LANGHORNE, Pa. – The Cairn University men's volleyball team collected their third-straight victory following a 3-0 (25-16, 26-24, 25-17) shutout over non-conference foe Widener University at home on Thursday evening, avenging their earlier season defeat at the hands of the Pride and snapping Widener's four-match win streak.
"Really clean win tonight." remarked Head Coach
Matt Bruder.
"Our whole team brought the focus and intensity that it takes to beat a well-rounded team like Widener. It feels great to be able to win our rematch, especially in such dominant fashion."
Cairn (4-5) jumped out to an early 10-4 lead over Widener (10-7) in the first set. The Highlanders led 21-16 near the end of the frame, before posting the last four points of the set to take a 1-0 match lead. Cairn sparked an early 9-3 lead in set two, before the Pride answered with five-straight points to cut the deficit to one (9-8). Widener took its first lead of the frame at 21-20, before Cairn battled back to send the match to tiebreak (24-24). The Highlanders capped off the set with back-to-back kills courtesy of junior
Joe Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / Holden Christian Academy) to take a 2-0 match lead.
The Highlanders led 12-9 in set three, before putting a firm stranglehold on the contest with a seven-point service run by senior
Joshua Hoagland (Chiang Rai, Thailand / Chiang Rai International Christian School).
Cairn was led offensively by their middles, as Poirier hammered home a team-high nine kills, followed by Hoagland with seven. Junior
Will Nase (Harleysville, PA / Souderton) added eight kills, while freshman
Josh Adler (Levittown, PA / Neshaminy) handed out a match-high 31 assists. Poirier and senior
Cameron Cronk (Quakertown, PA / Quakertown Community) led the defensive effort with three blocks a-piece, and classmate
Josh Moyer (Quakertown, PA / Quakertown Community) scooped up a match-high 10 digs in the win.
The Highlanders will be back on the floor on Saturday, February 25 when they travel to Madison, New Jersey for a non-conference tri-match hosted by Drew University. The Highlanders will duel with Kean University at 1 p.m. before taking on the host Rangers in the nightcap at 3 p.m.
