LANGHORNE, PA – The Cairn University Women's Volleyball team hosted their second consecutive First Round postseason match on Wednesday night, taking on the #12 Phoenix of Wilson College. The five seeded Highlanders picked up another sweep on the season, dispatching Wilson 3-0.
 
Cairn (16-6 / 7-3 UNITED EAST) opened up by getting ahead 13-7 as sophomore outside hitter Bridget Dahn (Smithsburg, MD / Heritage Academy) added two kills and an ace. As junior defensive specialist Delaney Hollenbeck (Kingsley, PA / Lackawanna College) took the serve for two aces and another kill from Dahn, the Highlanders went running ahead to the finish line of set one. Freshman middle Maddie Shackelford (Warrington, PA / Plumstead Christian) hammered home the set-winning kill as Cairn won 25-14.
 
The Highlanders opened the second frame on a 9-3 run behind the serve of freshman defensive specialist Liliana Magazzu (Reading, PA / Exeter) who dropped in an ace in the process. Sophomore middle Georgianna Thorpe (Southampton, PA / William Tennent) had two kills with a block assist during the run while Dahn added four kills in the early part of the set. Wilson (4-22 / 3-7 UNITED EAST) looked to answer but was responded to with another run by way of seniors Caroline Conrad (Bangkok, Thailand / International Community School) and Hendryl Peabody (Bensalem, PA / Faith Baptist Christian Academy) who pushed the lead up to 19-7. Thorpe provided two more kills down the stretch as the set was finished off the same way it started with Magazzu serving and scoring an ace, 25-10.
 
The Phoenix took the lead in the third set, albeit a narrow one, 4-3, before Conrad fired away two kills to help get the momentum swayed her way. She then took the serve, scoring a pair of aces while Shackelford and Peabody added kills to push the lead to 16-8. Magazzu tallied another ace when she took the serve in the third set with Dahn and Thorpe notching another kill apiece. Sophomore outside hitter Madison Searls (Seaford, DE / Salisbury Christian) took the serve at the end of the frame, sending the Highlanders onward into the postseason with two aces.
 
Peabody and Dahn each totaled a game-high nine kills on .318 and .261 hitting, respectively. Dahn added two block assists as well. Thorpe had eight kills and two block assists. Hollenbeck and Magazzu each finished with a trio of aces. Graduate setter Olivia Zepp (Westminster, MD / Francis Scott Key) picked up 32 assists in the three-set match.
 
The Highlanders will advance to take on #4 Penn State Harrisburg on Saturday in Middletown, PA for the United East Women's Volleyball Championship – Semifinal.