ALBANY, N.Y. – Binghamton volleyball (13-7, 4-2 America East) went the distance for the second straight conference match but this time, came up short at Albany (7-14, 2-3 AE), 3-2, Friday night at Robison Gym on campus of Russell Sage College. The Great Danes rallied for a 29-27, 21-25, 17-25, 25-22, 15-9 win to condense the America East standings. Despite the loss, Binghamton remains in second place with four matches left in the regular season.

The Bearcats led 2-1 and were three points away from the match when Albany rallied to take set four and force the decider. In the fifth, the Great Danes separated from a 5-5 tie with a 6-2 run. The teams traded points before a pair of Albany kills and a BU attack error ended the match. Albany hit .563 in the final set to reverse what had been BU control at the net. The Bearcats outhit and outblocked their hosts but were undone by service (9) and receiving errors (8).

"Albany was able to finish and we weren't tonight," head coach Allie Yaeger said. "It was tough for us to respond. We missed too many serves and Albany did a great job being in system and using all their pins. We got off to a late start in the first set and struggled to finish. Tsvet (Ilieva) and Anna (Sprys) played really well tonight. It's fun to watch Anna become one of the best middles in this conference. We need to play focused and hard every time we step out on the floor. I feel like we have a target on our back and we need to execute."

Junior hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva led all players with 23 kills and a .467 attack percentage. Senior middle blocker Anna Sprys contributed 17 kills (.389), six blocks and two aces and freshman opposite hitter Giulia Bonifacio added 10 kills and nine blocks. Freshman setter Lottie Scully posted a season-high 52 assists. Junior Stephanie Gatto added nine blocks.

In the opening set, Albany put down six of its first eight attacks, jumped out to an 8-2 lead and maintained a comfortable cushion until late. Down 20-13, BU rallied with an 11-3 run that gave the Bearcats set point at 24-23. Ilieva had three of her five kills during the run, which also featured a big block by Bonifacio and Gatto at 23-23. But Albany fended off the set point and another BU set point at 27-26 before a pair of Bearcat attack errors gave the first set to the Great Danes.

The Bearcats fell behind again in the second set, 7-2, before roaring back with a 17-5 run. Sprys had three kills and Bonifacio three blocks during the pivital stretch. A late 7-1 Albany run shrunk BU's lead to 20-19 before Ilieva struck again. She banked a kill off a block and then teamed with Gatto for a big block that gave Binghamton a 23-19 edge. Another Ilieva kill plus a Great Danes service error closed out BU's set two win. The Bearcats held Albany to .081 hitting in the frame.  

Binghamton turned the tables with a quick start in set 3. BU led 11-4 and stretched to an eight-point cushion, 14-6. Albany cut its deficit to five a few times but could draw no closer as the Bearcats hit .469 with 16 kills and just one error. Sprys led the way with six kills and Ilieva put away the final two kills to close out the set.

In a tight fourth set when both teams hit well, BU trailed most of the way and were down 20-17 before going on a 5-1 run to take a 22-21 lead. But the Great Danes closed out the set with four straight points to force the fifth. Ilieva had six kills and Sprys added four kills.

Binghamton is off for nine days before a rematch with first-place UMBC down in Baltimore on Oct. 30.