Union, NJ - The Cairn men's volleyball team completed the Kean Winter Classic on Friday afternoon with a pair of matches against Mount Saint Vincent and Kean University. The Highlanders were swept by the Mount Saint Vincent Dolphins in the first match of Friday afternoon by a final of 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 26-24). In the nightcap, the Highlanders were swept by the Kean Cougars 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-17).
 
Mount Saint Vincent defeats Cairn University 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 26-24)
The Cairn Highlanders dropped three close set to Mount Saint Vincent and outkilled the Dolphins in the match, but ultimately fell in straight sets, 3-0. In the match Andy Willits tied a career-high with 19 kills, matching his previous high from Feb. 6, 2015 (Eastern Mennonite) and Jan. 30, 2016 (Lancaster Bible). Micah Godshall dished out 25 assists as Cairn's setter on the afternoon, also a career-high for the Highlanders' regular opposite hitter. Godshall entered the match with 19 career assists before handing out 25 dimes in three sets.
 
Juston Wolgemuth collected six kills and Ryan Ludvik added four more for the Highlanders in the loss.
 
In the first set the Highlanders held control for a majority of the game. Cairn led by as many as three points with the score 16-13 after a pair of errors by the Dolphins. Mount Saint Vincent then went on a 6-1 run to take a 19-17 lead, but he Highlanders came back with a 1-0 run of their own. The short run for Cairn was highlighted by a block from Ryan Ludvik and Ben Chapman.
 
The Dolphins then took advantage of four errors by the Highlanders to win six of the last eight points to grab the 25-22 victory in the first set.
 
In the second set the Dolphins grabbed the upper-hand early on, taking a 9-4 lead. Cairn worked their way back thanks to a 6-1 run that was highlighted by two kills from Andy Willits, and ace from Joffrey Rosa, and a kill from Micah Godshall. That run tied the game and Cairn eventually took a 15-12 lead after four-straight points with Ryan Ludvik serving.
 
A kill by the Dolphins' Jordan Steiger ended the Cairn run and started a 9-2 stretch for Mount Saint Vincent. Now trailing 21-17 the Highlanders went on a 4-1 run to pull within one at 22-21, but three late errors gave the Dolphins the second set 25-21.
 
The third set was the closest of the match. Momentum changed hands multiple times in the early portion of the set with each squad using large runs. Cairn had the better of play staking an 18-14 lead after a 4-0 run broke a 14-14 tie.
 
Cairn pushed that lead to as many as five at 22-17, but two Highlanders' errors and three-straight kills from the Dolphins tied the set at 22-22. With the score even, Cairn won two of the next three points and held their first set point of the season, but the Dolphins won three-straight points to claim the set 26-24 and the match 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 26-24).
 
Kean University defeats Cairn University 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-17)
The Kean Cougars completed a perfect 4-0 appearance in their home-tournament with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-17) sweep of the Cairn men's volleyball team. On the flip side, the loss handed the Highlanders their fourth loss in four matches to start the season.
 
Like the first match on Friday, Andy Willits led the offensive effort with 11 kills in the match. Combined with his 19 kills from the Mount Saint Vincent match, Willits ended the day with a team-high 30 kills on the afternoon. Micah Godshall handed out 15 assists, pushing his total on the day to 40 assists.
 
Ryan Ludvik was the only other player with multiple kills against Kean, he accumulated five on 17 total attacks.
 
In the first set of the match the Highlanders and Cougars traded points until the score stood even at 10-10. Kean then went on a quick 4-1 run to take a 14-11 lead. The Cougars did not look back as they steadily built their lead until the end of the set at 25-18. Willits led the Highlanders with four kills in the set while Ryan Ludvik (two) and Juston Wolgemuth (one) also contributed kills in the set.
 
The start of the second set had a very similar feel to the first with the teams standing even at 9-9 after 18 points. A few points later with the Highlanders trailing by one at 13-12, the Cougars went on a 5-1 run to take a five-point lead. Kean then grew their lead to seven at 23-16 before Kean and Cairn traded points to get to the final set score of 25-18.
 
The third set looked to be Cairn's best chance at taking a set as the Highlanders held a slim 14-13 lead over halfway through the set. However, the Cougars had other plans. Kean ended the match on a 12-3 run to take the set 25-17 and complete the sweep of the Highlanders 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-17).
 
The Highlanders will now have a week off until their next match when they travel to the SUNY Polytechnic Wildcat Invitational on Jan. 20 and 21 in Utica, NY. The Highlanders will open the tournament against the host SUNY Poly Wildcats at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.