Langhorne, PA - On Saturday morning the Cairn Highlanders hosted No. 9 Marymount (VA) and Alvernia in a CVC tri-match in the Mason Activity Center. The Highlanders dropped the first match of the day against Marymount 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-17), but rebounded to win their first home match of the season with a 3-2 (25-19, 15-25, 25-22, 17-15, 15-9) victory over the Alvernia Crusaders.
 
Marymount defeats Cairn 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-17)
The Highlanders opened the tri-match with a meeting against No. 9 Marymount (VA). The Saints controlled a majority of the opening set and jumped out to a 15-7 lead over the Highlanders. Cairn called a timeout and quickly responded with an 8-3 run to pull with three at 18-15. Andy Willits led the run with a pair of kills and a service ace.
 
The Saints started to pull away after the Cairn run and led 21-15 before the Highlanders called another timeout. After the timeout, the Highlanders rattled off a quick 4-1 run with a kill by Ben Chapman and two from Juston Wolgemuth to close the gap to 22-19. The Saints put a kibosh on the comeback by winning three of the final four points and taking the set 25-20.
 
The second set started much like the first, with the Saints taking an early lead. Marymount led by scores of 17-7 and 20-11 before the Highlanders rallied. Cairn closed the margin to five points with a 5-1 run that included a kill from Willits and another from Micah Godshall.
 
Once again the Saints finished strong, this time winning four of the final five points to claim the set 25-17 and take a 2-0 lead heading to the third set.
 
In the third set, the Highlanders controlled the majority of the play in the first half of the set. Cairn held a slim lead until the score stood at 11-8 after a service error by the Saints. Marymount then scored five of the next six points to take a 13-12 lead. After a service error tied the set at 13-13, the Saints closed out the match on a 12-4 run to take the set 25-17 and the match in straight sets 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-17).
 
Andy Willits led all players with 10 kills in the match, while Jon Simpson dished out 21 assists and Ryan Ludvik collected 12 digs. Willits also added 10 digs for his team-high fourth double-double of the season.
 
Cairn defeats Alvernia 3-2 (25-19, 15-25, 25-22, 17-15, 15-9)
The Cairn Highlanders earned their first home victory of the season with a thrilling 3-2 match against the Alvernia Crusaders. Cairn dropped two matches to the Crusaders earlier this season, but topped Alvernia on Senior Day to end the 2017 home slate on a high note. Not only was the victory the Highlanders first at home this season, it was also their first CVC win of the year.
 
Cairn started the match in the driver's seat, quickly jumping out to an 11-7 lead. The Highlanders expanded that lead with a 10-3 run that featured kills from four different Highlanders including three from Andy Willits. After a kill from Ben Chapman, the Highlanders led 21-12 and despite four-straight points later in the set, the Highlanders took the first game by a score of 25-19.
 
Leading 1-0 for the first time in a match since Feb. 24 (vs. Bard College), the Highlanders struggled to carry their first set momentum into the second. The set stayed tight with Cairn trailing, 11-10 after consecutive errors by the Crusaders.  Alvernia then pounced with a 9-1 run to take a sizable 20-11 lead. For all intents and purposes, that run ended the set and the Crusaders tied the match at 1-1 with a 25-15 win in the second set.
 
The Highlanders were next to punch in this back and forth battle. In the third set the Highlanders jumped out to a 12-7 lead. After a kill from Joffrey Rosa, Cairn led comfortable at 21-14. The advantage turned much less comfy when the Crusaders strung together a 7-1 run to pull within one at 22-21. A Cairn timeout turned the momentum and the Highlanders used two kills from Willits to take three of the final four points to win the set 25-22.
 
The fourth set was back-and-forth until the score stood at 8-7 in favor of the home squad. Alvernia then rattled off six-straight points to take a 13-8 lead. Following the six-point run the Highlanders were unable to win consecutive points and the Crusaders won the set 25-17.
 
With the fourth set going to the Crusaders, the match drew even at 2-2 forcing a decisive fifth set for the first time this season for Cairn. Alvernia was playing in just their fourth such match this season (1-2 previously).
 
The fifth set was even after back-to-back errors for the Highlanders tied the set at 8-8. Cairn then took advantage of an attacking error and won the next five points to take a 13-8 lead. Alvernia's Ralph Lunati collected a kill to make it 13-9, but the Highlanders took the next two points to win the set (25-15) and the match (3-2).
 
Micah Godshall (16 kills, 12 digs) and Andy Willits (22 kills and 10 digs) each collected double-doubles in the match, marking the first time this season that teammates collected double-doubles in the same match. Jon Simpson dished out a career-high 45 assists in the contest, while Ryan Ludvik earned a career-high 29 digs. For Ludvik, it was his fourth-straight match with double-digit digs and his 14th such match of the season
 
As mentioned, the win was the first in the CVC for the Highlanders this season. Cairn improves to 1-11 in the conference this season and 4-24 overall.
 
The Highlanders will wrap up the 2017 season this week with two matches on the road at Thiel College and Juniata College. The Highlanders will travel to Thiel on Friday with the match slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.