HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – The Cairn University women's volleyball team collected its fourth-consecutive victory to start the 2022 season with a four-set triumph (25-16, 22-25, 25-19, 25-20) in their first road contest of the year at Centenary University (NJ) on Wednesday evening. With the win, the Highlanders move to 4-0 on the season, the most consecutive wins to start a campaign since 2007, a year they won their first four matches and finished 30-9 overall.
"We battled every point of tonight's match." remarked Head Coach
Whitney Seidel.
"It was a win we truly had to earn, and I am so proud of the way that this team continues to face different kinds of adversity and rise above it all.
Cairn (4-0) held a slim 6-5 lead over Centenary (0-2) in set one, before rolling out a 7-1 run to take a commanding 13-6 lead. The Highlanders cruised to a 25-16 victory in the first set. The Cyclones had the answer in set two, battling to an 18-17 lead near the end of the frame, before utilizing a four-point swing to take a 22-17 lead. The Cyclones claimed set two, 25-22. In set three, both teams were deadlocked at 17 a-piece, before Cairn swung momentum in their favor with a six-point run. Senior
Allison Barnes (Macungie, PA / Salem Christian) notched six kills in set three and led the Highlanders to a 25-19 win, giving Cairn a 2-1 match lead.
The fourth set proved to be the deciding stanza, with both teams going back-and-forth to the tune of eight ties and five lead changes. Near the end of the set, Cairn held to a 21-20 lead, before slamming the door shut on the Cyclones by scoring the final four points of the bout to close out the match.
Barnes led the way offensively for Cairn with a career-high 17 kills to the tune of a scorching .536 hitting percentage, also a career-high. Sophomore
Caroline Conrad (Bangkok, Thailand / International Community School) followed with eight kills and 12 digs, while senior
Kali Burres-Cheeley (Wanque, NJ / Hawthorne Christian) added seven kills and a season-high 19 digs. Junior
Olivia Zepp (Westminster, MD / Francis Scott Key) dished out a season-high 32 assists, while senior
Lizzy Fay (Langhorne, PA / Neshaminy) matched Conrad with a season-high 12 digs.
Cairn will be back in action on Saturday, September 10 when it puts its undefeated record on the line once again, this time in a tri-match hosted by Bryn Mawr College. The Highlanders will play Rosemont College first at 1 p.m. before dueling with the Owls at 3 p.m. in the nightcap.
