The Binghamton volleyball team split its weekend matchups, with two wins and two losses at the Cherry and White Challenge. Hosted by Temple, the invitational served as BU’s (3-8) penultimate tournament before America East play begins.
In their opening victory versus Duquesne, the Bearcats split the first four sets. In the deciding fifth set, Binghamton recorded 16 kills while winning the match 20-18.
Sophomore setter Sarah Ngo continued her productive season, tying her career high with 55 assists in the match. Junior libero Bailey Walker also impressed against the Dukes (5-6), recording 40 digs — a single-game program record — on the way to being named the AE Defensive Specialist of the Week for the second time this season.
This young Binghamton team, featuring only one senior on the roster, has found leadership in Walker.
“She’s been fantastic for us,” BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama said of Walker. “She leads by example and leads others to learn and increase their understanding of the game.”
The Bearcats continued their forward strides against Montana (2-7), rallying from a 2-0 deficit to win the match. After a hard-fought third game that saw the Bearcats come out on top, 28-26, the team gained control of the match and won the next two sets with relative ease.
Kiriyama was pleased with his team’s effort and intensity level in the victory. He described the team as a scrappy bunch of players who can extend rallies with their defense.
“They are a team that fights hard; they don’t give up,” Kiriyama said.
To conclude the weekend, the Bearcats fell, 3-0, to both Temple and Towson. The Owls (7-2) recorded 48 kills in their sweep over BU, while landing eight aces and recording 45 digs. Binghamton recorded just 23 kills in the match. The Bearcats held an early 12-6 lead against Towson (10-1) and trailed by just one point, 24-23, late in the set. But Towson scored the next point, securing the set victory. The Tigers would run away with the next two sets securing 25-20 and 25-16 victories. Ngo combined for 37 assists in the two matches.
Binghamton is set to wrap up its preseason tournament schedule in Ithaca at the two-day Cornell Invitational, where the team will face Cornell, Loyola and Seton Hall, beginning Friday. Action is set to begin against Cornell on Friday at 7 p.m.