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Conference play is upon Binghamton University for the fall sports, and the volleyball team has high expectations to live up to. This weekend, they’ll try to avoid a potential pitfall against the University of Hartford.

The Bearcats (9-8, 1-0 America East) will be heavily favored entering the match. The preseason coaches’ choice to finish first in the conference, Binghamton comes into the match having won its last three matches, dropping just two sets in that span. The team won its conference opener last Friday, beating the University of New Hampshire, 3-1.

Binghamton also features multiple players who are in their prime. The offense is built around three juniors who were named to the All-Conference first team last season: co-captain Michelle McDonough, who won her second America East Player of the Week last week; Anna Lejina, who has also won the award; and Lindsey Mueller, who is a two-time America East Setter of the Week. Freshman Alex Roland won America East Rookie of the Week two weeks ago.

These Bearcat stars have been putting up the numbers to back up the hype surrounding them. Lejina and McDonough are second and third in the conference, respectively, in both points per set — which is a function of kills, blocks and aces — and kills per set. Mueller is second in conference in assists per set with 9.90. As a team, BU has put up strong defensive numbers, leading the conference in opponent hitting percentage at .175.

While the Bearcats have been trending upward the last few years, the Hawks (6-12, 0-2 AE) have been steadily struggling. Since 2004, Hartford is 1-63 in conference play, with its lone win coming in four sets against the University of Maine in November 2007. Entering this weekend, Hartford is on a five-game losing streak and has won one of their last nine matches overall. The Hawks have lost to conference opponents Stony Brook University and University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in their last two matches. They play the University at Albany tonight before hosting Binghamton on Sunday.

Hartford is led statistically by senior middle hitter Erin Macro. Macro, who finished last year seventh in the conference in kills per set and second in service aces, continues to excel in those categories this season. She is fourth in the conference — behind the Bearcat duo — in kills and points per set, and second in aces. Freshman outside hitter Kami Nethersole has also had a good season, putting up the second-best numbers on her team in kills. Sophomore middle hitter Michelle Cordell is the team’s leader in blocks. As a team, the Hawks have performed their best at putting in aces; they are third in the America East in that category.

The last time these teams faced off, Binghamton took the match in three sets, winning by margins of ten, four and nine points respectively. McDonough paced the offense with 18 kills and was the only player in the match to put up double-digit kills.

The Bearcats and Hawks are scheduled to face off in Hartford on Sunday at 1 p.m.