Lancaster, PA - The Cairn Highlanders fell to the University of Valley Forge Patriots on Saturday 3-0 in the first round of the NCCAA East Region Tournament. The loss is the first for the Highlanders to the Patriots since 2002 in 22 matches. The loss also means the Highlanders will not continue in the NCCAA East Region; Valley Forge will play Lancaster Bible College in the East Region Final.
Brigid Shehan led the Highlanders in kills with 17 but had to make up for the absence of Kate Steger. With the loss, Cairn drops their overall record to 11-15 overall and with the win, Valley Forge improved to 14-10 on the season.
Despite the drop in attacking power, Cairn and Valley Forge played an extremely tight first set which could have gone either way. The Patriots' lead reached as many as five points, three different times in the set, but the Highlanders came back to within one at 20-21.
Cairn then tied the game at 23-23 on a kill by Shehan but the Highlanders could not finish off the set. Gabrielle Martin hit a kill for the Patriots and Aubrie McQuown ended it with a service ace.
The Highlanders could not get as close to winning a set in the second or third. Cairn jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the second set but Valley Forge came right back to take the lead at 9-8. The Patriots controlled the rest of the set and took a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-18 score.
Valley Forge forced Cairn to take a timeout in the third set after taking a 10-7 lead. The Highlanders brought the score back to 11-10 following the timeout but the Patriots again pulled away. Valley Forge took the third set 25-15 and the match with a 3-0 sweep. With the win the Patriots snapped their 12-year losing streak to the Highlanders.
Cairn will have to bounce back for a home match on Wednesday, Oct. 29, when they take on conference foe Marywood in the Mason Activity Center at 7 p.m.
After their match, three Highlanders were recognized with All-NCCAA East Region awards. Brigid Shehan made First Team, Kate Steger made Second Team, and Whitney Seidel made Honorable Mention.
