NEW BRITAIN, CONN. - Binghamton volleyball capped off a strong weekend Saturday, defeating Columbia and St. Peter's, each in straight sets, to improve to 5-1 on the season. The Bearcats used strong defensive play to defeat the Lions and ran away with a win over the Peacocks thanks to a 14-kill effort on .875 hitting by senior middle blocker Anna Sprys.
BU took the day's opener 25-23, 27-25, 25-20 before grabbing the nightcap 25-13, 25-12, 25-13.
"This weekend was a good test for this program," head coach Allie Yaeger said. "I'm pleased with the way these players fight every time they step foot on the court. We distributed the ball well today. Everyone was able to contribute and we balanced each other out. We made plays when we needed to make plays and the whole weekend was a team effort."
The Bearcats battled in the opener, coming through with key points at the end of each set. In the opening frame, Binghamton led for a majority of the action, but fell behind 22-20 late. A 4-0 run helped carry the team to a 25-23 win. Giulia Bonifacio and Tsvetelina Ilieva each had kills during the stretch, and Sprys finished it off with a kill of her own.
A back-and-forth second set was destined for extra volleyball, and it didn't disappoint. Neither team led by more than a point after the Bearcats held a 19-17 edge until a Bonifacio kill salvaged the set at 27-25.
A tight final set saw BU take control late once again. Two straight kills by Ilieva capped off a 5-1 run to give Binghamton a 23-18 advantage. Four points later, the Bearcats won the match on another kill by Ilieva.
Larisa Lehtorantra had six block assists and a block solo to lead the defensive effort. Sydney Aguirre added 17 digs.
A dominant effort against St. Peter's was led by Sprys and her 14 kills. The Peacocks never threatened in the win. Bonifacio had 10 kills on .368 hitting. The defense was strong, holding the opposition to .000 hitting.
Madison Konopka had 19 digs in the victory.
Binghamton will continue play next weekend in Washington D.C. Play will begin at George Washington Friday at noon. The remainder of the tournament will be held at Georgetown.
