Box Score Highlights

VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team held off SUNY rival Albany in a pivotal America East match, Friday night at West Gym. The Bearcats (7-16, 5-2 AE) defeated the Great Danes (6-13, 4-3 AE) in four sets to take over sole possession of second place in the league standings. Binghamton swept the season series with Albany for the first time in program history.

The Bearcats were led by the two-headed attack of Megan Burgess and Allison Hovie, who registered 18 and 16 kills, respectively. Senior hitter Kristin Hovie added 11 kills as she continues to pursue 1,000 career kills with 989. The younger Hovie had a solid all-around match adding nine digs and a career-best five service aces.
Senior setter Amanda Dettmann recorded her third straight double-double with a match-high 48 assists and 10 digs while sophomore libero Bailey Walker extended her streak of 20 digs or more to seven matches with 28 against the Great Danes.

Binghamton hit a blistering .433 in the opening frame as Allison Hovie led the Bearcats to a 25-17 victory with seven kills in the set. The Bearcats never trailed in the stanza thanks to just four attack errors. Albany was equally efficient on offense hitting .310 in the set, but Binghamton connected on 17 terminations compared to the Great Danes' 12.
After dropping the second set 25-20, Binghamton had to rally in the crucial third set. Albany opened up a four-point advantage late in the set before a pair of Kristin Hovie kills pulled the Bearcats within striking distance. Following an Albany block it looked as if the Great Danes would take a 2-1 advantage, but back-to-back attack errors coupled with a Bianca Anderson kill gave Binghamton a 23-22 lead, forcing an Albany timeout. Burgess finished the set, 25-23, with one of her match-high 18 kills.

Binghamton raced out to an 18-10 lead in the fourth set, looking to cruise to the victory. However, Albany showed resiliency going on a 12-4 run to even the frame at 22, forcing a Binghamton timeout. The break seemed to work as a pair of Allison Hovie kills coupled with an Albany attack error gave Binghamton an emphatic 25-23 fourth-set victory.

In an evenly played match, Binghamton hit .255 while Albany recorded a .199 attack percentage. The Great Danes, who lead the conference in blocks per set (2.20) registered just eight total blocks compared to the Bearcats' seven. Each team played well in the receive-game picking up 70 digs apiece.

Dettmann and Kristin Hovie will be chasing milestones next weekend as Dettmann needs just 32 assists for 4,000 while Hovie needs 11 kills for 1,000. Dettmann currently ranks third all-time in program history with 3,968 assists while Hovie would become the eighth Bearcat to eclipse 1,000 kills.

Binghamton concludes its six-match homestand next weekend as the Bearcats host UMass Lowell and New Hampshire. Binghamton will honor its three graduating seniors, Amanda Dettmann, Kristin Hovie and Alexa Zbytniewski, prior to its match against New Hampshire on Sunday, Nov. 2.