BROOKLYN, NY – The Cairn University Men's Volleyball team tipped off United East conference play on Tuesday night, taking on the Cannoneers of Pratt Institute on the neutral ground of St. Joseph's Brooklyn, picking up a 3-1 victory.
 
In the first set, things played about even before Pratt (4-8 / 0-1 United East) got ahead 6-4. Senior opposite hitter Joe Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu) and freshman outside hitter Sam Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu) got Cairn (2-12 / 1-0 United East) the lead back, 7-6. The Cannoneers would go running again, this time up 11-7. Three attack errors put the Highlanders back in the game down 11-10. Two kills each from graduate middle hitter Jake Tolar (Fort Mill, SC / Nation Ford) and J. Poirier took the lead back, 15-14. With Pratt gaining the advantage back and attempting to hold onto it, the Highlanders went for seven straight unanswered points to end the set, taking a 25-20 set win behind two kills from S. Poirier and an ace by J. Poirier.
 
The second set would open up with a run of 9 straight points for Cairn, now ahead 12-5. The Cannonees scrambled for points but the Highlanders stayed ahead with kills from senior outside hitter Noah Ruiz Esparza (Levittown, PA / Berean Academy), J. Poirier, and junior middle hitter Tommy Ragonese (Buffalo, NY / Royalton-Hartland High School). J. Poirier capped off the 25-14 set win landing a service ace for the final point.
 
With their backs to the wall, Pratt kept things close in set three, forcing extra points as they tied things up at 24-24, taking a one-point advantage on the ensuing serve. Tolar and sophomore middle hitter David Larbi (Bensalem, PA / Bensalem) each added a kill to take the advantage back, up 26-25. Pratt answered with two of their own, adding in a kill from Ragonese to keep the set going, followed by the Cannoneers taking the third set, 29-27.
 
The Highlanders got out to a 6-0 lead to start the fourth set. Pratt attempted to cut the distance, only to be answered with a pair of kills and an ace from J. Poirier. Sophomore setter Josh Adler (Levittown, PA / Neshaminy) would get the serve and put two aces onto the Cannoneers' side to go up 18-9. Pratt would rally for four points late to hold off the inevitable Highlander victory, which was decided by a Ruiz Esparza kill, 25-17.
 
Three Highlanders, J. Poirier, Tolar, and Ragonese were all in double figures for kills (12, 11, and 10, respectively) and points. J. Poirier and Adler each had a trio of aces, Adler adding a season-high 46 assists. Ragonese and Tolar defended the net effectively with three solo blocks each.
 
The Highlanders add another win to their resume and move to 1-0 in the United East. They will take on the Eagles of Saint Elizabeth on Saturday in Morristown, NJ for a 12 p.m. start.