Binghamton volleyball capped off a hard-fought weekend with a dramatic five-set victory over NJIT on Sunday afternoon at the Events Center. The Bearcats traded sets with the Highlanders before pulling away in the final set to seal the 3-2 win.

“We’re learning, our little ones coming in and playing defense too, they want to be in and they’re hungry,” said Binghamton head coach Allie Yaeger. “Our freshmen want to learn, and they’re really hungry to get in there, and that’s all you can ask for.”

The Bearcats (7-10, 2-1 AE) opened the afternoon with a tightly contested first set. Both sides traded points early, but the Bearcats began to pull ahead thanks to long rallies and kills from freshman right side hitter Maya Coblentz-Brown, establishing an 18-12 lead.

NJIT (3-14, 0-3 AE) answered with a 10-6 run, but a decisive finish from sophomore middle blocker Sophia Holland secured the first set win.

“[Coblentz-Brown], I mean, come on,” Yaeger said. ”She got 20 kills today and hit .409 as a freshman in a conference play game. She is outstanding, and it just makes the future of this program and this team so great. I’m so excited for her.”

NJIT answered in the second set, capitalizing on the Bearcats’ inconsistencies to take a 20-11 lead. Binghamton answered with an 11-3 run, powered by back row support from senior outside hitter Merima Smajlovic and connections between graduate student setter Alexandra Koleva and sophomore right side hitter Viktoria Dimitrova. However, the Highlanders held their lead and evened the match with a 25-22 second-set victory.

Binghamton regrouped in the third, using strong communication and steady serving to establish momentum and a 10-5 lead. Koleva, who finished with 43 assists, consistently found her hitters in rhythm. Freshman middle blocker Francesca Pierdonati anchored the defense at the net as the Bearcats pulled away 25-19 to take a 2-1 set lead.

NJIT, however, refused to fold, storming back with a 25-17 win in the fourth set. Although Holland contributed key blocks, the Highlanders’ offense surged as they forced the match to a deciding fifth following the Bearcats’ lost rhythm.

”The NJIT team fought really, really hard against us,” Yaeger said. “They were digging balls like crazy, and it kind of came down in that fifth set, and I told the girls in one of the last time-outs, they’re digging, we’re digging, it’s going to come down to who makes that error at the last second. So, fortunately for us, it was them. But I’m glad we fight, that is something that we do.”

The fifth set opened with both teams again trading points, as NJIT briefly pulled ahead 10-7. However, the Bearcats dug in defensively, driven by senior libero Emily Cronkhite’s 27 digs. The Bearcats quickly regained their rhythm and closed the match with an 8-0 run, capped by a kill to secure the 15-10 set victory and overall match win.

“It’s huge,” Yaeger said. “Going into this weekend, the players knew how big this was. To go 2-0, we have to get our home games, we have to get our home matches. Last year, we played really well at home, we went undefeated in conference play.“

Coblentz-Brown powered the Bearcats with 20 kills, hitting an efficient .409 on the day. Her steady offensive presence proved vital in a match filled with long rallies and an over-regulation set number.

While Coblentz-Brown led the offense, several of her teammates played pivotal roles. Smajlovic and Dimitrova each added 12 kills, with Smajlovic also contributing 18 digs. Pierdonati tallied a team-high eight blocks, supported by Dimitrova’s four and Holland’s three. Koleva’s 15 digs complemented her 43 assists.

Binghamton will look to keep its momentum when it takes on Bryant on Sunday, Oct. 12. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Chace Athletic Center in Smithfield, Rhode Island.