LANGHORNE, Pa. – The Cairn University women's volleyball team continued right where they left off, sweeping the Wildcats of Penn College of Technology 3-0 (25-21, 25-12, 25-15) at home on Saturday morning. With the win, the Highlanders start the 2022 campaign with a 2-0 record, the first time they've done so since 2013.
"After a slow start in the first set, we really found our groove as the game progressed." remarked Head Coach
Whitney Seidel.
"Our offense was smart and efficient and we stayed steady at the service line. We have much to work on as we look towards our goals for the rest of our season, but I have a feeling that this 2-0 start is a sign of good things to come!"
Cairn (2-0) found themselves in a close first set with Penn College of Technology (0-2), going back and forth early in the set. The set was knotted up at 7-7 before the Highlanders ignited a six-point swing, highlighted by a pair of kills from fifth-year
Allison Barnes (Macungie, PA / Salem Christian) to take a 13-7 lead. Cairn controlled the momentum from that point onward, and despite a late push by the Wildcats, the Highlanders held on for a 25-21 first set victory.
The second set carried a different tone than the first, with Cairn running out to a 7-0 advantage to begin the set. Barnes got the rally rolling with four straight aces and the Highlanders never looked back from there. Sophomore
Caroline Conrad (Bangkok, Thailand / International Community School) led with five kills in the set as Cairn won the frame 25-12. The Highlanders put away the Wildcats in set three, 25-15, to complete the shutout for the second time in as many games.
Conrad paced the Highlander attack with 10 kills with six aces, while Barnes had with nine kills and seven aces, along with sharing the only block of the match with sophomore
Hendryl Peabody (Bensalem, PA / Faith Baptist). Peabody added six kills of her own. Junior
Olivia Zepp (Westminster, MD / Francis Scott Key) contributed 31 of the Highlanders' 36 assists, and scooped 12 digs on the defensive end. Fifth-year
Caroline Bennett (Little Silver, NJ / Red Bank Regional) hammered home six kills with no errors, attributing to a career-high .545 hitting percentage. Freshman
Payton Cline (Falling Waters, WV / Heritage Academy) recorded a team- and career high 14 digs in her contribution to the winning effort.
The Highlanders are back on the court Tuesday, September 6, wrapping up their home stand against the Griffins of Gwynedd Mercy University at 7 p.m.
