Box Score DURHAM, N.H.- The Binghamton volleyball team put together a strong effort, but eventually fell, 3-1 (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22), at New Hampshire Friday night in the America East Championship semifinals. Sarah Ngo recorded 41 assists and 24 digs, while Gabby Alicea posted a career-high 21 points in the highly competitive match at Lundholm Gymnasium.
 
"I'm really proud of the effort of our team tonight," said Coach Glenn Kiriyama. "We had to serve more aggressively (to come back). I thought our hitters stayed with it."
 
After dropping the first two games, Binghamton turned the match around in the third. The teams traded points back and forth, with kills by Kristella Morina and Erin Shultz keeping it tied. Kasey Muchnicki assisted on a Shultz point and then Muchnicki served an ace, giving Binghamton a 16-15 edge. Two UNH miscues stretched the BU margin. Shultz scored to make it 19-15, and after a Wildcat point, Ngo found Alicea for a kill.
 
Alicea came up with two more points and then Bianca Anderson scored to make it 24-22. Alicea then served an ace on set point, giving Binghamton a 25-22 win to keep the match alive.
 
Binghamton continued to battle in the fourth frame, coming back from an early deficit to tie it at 8 after a 3-0 spurt. Ngo assisted on two Morina kills and then an Alicea point. Ngo scored and then set up Anderson to give BU a 12-9 lead. An Alicea ace made it 15-11 later in the game. UNH rallied from there, taking a 19-18 edge. Alicea scored twice, though, pulling the Bearcats within one at 21-20. A Wildcat error evened the score at 21, and after a pair of UNH points, Ngo hit Burgess for a kill. New Hampshire scored the next two points, however, ending the match in four sets.
 
BU was led by its pair of all-conference performers Friday. Ngo led with 41 assists and 24 digs, tallying her 13^th double-double of the season. The sophomore was named to the all-tournament team, having finished the season with double-doubles in eight of her last night outings. Alicea scored a career-high 21 points on .222 hitting. She added 14 digs.
 
Shultz put up 11.5 points and Anderson notched 10.5 points on .333 hitting. Muchnicki registered 19 digs, seven assists, and two aces. Burgess recorded 8.5 points.
 
BU stayed close to open the match. It trailed, 7-6, after a block by Morina and Alicea. A pair of Burgess points kept the Bearcats close, but the Wildcats eventually pulled away for a 25-17 win to start the contest.
 
Binghamton played a stronger second frame, matching UNH point-for-point for much of the game. Anderson posted a kill and then put down a block, along with Shultz. Ngo assisted on points by Alicea and Kelly Leach to even the set at 7. Two more Alicea scores kept the game tied.
 
After a 6-0 Wildcat spurt, BU rallied with a 6-2 run to get back in the frame. Morina and Shultz each scored, and then Ngo hit Alicea for a kill. Ngo and Anderson followed with a block, and after Anderson scored again, Binghamton trailed, 18-16.
 
The hosts grabbed a 22-18 advantage, but BU fought back once more. Shultz scored and then Burgess and Morina combined for a block. After a UNH score, Ngo assisted on an Alicea kill to make it 23-21. UNH committed an error to inch BU closer, but the Wildcats found the last two points and took a 2-0 match lead.
 
BU went 9-19 in 2015, making its ninth postseason appearance in the last 11 years. Burgess is the lone senior on the roster.
 
Albany won the other semifinal Friday, sweeping Stony Brook by scores of 25-18, 25-19, and 25-15 to advance to the finals Saturday.