Box Score LANGHORNE, PA - The Highlanders continued conference play this evening in Langhorne, as they welcomed the Gators of Notre Dame of Maryland to the Mason Activity Center. The Highlanders would take care of business earning the sweep of the Gators by winning 26-24; 25-13; 27-25.

Box Score,

This is the second time that the two teams have met, with the first coming earlier in the season at the Penn State Abington Quad Match. In the previous match up the Gators would win the first two sets, and the Highlanders would rally to win the match in five sets.

Tonight, the first set continued to go back and forth as no team was able to to go on a significant run and take the momentum. Cairn was up 17-14, before the Gators were able to tie the game at 18 and then again at 24. The Highlanders were able to dig deep and get the last two points to take the first set 26-24.

Everything was working for Cairn in the second set as the team boasted a .417 hitting percentage. With the set tied at 10, Cairn would then go on a 15-3 run to close out the second set and take a 2-0 lead over the visiting Gators.

In set three, Cairn was rolling again and looked to be on their way to pick up their second straight sweep and conference win, until Kelsey Johnson went diving to dig a ball and would eventually have to leave the game with an elbow injury. The team clearly shaken up over their teammate departing, then saw the momentum shift to Notre Dame. Cairn, up 18-10, would need just seven more points to close out the match, however the Gators would then score six straight points to cut the lead to 18-16. Notre Dame did not give up and was able to tie the set at 25. After a Notre Dame service error, it would be Whitney Seidel that got the final kill for the Highlanders, who completed the sweep.

Seidel had this to say about the team and game. "We really battled today. We were battling point for point every set. We got a big lead in the third, then hurt a little mentally and definitely physically when Kelsey got hurt, but we pulled it out.  Our thoughts and prayers are with her, we love her and want her to come back soon. We have to continue to build off of this game, it is now two straight conference wins for us and we are looking for a third on Saturday at Homecoming."

Kate Steger led the way for the Highlanders with a game high 14 kills. Brigid Shehan had 11 kills on 24 attempts boasting a .458 hitting percentage. Sami Delfino continued her streak of 17 straight matches with double digit kills, having a game high 31 tonight.

The Highlanders continue their home stand on Saturday for Homecoming, as they will welcome in Rosemont to the Mason Activity Center with the match slated to start at 11:00 am.