QUEENS, N.Y.- Binghamton volleyball swept Niagara Saturday afternoon at the Jack Kaiser Classic. The Bearcats defeated Niagara by scores of 25-20, 25-23, and 25-23 to pick up their first win of the season. BU also fell, 3-0, to St. John's. Both matches were hosted by SJU.
 
Against Niagara at Taffner Fieldhouse, the Bearcats came out with purpose, using their energy to ignite their play early. Sarah Ngo assisted on a Kristella Morina kill to begin the scoring. Lauren Kornmann established herself early, scoring twice to give BU a 4-2 lead. Ngo followed with an ace an assist to Gaby Alicea, pushing Binghamton to an 11-8 advantage. Later in the frame, a Bianca Anderson kill gave BU a 16-15 margin. Bailey Walker then recorded consecutive aces to stretch the lead. A Ngo ace kept Binghamton ahead and then Ngo found Kornmann for a kill on set point, lifting Binghamton to a 25-20 victory. The Bearcats hit .444 as a team in the game.
 
In the second set, BU used its blocking to score. Anderson combined with Alicea and then Kornmann to post blocks early. Eventually, Niagara claimed a 19-18 edge. Kornmann promptly answered with two aces to regain the lead. After a Purple Eagle timeout, Ngo assisted on an Erin Shultz point to make it 21-19. Niagara rallied to even the score at 23, but Ngo set up Alicea for a kill and then found Kornmann for another game-ending point at 25-23.
 
The third frame was even more competitive, with neither team able to separate by more than two points at any time. The set featured 17 ties as BU looked to close out the Eagles. Kornmann continued her stellar day, tallying four kills, including a point to give Binghamton a 21-20 edge late in the game. After a Niagara score, Morina and Ngo teamed up for a block. Niagara answered, but Ngo hit Morina for a kill and a 23-22 difference. Ngo then assisted on an Anderson kill to push the bout to match point. The Eagles scored to inch closer, but Ngo set up Anderson for a kill to close out the contest.
 
BU closed competition in Queens with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of St. John's at Carnesecca Arena. After falling behind early in the first frame, Shultz got Binghamton going with a kill and then the Red Storm erred, pulling the Bearcats to within, 11-10. Morina and Ngo scored later in the set, but the hosts came away with a 25-16 win.
 
Binghamton looked better in the second game, hitting .212 as a group and pushing St. John's throughout the frame. Kornmann recorded three kills late in the set, but again, the Red Storm pulled out a win, this time by a 25-20 margin.
 
In the third set, BU hung around, never allowing the home team to pull away. St. John's maintained a slim margin for much of the set and eventually claimed a 25-20 victory to end the bout.
 
Walker earned all-tournament team recognition. The senior collected 42 digs and seven assists in three outings this weekend.
 
Binghamton (1-5) returns to action next weekend at the Northeastern Invitational.