Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WASHINGTON D.C. – Cairn Men's Volleyball won both games of Gallaudet's tri-match on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Bison in four sets for a conference win and then sweeping Penn St. Schuylkill, 3-0 for their fourth-straight win.
 
MATCH ONE
Facing Gallaudet (1-13 / 0-2 UNITED EAST) in the first match of the day, junior setter Josh Adler (Levittown, PA / Neshaminy) started the first set with an ace. After struggling in point-by-point sequence, sophomore outside hitter Sam Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu) and graduate outside hitter Noah Ruiz Esparza (Levittown, PA / Berean Academy) killed six balls, earning them points to close the gap (18-19). Freshman setter Estiver Espiritisanto (Los Llanos, Dominican Republic / Thomas A. Edison) joined the court and gave junior middle hitter David Larbi (Bensalem, PA / Bensalem) and Ruiz Esparza assists as well as an ace, pushing Highlanders ahead (24-23). This set ended in success with a final kill from Poirier (26-24). 
 
Heading into the second set, Poirier, junior middle Caleb Cabrera (Wallington, NJ / Wallington) and sophomore outside hitter Jesse Stuart (Chattanooga, TN / Chiang Rai International School) start off with another round of kills (9-6). Adler led a seven-point serving run, pushing Highlanders ahead by 11. Ruiz Esparza regained the ball with a kill down the line and an ace (22-13). Larbi kept this momentum and ended the game with two more kills, ending this set at 25-13. 
 
Poirier, per routine, earned the first point with a kill. Larbi, back on the court, regained control and Poirier followed by getting more kills (9-12). Gallaudet had the momentum in the third set as the Highlanders dropped it, 21-25. 
 
In their last set facing Gallaudet, Cabrera stole the show with two consecutive missiles, starting Cairn (4-6 / 2-1 UNITED EAST) with the lead (3-2). After a five-point service run, Poirier, Stuart, and Ruiz Esparza brought the heat, adding more kills to the scoring column (14-16). Down by three and nearing the end of the set, junior libero Kobe Cash (Yardley, PA / Calvary Christian Academy) sent a dime pass to Larbi and then Poirier which put them only one point behind. Going to extras and looking to claim the match, Poirier, Ruiz Esparza and Larbi fought, pushing them to victory in a 30-28 ending. 
 
Poirier had 21 kills while Ruiz Esparza and Larbi each added 11, Ruiz Esparza with four block assists for 14 points. Adler finished with 42 assists in four sets.
 
MATCH TWO
Entering into the second game, Adler and Poirier got back-to-back kills, starting with a lead, and an ace in the process (5-2). Adler, spreading the ball around, gave assists to all position groups allowing Cabrera, Ruiz Esparza, and Espiritusanto to earn more points on the board. Espiritusanto got an ace after giving two assists to continue their pace in this game (16-11). With only two points remaining to finish the first set, Stuart got the last earned point with another kill, ending the set 25-18.
 
With confidence leading into the second set, freshman outside hitter Eddie Newman (Lock Haven, PA / Homeschool), Ruiz Esparza, and Espiritusanto earned their first points by excellent kills (7-3). Cash aced Penn St. Schuylkill (0-13) to keep their run going, followed by kills from junior right side hitter Bogdan Mygovych (Feasterville-Trevose, PA / Neshaminy) and Newman (11-4). In his season debut, Mygovych had two consecutive aces following his kill (15-11). After a plethora of kills from the Highlanders, Ruiz Esparza clinched the set with a kill (25-19).
 
Entering the last set, Cairn was running on adrenaline. Mygovych continued his pattern with two consecutive aces, overcoming an early deficit (9-9). Cash, Newman, Stuart, and Adler maintained control in this set with many successes, keeping pace with their momentum (19-13). The Highlanders took this set with a sweep in 25-17.
 
Stuart led the pack with a team-high 6 kills as Mygovych had four aces and Espiritusanto finished with 18 assists.
 
The Highlanders return home on Wednesday, March 19th at 7 p.m. as they faceoff against Wilson College.