to Missouri Valley, as Simun and Parera each had one kill to make it a 17-14 score.  The Vikings eventually held a 19-15 advantage before The Bobcats came back.  Four-straight points went to PSC to tie the game at 19-19.  The teams traded points from there, and a Simun kill evened the game at 23-23.  Peru State claimed the final two points to win, 25-23, and forced a fifth game.

Missouri Valley gained control early in the fifth game, as Oliviera, Bertholdo and Simun each landed one kill to move in front, 5-2.  Another two kills from Simun, and an ace from Bertholdo, stretched the advantage to 8-3.  Parera and Day teamed up on a block and Oliviera finished off one kill as the lead grew to 13-6.  Peru State won the next three points, but one more kill from Oliviera and Simun brought game five to an end, 15-9, and gave Missouri Valley the win, 3-2, in games.

Oliviera led with a double-double of 19 kills and 11 digs, while Simun had a double-double of 16 kills and 13 digs.  Bertholdo finished with 17 kills.  Day added a double-double of 47 assists and 17 digs, while Palsis led with 26 digs.  Senior Defensive Specialist Genevieve Hopkinson (Spanish Fork, Utah) added 10 digs.  Missouri Valley totaled with six blocks and seven aces.

The pair of wins move Missouri Valley to 14-12 overall and 6-6 in the Heart.

Up next, the Viking women's volleyball team will travel to Fayette, Mo., for a Tuesday Heart match against No. 19 Central Methodist (Mo.), at 7 p.m.

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About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.