VESTAL, N.Y.- The Binghamton volleyball team won the first two games of its home opener Friday night, but Albany rallied for a tense five-set win in front of a raucous crowd of 577 fans. Sarah Ngo logged 49 assists and 20 digs in the America East opener for both teams.
 
The Bearcats gave the fans what they wanted early, taking the first two sets to rally the crowd. In the opener, the teams battled back and forth, tying on 10 different occasions. After Albany took a 10-6 lead, BU put together its first string of stellar play. The Great Danes made two errors and then Ngo found Gabby Alicea for consecutive kills, making it 10-all and forcing an Albany timeout. Bianca Anderson gave the hosts the lead with a kill on the ensuing point.
 
The visitors responded, however, taking the lead again. Binghamton trailed, 19-16, before coming back. A pair of Albany errors got BU closer and then Ngo hit Alicea for a point to tie it at 19. After a Danes point, Ngo assisted on scores by Kristella Morina and Anderson, giving the home side a 21-20 edge. Albany scored next, but an Alicea kill put BU back ahead by one. The Great Danes answered with a kill, but then served out of bounds. After a Bearcat miscue, Megan Burgess ended up with a setting opportunity, and the senior came through, finding Alicea for a kill and a 24-23 advantage. Morina and Burgess teamed up for a block to close the first set in BU's favor. The Bearcats tallied 15 kills in the victory.
 
In the second game, Albany jumped out to an early lead again. Ngo set up Burgess and Anderson for points and then Erin Shultz assisted on a Burgess kill to tie the frame at 4. After an Albany error, Alicea served an ace to make it 6-4. Ngo and Burgess followed with two straight connections, and after a Danes error, Morina posted a block, giving BU a 10-7 margin.
 
Ngo found Morina for a pair of kills to keep pace as the set continued. With the score even at 14, the Bearcats made their move, scoring five straight to take charge of the game. Anderson scored twice and then Ngo hit Burgess for a kill, causing Albany to call a timeout. After a Danes miscue, Ngo assisted on an Anderson, making it 19-14. Albany scored the next point, but Burgess answered with a kill. With BU up, 22-16, Bailey Walker found Kaelan Haag for a kill. Haag scored again and then Burgess capped the frame with an ace for a 25-17 win and a 2-0 match lead.
 
The Great Danes came back to win the next two games, forcing a fifth set. It marked BU's seventh five-game match of 2015. The visitors scored the first four points, but Binghamton slowly fought back. Haag scored twice and then an Alicea kill made it 9-6 in Albany's favor. The Danes answered with three straight points to take a 12-6 advantage. After an Albany service error, Ngo connected with Alicea for a kill. Binghamton benefited for an Albany error to close the gap further at 12-9. Burgess later scored twice, but it wasn't enough, as the visitors came away with a 15-12 decision.
 
Ngo led with 49 assists and 20 digs. Alicea scored 19 points and compiled 19 digs, while Burgess produced 18.5 points. Anderson added 12 points, hitting .333 for the match. Morina notched 11.5 points and Walker claimed 26 digs.
 
BU fans set a new attendance record for a volleyball match on campus in the ticketed era (since 2012). The 577 in the audience for the Code Green match easily topped the old mark of 383 for Binghamton's win over Stony Brook in October 2014.
 
BU (3-12, 0-1 AE) returns to action on Friday, October 2, hosting Hartford. The America East contest is slated for a 7 p.m. start at the West Gym.