LANGHORNE, Pa. – The Cairn University men's volleyball team won, 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 25-12, 20-25, 18-16) in a five-set battle against non-conference adversary Neumann University at home on Thursday evening, completing the season sweep against the Knights.
Neumann (6-7) got out to an early 14-12 lead, before Cairn (2-4) answered by scoring nine of the next ten points and claimed the first set, 25-21. The Knights claimed set two to even up the match, before the Highlanders steamrolled Neumann in the third set to take a 2-1 match lead. The Knights did not go quietly, taking the fourth set to send the bout to a fifth and final set. In that set, both teams traded the lead back-and-forth and were deadlocked at 15 a-piece in a win-by-two scenario towards the end of the decisive set. Cairn reclaimed the lead off a stout block in the middle by junior
Caleb Horning (Adamstown, PA / Cocalico) and sophomore
Joe Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School) to take a 16-15 lead, before a service error by the Highlanders knotted the match back up. Cairn collected momentum on the next point courtesy of a thunderous kill by junior
Joshua Hoagland (Chiang Rai, Thailand / Chiang Rai International Christian School) and won the match following an attack error by the Knights.
Cairn was led offensively by sophomore
Will Nase (Harleysville, PA / Souderton) who hammered home a career-high 18 kills and scooped up 15 digs. Nase was followed by Hoagland, who also posted a career-high with 10 kills to the tune of a season-high .304 hitting percentage. Hoagland matched classmate
Austin Tea (Rochester, NY / Greece Athena) with a team-high four service aces. Tea also posted 11 digs, both career-highs for the junior. Junior
Cameron Cronk (Quakertown, PA / Quakertown Community) and Poirier each recorded eight kills, while Poirier held firm in the middle, tying a career-high with six total blocks. Junior
Josh Moyer (Quakertown, PA / Quakertown Community) led the defensive effort with a career-high 19 digs, while Cronk earned 13 digs. Sophomore setter
Nathan Tran (Turnersville, NJ / Washington Township) made the most of his second career start, dishing out 45 assists and collecting 13 digs, both career-highs. Tran's 45 assists are the most in a match by a Highlander since
Ryan Ludvik (50 vs. Lehman College) in 2018.
Cairn will be back in action on Wednesday, March 2 when it begins Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play at home against the University of Valley Forge at 7 p.m,
