Greenville, PA - Cairn University faced off against Thiel College for the first time this season and were beaten in three sets by the Tomcats. For the Highlanders, it was their eighth CVC loss of 2015 as well as their lowest recorded hitting percentage of the season.

Three Highlanders led the team with four kills each: Josiah Buss, Ryan Garven, and Micah Godshall. Alex Lower had 15 assists while Garven and Matthew Rhodes led in digs with seven each. As a team, Cairn finished with just 18 kills in the match.

The Tomcats' blocking was a force in the match, recording 20 block assists. Thiel also served strong to Cairn and hit 11 service aces. 

The first set went by quick as Cairn was held to just three kills along with 12 attacking errors. Thiel took an easy first set win at 25-11 after putting Cairn on their heels early with a 5-0 run. 

Cairn fell behind again in the second set but found their stride towards the end of the game. The Highlanders were down 23-14 but won eight of the next nine points to come within two at 24-22. Thiel took a timeout there and finished off the set with a kill by Cody Patterson. 

Thiel's Dylan Lasher led the team with nine kills, he was followed by Patterson with seven. Zach Rombach led the Tomcats in digs with eight. 

Unfortunately for Cairn, the third set went by in much the same way that the first did and they fell to Thiel 25-13. The Highlanders moved to 9-13 overall with the loss and 0-8 in the conference. The Tomcats improved to 9-9 on the season and 3-4 in the CVC. 

The Highlanders will try to make up for the result when they travel to Juniata College tomorrow, Mar. 7, to take on the Eagles and Wells College in a tri-match.