Swarthmore, PA – Cairn men's basketball lost their first game of the season on Saturday afternoon to Swarthmore College with a close score of 64-57. The Highlanders had a one-point lead with 3:33 to play in the game but the Garnet were just a little more consistent down the stretch to win the game.
 
The Highlanders shot a total 32% from the field, compared to the Garnet's 40%. Swarthmore also scored 38 points in the paint to Cairn's 16. Leading the team for Cairn was Gerroid Doughty II (Raleigh, NC) with 16 points, followed by Brennan Addley (Philadelphia, PA) with 14, and Julian Collazo (Lancaster, PA) with 12. Doughty II also led the team in rebounding with six in the game.
 
Swarthmore grabbed 48 rebounds in the game, compared to Cairn's 30. The Garnet were led by Chris Bourne with 20 points and Robbie Walsh with 12. Bourne and Walsh also led the team in rebounding with 12 and 14, respectively.
 
For the third game in a row, Cairn trailed at the half; the deficit was just one in this game, 29-28. It was a slow start to the second half with neither team scoring for the first two minutes. Collazo put the team in the lead shortly after that with a three-pointer and a layup on a fast break.
 
The lead exchanged hands over the next seven minutes of the second half and Collazo gave the Highlanders their largest lead of five with another three-pointer. The score was then tied at 49-49 at the 6:51 mark and stayed that way for the next three minutes of the game.
 
Swarthmore broke the tie with a Chris Bourne layup but the Highlanders responded with a three-pointer by JD Zamroz (Perkasie, PA). Swarthmore took a four-point lead shortly after with a three-pointer and another layup. Cairn could not respond, missing three shots from beyond the arc after that.
 
The Garnet stretched the lead to 10 without an answer from the Highlanders. Before the final horn, Addley put in a layup and Doughty II hit a three-pointer but it wasn't enough to get past the Garnet. Both teams were undefeated heading into the game but the Highlanders dropped to 4-1 overall with the loss. Swarthmore improved to 4-0 with the win.
 
The Highlanders will next travel to Medgar Evers College in New York on Monday, Nov. 30.