Box Score HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Thiel College men's volleyball team suffered a five-set loss to Cairn University Friday night on the opening day of the CVC East Division Weekend at Eastern Mennonite University.

The loss drops the Tomcats to 8-6 overall while Cairn improves to 6-10.

The game started off with the Highlanders taking the first set 25-22. The Blue and Gold fired back by winning the next two sets, 25-22, and 25-22. Cairn battled back and took set four 25-23, forcing a fifth and decisive set. It was the Highlanders that pulled out the victory by downing the Tomcats 15-10 in the fifth.

Senior opposite hitter Dante McCoy (Reading, Pa./Holy Name) paced the Tomcats offensively with a team-best 20 kills and nine digs. Sophomore outside hitter John Turner (Cambridge Springs, Pa./Cambridge Springs) returned to action in a big way, totaling 18 kills. Juniors Andrew Pohlod (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and Michael Whitlock each tallied nine kills while sophomore setter Charlie Tindall (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) chipped in with 54 assists and 11 digs.

Thiel is set to return to action on Saturday, March 9 when they take on Stevenson University and Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). The Tomcats will take on Stevenson at 12 p.m. and EMU at 4 p.m.