LANGHORNE, PA – Cairn Men's Volleyball picked up their first win of the season over Valley Forge on Monday night after battling to five sets with the Patriots.
 
After a back-and-forth, Valley Forge (5-5 / 0-1 UNITED EAST) went on a run to get ahead 11-7. Sophomore outside hitter Sam Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu) scored two kills in response before junior middle David Larbi (Bensalem, PA / Bensalem) and sophomore outside hitter Jesse Stuart (Chattanooga, TN / Chiang Rai International Christian School) had back-to-back block assists to tie the set at 15-15. A block and pair of kills from the Patriots put them back in the driver's seat until Poirier took the serve late in the set. Junior middle Caleb Cabrera (Wallington, NJ / Wallington) and graduate outside hitter Noah Ruiz Esparza (Levittown, PA / Berean Academy) added kills on a run to get back ahead 24-21. Despite Valley Forge tying the set, the Highlanders took set one 26-24.
 
After an 8-2 lead out of the gate in the second set with two early kills by Ruiz Esparza, Valley Forge responded in force with six-straight points to take the lead. They maintained their control as Larbi threw down two kills. A five-point sprint to the finish evened up the score for the match, 25-20 in favor of the Patriots.
 
Valley Forge had control early in the third frame as Poirier helped cut the lead to a point with three kills and an ace from junior setter Josh Adler (Levittown, PA / Neshaminy). With Poirier adding three more kills down the stretch for Cairn (1-6 / 1-1 UNITED EAST), Valley Forge was able to outlast the attack and win the set, 25-22.
 
As the fourth set arrived, neither team pulled ahead until late as a three-point run by Cairn was matched by four in-a-row by Valley Forge to keep it a one-point game. Ruiz Esparza had a key kill to get ahead 22-20 as Larbi threw down the 24^th point for the Highlanders and then teamed up with Poirier to block a kill for the set-winning point as we headed to a fifth set. (25-21)
 
Valley Forge won the serve as Poirier set over a kill to give Cairn the serve back. He added another kill along with Cabrera followed by Cabrera and Ruiz Esparza blocking an attack to get ahead 4-0. Valley Forge added a kill as the Highlanders went on to dominate the final set, taking the final five points as Poirier had two in a row and Adler closed out the set with three-straight kills.
 
The Highlanders pick up their first win of the season behind a career-high 27 kills from Poirier along with 12 by Ruiz Esparza. Larbi had nine kills while Cabrera added eight. It was a big night on defense as well as Ruiz Esparza and Cabrera each tallied four block assists with Larbi having three. Adler recorded 53 assists, one off his career-high, with four kills and a pair of aces.
 
The Highlanders will match up next with Immaculata on March 4^th at home.