LANGHORNE, Pa.– Despite hitting a solid .264 for the match, Eastern University Men's Volleyball dropped a four-set non-league decision at Cairn University. The host Highlanders won the opening two sets and earned a 25-22 win in the fourth to claim the match.

The Eagles (7-9) won in three sets when the two sides met in St. Davids in early February, but the Highlanders came into this evening's match having won five of their last seven matches and had a good offensive rhythm early. Cairn hit .500 in the opening set on the way to a. 25-18 win.

The Eagles tightened their defense in the second set, but the Eagles were unable to earn separation and the Highlanders scored the final two points for a 25-23 win and a 2-0 lead. Lucas Adam had six kills in the second set.

Eastern hit .406 with 16 kills in earning a 26-24 win in the fourth. Josiah Cash put down six balls on only nine attacks. Even with the offense working, the Eagles needed a late rally to win. The Highlanders were up 23-21. Andres Suarez Batista earned a kill for a sideout and then combined with Max Bagileo on back-to-back blocks to put the Eagles up 24-23. Suarez Batista and Adam put down the final two kills to claim the set.

A five-point Cairn run in the middle of the fourth proved to be too much for the Eagles in the fourth. Down 15-12, the Eagles would pull to within a point twice, but they were never able to string three points together to take the lead.

Adam finished with 14 kills and Josiah Cash had nine kills and five blocks. Jeremiah Pha had 14 digs and Suarez Batista had eight kills and 13 digs. Chris Miller finished with 43 assists. Moses Gamble led Cairn with 18 kills and Caleb Horning had 15.

The Eagles will play two league matches at Arcadia this weekend.