Box Score Langhorne, Pa.  --  The Notre Dame of Maryland University volleyball team opened their Colonial States Athletic Conference season by visiting Cairn University on Wednesday night.   The Gators extended two sets, but wouldn't be enough as the Highlanders defeated Notre Dame 26-24, 25-13, 27-25. 

Senior Marylu Ortiz (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino) paced the Gators with 13 kills.  Freshman Bobbi McDowell (Shady Side, Md./Bishop McNamara) added seven.  Freshman Jaime Reyes (Yorba Linda, Calif.) posted 27 assists.  

Defensively, Cleaya Antes (Carson, Calif./California Academy of Math and Science) led the team with 16 digs while Ortiz added 11.  

The teams battled back and forth in the opening set, with Cairn taking the biggest lead of the set at 17-14.  The Gators fought back to tie the set at 18-18 and tied the set five times to take it 24-24.  However, the Highlanders managed two more points to take the 26-24 victory. 

With the second set tied 10-10, Cairn finished the set with a 15-3 rally.  In the third set, the hosts took a 17-9 lead before the Gators rallied back to tie the set at 23-23.  The teams exchanged points and tied again at 25-25.  Unfortunately, Cairn finished the match by taking the next two points for a 27-25 win. 

The Gators return to action on Saturday as they will continue CSAC play by hosting Marywood University.