The Binghamton University volleyball team dropped two matches Sunday evening, falling to the University of New Hampshire, 25-16, 25-11, 25-15, before being defeated by New Jersey Institute of Technology 20-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20, 17-15 in a tightly contested second match. Binghamton falls to 0-8 on the season. 

Binghamton was led in both matches by Francela Ulate and Stefana Stan, who tallied 23 and 21 kills on the day. Tyra Wilson had four blocks to lead the Bearcats. 

In the matchup with NJIT, the Bearcats won the first and third sets, but were unable to convert on two match point opportunities in the decisive fifth set. 

Leading 14-11 in the first set, Binghamton capitalized on three Wildcat errors, as well as kills by Rainville and Anna Sprys to build a 19-11 lead. The Bearcats were able to hold on to take the set. 

After NJIT took the second set to tie the match, Binghamton fell behind in the third set 10-5 after two separate five point runs for the Highlanders. The Bearcats stormed back to take a 18-17 lead, and then scored the final seven points behind two kills from Stan to take the third set. 

NJIT won the fourth set, despite three kills each by Stan and Ulate, to force a tie-breaking fifth set. 

In the fifth set, the Bearcats jumped out to a 6-3 lead, before the Highlanders battled back to tie the set at 13. A kill by Stan gave Binghamton the chance to end the match. However, NJIT won four of the next five points to take the tiebreaker, and win the match. 

Against UNH, the Wildcats jumped out to a four point lead in the opening set. A kill by Stefana Stan cut the deficit to 15-12, but that was as close as the Bearcats would get, as UNH scored ten of the next fourteen points.

In the second set, the Bearcats led 2-1 early after another Stan kill and a service ace from Ulate, but the Wildcats used a ten point run to build a lead that Binghamton could not overcome on the way to taking the set.

The Wildcats led 14-8 early in the final set until a three-point Binghamton run, highlighted with two kills by Sprys to close the gap to 14-11. But UNH took control of the set from that point on, and completed the sweep for the victory. 

Binghamton will face New Hampshire and NJIT tomorrow at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to cap the weekend series.