Bryn Athyn, PA - The Cairn women's volleyball team fell to the Bryn Athyn Lions for the third time this season on Wednesday evening, dropping the match 3-1 (25-17, 14-25, 25-17, 25-19). Haley Sheehan highlighted the Cairn offensive effort on the evening with her second double-double of the season. Sheehan collected 10 digs along with 11 kills in the match.
 
Olivia Smiley opened up the match with a kill on the very first point, but it unfortunately it did not spark a great offensive set for the Highlanders. The Lions jumped out to leads of 8-4 and 11-5 before eventually leading 14-8 midway through the set. After falling into the early hole the Highlanders played the Lions pretty even the rest of the way, but it wasn't enough as Cairn would eventually drop the set 25-17.
 
Bryn Athyn swung at an impressive .370 hitting percentage with 12 kills and just two errors in the set. The Highlanders did collect nine kills in the game, but added nine errors for a .000 hitting percentage.
 
The second set was one of the strongest sets of season for the Highlanders. Cairn swung at a .306 clip in the game with 15 kills. The Lions and Highlanders stood even at 6-6 in the early going, but Cairn used a 9-2 run to open up some breathing room at 15-8. The run was highlighted with kills from Sheehan and Smiley as well as aces from Ashley Chamberlin and Whitney Seidel.
 
While he run came to a close on a service error, the Highlanders hot play continued through the rest of the set. Later in the set Cairn went on separate runs of 5-1 and 4-1 before taking the second set by a 25-14 final.
 
With the match now level at 1-1, both teams needed the third set to swing the momentum in their direction. Despite Cairn coming off a big victory in the second set, the Lions came out swinging and took and early 7-3 lead. The Highlanders then went on a 9-2 run to take a 12-9 lead.
 
After the run for the Highlanders, Bryn Athyn clawed their way back into the match eventually tying the set at 17-17. With Sam Hicks serving for the Lions, Bryn Athyn closed out the set with eight-straight points to take the important third set by a 25-17 final.
 
Looking for their third victory over the Highlanders this season, Bryn Athyn controlled the fourth set and came away with the 25-19 win in the set to claim the set and the match. After Cairn jumped out to an early 3-1 lead behind kills from Brie Norton and Smiley the Lions sent on a quick 6-1 run to take a 7-4 lead.
 
While the Highlanders briefly tied the match at 11-11, the Lions did not let Cairn regain the lead and used a 5-1 run to retake a lead they would not give up the rest of the way. While a kill by Smiley closed the lead to one at 19-18, Bryn Athyn responded with a 6-1 run to finish the set and the match.
 
The loss drops the Highlanders to 4-17 on the season. Cairn will complete their season on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Cedar Crest. The match is slated to start at 1:00 p.m.