BALTIMORE, MD – After a week off, the Highlanders rematched with Notre Dame of Maryland, this time with the stakes of the next round of the United East Championship on the line. Cairn took care of business, defeating the Gators in four sets, 3-1.
 
The Highlanders opened on a 7-1 run, highlighted by two kills and a block from sophomore middle Maddie Shackelford (Warrington, PA / Plumstead Christian), to set the tone.  As the Cairn (17-7 / 7-3 UNITED EAST) lead continued, Notre Dame (16-7 / 7-3 UNITED EAST) responded in force, taking an 18-16 lead. Freshman setter Bella Manthe (Manila, Philippines / Faith Academy) tied the set with a kill as slowly but surely, Cairn chipped away on the way to 25 points, winning 25-23.
 
Freshman outside hitter Marah Lehman (Chambersburg, PA / Chambersburg) got things started in the second, scoring four kills as the Highlanders opened with the serve. She added another as junior outside hitter Bridget Dahn (Smithsburg, MD / Faith Heritage) fired off two kills before the Gators tied the set at 11-all. Lehman dropped in two more kills as Manthe scored an ace, keeping Cairn in control 15-13. Notre Dame shifted the lead back as junior middle Georgianna Thorpe (Southampton, PA / William Tennent) collected two kills, helping to get Cairn to set point, 24-21. Notre Dame went on a streak of four points to put the pressure back on the Highlanders, eventually taking the set 28-26.
 
After a regroup, two more kills by Dahn helped Cairn get back in the drivers' seat 13-6. Thorpe once again stepped up with three kills, pushing the lead to 22-16. With the Gators threatening, Manthe and Thorpe each added another kill as Shackelford win the set with a block, 25-23.
 
Shackelford and Lehman had early kills before Shackelford took the serve for Cairn, helping to build a 10-4 lead as Manthe and Lehman teamed up for a kill each, assisting each other. Thorpe added two quick kills as well, pushing ahead 12-7. With Lehman scoring twice more, Thorpe went on a streak of three kills after she and Manthe put up a block, now ahead 22-14. The Gators pulled together a five point run with their season on the line, but it was of no avail with Lehman claiming set point and the Gators handing over the set on an attack error, advancing the Highlanders, 25-20.
 
Thorpe and Lehman each had an impressive fourteen kills, the former hitting at a .565 rate. Dahn scooped up a season-high 22 digs with 8 kills. Shackelford once again had a stellar performance at the net, totaling four blocks with eight kills. Manthe took over the facilitating duties with 33 assists and 7 kills on the offensive end.
 
Cairn advances to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2022, and with a victory will tie the most wins in a season since 2013, taking on the top seeded Penn St. Harrisburg Nittany Lions in Middletown, PA at 7 p.m on Tuesday night.