ST. MARY'S CITY, MD – Cairn Women's Volleyball put the undefeated conference record on the line once again as they were bested by St. Mary's College of Maryland on Saturday, 3-1.
 
Cairn (13-4 / 5-1 UNITED EAST) opened up with a promising attack thanks to three straight kills from senior opposite Hendryl Peabody (Bensalem, PA / Faith Baptist Christian Academy) to give the Highlanders a 4-0 lead. The Seahawks responded back with their first lead, 9-8, and ran ahead 13-8. With a kill each from senior outside hitter Caroline Conrad (Bangkok Thailand / International Community School) and freshman middle Maddie Shackelford (Warrington, PA / Plumstead Christian) Cairn looked to beak the momentum but St. Mary's (14-10 / 6-1 UNITED EAST) broke away 19-11 as they closed the gap to 25. The Seahawks would take the first set 25-11.
 
The offensive would trade shots back and forth to start the second until Cairn took a 14-12 lead on a kill by sophomore middle Madison Delp (York, PA / Clarks Summit University). St. Mary's would counter and go ahead 19-18 and then give Cairn the lead with four-straight attack errors. The Seahawk miscues would cost them the second set as the Highlanders tied things up for the match with a narrow 25-23 win.
 
The Seahawks jumped out to an early 8-3 lead in the third frame as Conrad, Peabody, and graduate setter Olivia Zepp (Westminster, MD / Francis Scott Key) all delivered kills to stay within striking distance. St. Mary's ran back ahead 19-14 before sophomore outside hitter Bridget Dahn (Smithsburg, MD / Heritage Academy) delivered a kill and two aces to cut the distance. A block and ace for St. Mary's would be enough to overcome Cairn's push as they took the third set 25-20 with the game on the line in the fourth.
 
St. Mary's held the lead almost the entire fourth set opening 12-7 and building. Peabody added four kills in short time to keep the deficit to four points, but the Seahawks continued to sprint to the finish. Three late kills and an ace would put St. Mary's on top with a fourth set score of 25-20.
 
Peabody finished the afternoon with 11 kills and 12.5 points off of three block assists. Conrad had seven kills while Dahn collected six and three aces. Sophomore middle Georgianna Thorpe (Southampton, PA / William Tennent) had five total blocks with three solo and two assisted.
 
Cairn will match up with Bryn Athyn College on the road Wednesday before finishing the regular season at home starting with the conference leader in Gallaudet on Friday night.