CHAMBERSBURG, PA – Cairn Men's Volleyball concluded their season in the semifinal round of the United East Championship on Wednesday night at the hands of #2 Wilson College after a five-set battle.
 
Both sides traded the lead through most of the first set before Wilson (14-12 / 7-1 UNITED EAST) went on a run of five points late in the frame with three kills and back-to-back aces. The Highlanders fought back with a six-point run of their own as sophomore outside hitter Jesse Stuart (Chattanooga, TN / Chiang Rai International Christian School) and Sam Poirier (Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu) got it started with a kill each. As the Phoenix tried to even the score, Stuart came up big with two kills in the closing points to take the set, 25-22.
 
Cairn (11-9 / 6-2 UNITED EAST) got ahead  6-3 with a kill and ace by graduate outside hitter Noah Ruiz Esparza (Levittown, PA / Berean Academy). Wilson got on a 6-1 run to take the lead, 11-9, continuing to build on the distance 18-14. Poirier and junior middle Caleb Cabrera (Wallington, NJ / Wallington) teamed up for a block, cutting the Wilson lead to one before the Phoenix sprinted to the finish, 25-20.
 
Wilson held the advantage in the third, getting ahead 18-9 as Poirier fired off two three kills. A late effort by junior middle David Larbi (Bensalem, PA / Bensalem) and Poirier wouldn't be enough to overcome the deficit as the Phoenix took the third set, 25-18.
 
The Highlanders came out strong in set four with Stuart and Larbi on the attack, getting ahead 11-8. A string of kills by Poirier, Larbi, and Stuart continued to build Cairn's path to 25 points. Junior right side Bogdan Mygovych (Feasterville-Trevose, PA / Neshaminy) scored a kill for set point before Wilson handed over the set with a service error, 25-23.
 
Cairn won the coin toss, scoring the first point as Larbi and junior setter Josh Adler (Levittown, PA / Neshaminy) sent back a block. That wouldn't stop the Phoenix's momentum with Wilson rallying ahead 4-1. Poirier tied the score, sending over a kill with an ace. Stuart and Poirier gave Cairn the lead again as Wilson fired back. 8-7, on a kill each. Halfway to the finish, Wilson would end the Highlanders' hopes on a 6-2 run to the end (15-11).
 
Stuart and Poirier gave their all with 17 kills apiece, Poirier adding an ace. Larbi was next with seven kills and five block assists for 9.5 points. Adler had 38 assists in five sets.