(LANGHORNE, Pa.) – Wednesday's penultimate match of the regular season featuring Wilson and Cairn was a barnburner that was about as close as a five-set match could get. Unfortunately for the Phoenix, they fell to the Highlanders despite outscoring them overall in the match.
The Basic
Scores: Wilson 2, Cairn 3 (20-25, 27-25, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13)
Venue: Mason Activity Center
Records: Wilson 7-14, 2-3 United East; Cairn 6-13, 5-1 United East
How It Happened
- A 4-0 run in the middle of the set created a little bit of separation that eventually propelled the Phoenix to a first set win. Down by one, the rally featured a kill from Saria Alshaikhali (Sr., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Hayfield) along with a block from Jacob McCoy (So., York, Pa. / Spring Grove) and Wyatt Tribett (So., Myersville, Md. / Middletown) put Wilson up 17-14. Another block, this time with Tribett and Demetrius Simmons (So., Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) put Wilson up 23-18, its largest lead of the game. Simmons ended up sealing the win with a kill.
- Set 2 seemed eerily similar to the opener with the Phoenix using another 4-0 run to take a 17-14 lead. This time, however, the Highlanders were able to respond and tie the game immediately after. Both teams stayed equal four more times after, but the Highlanders evened the match with kills from Joe Poirier and Noah Ruiz Esparza.
- In the third set, a kill from Vincent Natale (So., Mt. Airy, Md. / Linganore) and a pair from Ryan Koontz (FY, York Haven, Pa. / Red Land) helped the Blue and White go on a 5-0 run to take a 16-15 lead. Both teams went back-and-forth until the end with Wilson leading as late as 22-21 after a kill from McCoy and a Poirier error. Another McCoy kill tied the set at 23-all before Cairn took the 2-1 match lead with the final two points.
- The Phoenix held the advantage for the bulk of the fourth set as they hoped to force the fifth. Another 4-0 run which included a Koontz kill, a Simmons block, and a Natale ace put the Blue and White up 21-14, the largest lead by anyone on the day. Kills by Tribett and McCoy followed as Wilson kept the seven-point advantage to even the match at 2-2.
- Sure enough the fifth set was close throughout. A kill from McCoy evened the set at 7-all before Cairn came back with the next three points. The Phoenix answered the callas a pair of kills from Koontz and a Tribett Simmons rejection put Wilson up 11-10. Another Koontz kill and a Highlanders error gave the Phoenix a 13-12 lead, but Cairn came back with the next three points to win the night.
Inside The Numbers
- Koontz finished the night with a career-high 19 kills. He did so on 48 attempts with just five errors for a hitting percentage of .292.
- McCoy was highly efficient as he downed 14 kills on 26 attempts with one error for a hitting percentage of .500.
- Alshaikhali had a double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs.
- Natale tallied 47 assists on the night. It's the fifth time this season he's chalked up at least 40 on the season.
- Camden Sterner (FY, Spring Grove, Pa. / Spring Grove) led the team defensively on the back line with 15 digs. Up front Simmons blocked four Highlander attacks.
- Cairn was led by Will Nase with 31 kills. It's tied for the sixth-most kills in a five-set match in Division III this season.
- Poirier added 17 kills for the Highlanders.
Up Next
The regular season will come to a close as Wilson heads to St. Elizabeth this Saturday. First serve is set for 1 p.m.
