LANGHORNE, PA – The Cairn University Men's Volleyball team hosted the Eastern University Eagles in non-conference play on Thursday night, dropping the match 3-1.
 
Eastern (4-5) opened on a 7-1 run. The Highlanders battled back behind a kill each from freshman outside hitter Sam Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu), senior outside hitter Noah Ruiz Esparza (Levittown, PA / Berean Academy), and senior opposite hitter Joe Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu) with Cairn (0-4) now down 11-6. The latter Poirier dropped in an ace to make it 17-10 after a sneaky kill from sophomore setter Josh Adler (Levittown, PA / Neshaminy). Graduate middle hitter Jake Tolar (Fort Mill, SC / Nation Ford) had two late kills but they were not enough as Eastern took set one, 25-16.
 
Cairn would turn things around in the second set, getting out to their own 7-1 lead to start via the serve of Adler. The Eagles fought back to an 8-6 deficit. Adler assisted Ruiz Esparza and then two kills from junior middle hitter Tommy Ragonese (Buffalo, NY / Royalton-Hartland) before Sam Poirier went for three kills in a row to get some distance with a 15-11 lead. Ragonese, Ruiz Esparza, and Joe Poirier each had kills down the stretch as the Highlanders took set two 25-19.
 
The third set was played tight with neither team wanting to go down 2-1 in the match. An ace from Ruiz Esparza would put the Highlanders ahead 8-5. Tolar and Sam Poirier found the floor on the other side with a pair of kills keeping Cairn ahead 13-9 and Porier adding two more to put the Highlanders up 19-16. Eastern flew back into the game, taking a 20-19 lead. Attack errors by both sides forced a 24-24 tie. As Eastern went up 25-24, Joe Poirier hammered home a kill with a game on the line. Cairn would serve to the net with Eastern finding the floor on the Highlander side, taking the third set 27-25, giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The Eagles brought their momentum from the previous set into the fourth, opening with four straight points and a 6-2 lead. Cairn fought back to make it 7-5 with back to back aces from Tolar. Eastern continued to fire kills over the net, holding the Highlanders to 14 points in the decisive fourth set, taking the match in 25-14.
 
Sam Poirier marked a new best with 15 kills and 15.5 points in his young career with Joe Poirier and Ruiz Esparza behind him with 7 and 6 kills, respectively. Tolar was the top net defender, adding pairs of solo blocks and block assists with two aces. Adler had a big game on the offensive side, providing 33 assists. Sophomore libero Kobe Cash (Yardley, PA / Calvary Christian Academy) locked down, scooping up 15 digs.
 
Cairn matches up next with Widener on the road Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. from the Schwartz Athletic Center in Chester, PA.