VESTAL, N.Y.- Binghamton volleyball rallied to take down UMass Lowell, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at the West Gym. The Bearcats won the first game, 25-13, dropped the next two by identical 25-18 differences, tied the match with a 25-23 win, and then won a 15-10 decision to improve to 2-1 in America East play this season.
 
Having staved off a loss with a close fourth-set victory, Binghamton looked for the win in its first five-game match of the year. Sarah Ngo found Gaby Alicea for a kill to start scoring. With the score even at 2, Ngo scored, and after a Lowell error, Erin Shultz and Lexi LaGoy teamed up for a block and a 5-2 advantage. Ngo hit Shultz and Anderson for points as BU maintained its margin. Bailey Walker set up a Ngo kill and then Ngo served an ace. Walker assisted on an Alicea point as the Bearcats went up 11-5. The River Hawks battled back, though, scoring three straight points. Anderson scored and after a pair of Lowell miscues, the River Hawks served long on match point, allowing Binghamton to pull out a 15-10 victory.
 
The hosts started the match on a roll, as Lauren Kornmann, Shultz, and Alicea each scored around a Walker ace. A Morina point and an Alicea ace made it 6-2. Three Lowell errors stretched BU's margin and then Anderson and Kornmann combined for a block and a 12-4 lead. With a 16-9 difference, Ngo set up Alicea for a kill and then Alicea posted an ace. Kornmann scored late and then a River Hawk miscue gave Binghamton set point at 25-13.
 
The middle portion of the bout belonged to UMass Lowell, as the visitors came away with two 25-18 decisions to claim a 2-1 match lead.
 
In the fourth frame, the Bearcats responded, however. Ngo found Kornmann and Alicea for kills and then LaGoy and Alicea teamed up for a block. Morina followed with an ace for a 5-1 lead. Ngo assisted on a Morina point for an 11-6 advantage later in the set. Walker served an ace between a pair of Lowell errors as the lead moved to 16-11. Ngo found LaGoy and Shultz for points and then Walker set up a Ngo kill and the margin expanded to 22-15. The visitors rallied, though, scoring six straight points to pull within 24-23. A River Hawk miscue on game point tied the match at 2 and the Bearcats used their momentum to eventually win the contest.
 
Ngo recorded 34 assists, 15, and 6.5 points for her fifth double-double of the season. Alicea scored 15 points, including four aces. Kornmann and Shultz each tallied 11.5 points, while Walker logged 19 digs and a pair of aces.
 
The match marked Binghamton's first five-set contest of the year. BU played 10 five-setters in the 2015 campaign.
 
Binghamton moved to 8-8 overall and 2-1 in the America East. UMass Lowell dropped to 5-12 overall and 0-3 in conference action. BU travels to Stony Brook and UMBC next weekend for a pair of key league matchups.