Box Score WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Binghamton volleyball team dropped a hard-fought five set match at Hartford, Sunday afternoon in America East action from the Hartford Volleyball Gym. The Bearcats (8-19, 6-5 AE) let two match points slip away as the Hawks (16-12, 4-6 AE) swept the season series for the first time. Binghamton will need a win in its final match of the season at UMBC or a loss by Hartford or UMBC to secure a playoff spot.
"I thought it was a hard-fought, well played match," head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. "However, we failed to execute during crucial moments and weren't aggressive enough down the stretch. Hartford's attack kept us on our heels and we had a tough time stopping their offense. I just wish we could have played a few points better."
Despite out hitting Hartford (.245-.177) and recording 11 total blocks the Bearcats were unable to avoid the season sweep against the Hawks. America East kills leader Sareeta Nethersole tallied her sixth game with at least 20 kills collecting a match-high 25 against Binghamton.
The Bearcats were led by an outstanding performance from freshman middle
Alexis LaGoy, who registered a season-best 18 kills on a sparkling .485 attack percentage. Sophomore
Allison Hovie and junior
Megan Burgess each recorded double-digit terminations with 14 and 10, respectively.
Binghamton controlled the majority of the opening frame thanks to a .321 hitting clip and four kills from Hovie. Hartford aided the Bearcats' cause by committing 10 attack errors in the stanza allowing Binghamton to take a 1-0 advantage, 25-18.
After dropping the second set 25-22, Binghamton led the third frame from start to finish taking the always crucial 2-1 advantage, 25-18. The Bearcats recorded 14 kills during the frame, four coming from senior setter
Amanda Dettmann. Binghamton's defense stepped up after the break limiting Hartford to a .068 hitting clip. Burgess and LaGoy chipped in three terminations apiece in the set.
The Bearcats and Hawks traded punches throughout a lengthy fourth set as neither team led by more than three. Binghamton erased a 19-16 deficit and fought off set-point thanks to a LaGoy kill. Following a Hartford attack error, Binghamton earned its first match-point but the Hawks evened the frame at 25. A block by Burgess and
Bianca Anderson handed the Bearcats their second match-point, but it wasn't enough as three straight kills by Hartford pushed the match to a fifth set, 29-27.
Binghamton registered 10 kills and a lofty .455 attack percentage in the fifth set, but it wasn't enough as Hartford took the set 15-13. The Bearcats avoided a pair of match-points thanks to kills from
Kristin Hovie and Burgess before succumbing to the Hawks' attack.
Dettmann played at a very high-level dishing out a season-high 53 assists adding 17 digs for her seventh straight double-double. Sophomore libero
Bailey Walker chipped in a match-high 28 digs.
BU currently sits in a tie for third place with Albany in the league standings. The Bearcats hold the tiebreaker over the Great Danes due to sweeping the season series. UMBC and Hartford are each a game and a half back of Binghamton and Albany. The Bearcats and Great Danes play one match next weekend while Hartford and UMBC will play two.
The Bearcats conclude their season next Friday, Nov.14 in Baltimore against UMBC. Binghamton needs a win or a loss by Hartford or UMBC to advance to the America East tournament.
