Clarks Summit, PA – Competing in their Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) opener the Cairn women's volleyball team traveled to take on the Clarks Summit Defenders, dropping the match in straight sets 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-17).
The Highlanders jumped out to a hot start taking an 8-5 lead. The early lead was fueled by
Ashley Chamberlin and
Ashley Wharton kills as well as a pair of kills from
Whitney Seidel. A kill by Clarks Summit's Jamie Zalman ended the early run for Cairn and started a 7-4 stretch for the Defenders that tied the set at 12-12.
With the set squared at 12-12 the Defenders won 13 of the final 17 points to take the first set by a 25-16 final. All told, Clarks Summit ended the set on a 20-8 run to take control of the match with the first set victory.
Set two started with the Defenders and Highlanders trading points back and forth for the first half of the set. The Highlanders held the largest lead of the early going at 9-6 after three-straight errors by the Defenders. With the score tied 11-11, the Defenders rattled off six-straight points to take a 17-11 lead. The Highlanders came roaring back with four-straight points with Seidel collecting a kill to close the gap to 17-15.
The Defenders continued their strong play with a quick 5-0 run that was highlighted by consecutive service aces by Joelle Howard that made it 22-15. Cairn fought back yet again with a 4-1 run to make it 23-19, but the Defenders ended the set with a pair of kills and took set two 25-19.
Like the two sets before it, the Highlanders took an early lead in the third set but struggled to put away the defenders eventually dropping the set by a score of 25-17. Cairn took an 9-6 lead to start the set.
Ashley Chamberlin was a big part of the run collecting back-to-back kills late in the stretch. That beginning stretch by the Highlanders was flipped when the Defenders went on an 9-2 run of their own to take a 15-11 lead.
After a 5-0 Cairn run, the Defenders went on a 10-2 run to take the third set 25-17 and sweep the match.
The Highlanders next take the court on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. when they travel to Morristown, NJ to take on the College of Saint Elizabeth.
