LANGHORNE, PA – The Cairn Men's Lacrosse team picked up their second straight win on Saturday, outscoring the Panthers of Purchase College, 12-5.
Cairn (2-4) got on the board by way of senior attacker
Jonathan Balsamo (Long Island, NY / Eastport South Manor) who opened up the game with a pair of early goals. Freshman attacker
Luke Fowler (Landenberg, PA / Wilmington Christian) added a goal of his own, assisted by senior midfielder
Chaz Cotton (Newburgh, NY / Newburgh Free Academy), putting the Highlanders up 3-0. Sophomore attacker
Cole Heffler (Eldersburg, MD / Central Maryland Christian) and Balsamo closed out the first quarter with a goal each, adding up to a 5-0 lead.
Purchase (1-5) scored the only goal in the second quarter. The answer of Heffler, assisted by Cotton and sophomore midfielder
Adain Holliday (New York, NY / Urban Assembly Maker Academy), assisted by junior defender
Josh Dahn (Smithsburg, MD / Heritage Academy) was made in the third. Purchase added a pair to make it a 7-3 game heading to the final quarter.
The Highlanders weren't finished as Heffler opened up the fourth with a goal, assisted by sophomore midfielder
Ole Pertet Nyilinkindi (New York, NY / Grimsley HS), and another from Holliday. Balsamo added his fourth goal on a man-up opportunity, also assisted by Nyilinkindi. The Panthers responded with a lone goal immediately. Holliday found the net for another before Balsamo closed it out with his fifth goal of the day, handing a 12-5 loss to Purchase.
Balsamo put up five goals on the day for 5 points, becoming the first player in program history to reach the 100 career point mark. He was followed by Holliday and Heffler who each had a trio, Heffler also adding an assist. Fowler scored once as both Cotton and Nyilinkindi each helped with a pair of assists. On the defensive side, sophomore defender
Nicholas Kennedy (Hudson Valley, NY / Goshen Central) caused four turnovers while junior goalkeeper
Nico Cione (Yardley, PA / Pennsbury) saved 23 shots in 60 minutes of work.
The Highlanders will head to Holy Family University on Wednesday night for a final tune-up before kicking off United East Conference play on Saturday, March 30 at Penn College.
