The Binghamton volleyball team fell to Siena, 3-2, on Thursday night in its ninth five-game match of the season. Fresh off a five-set victory last weekend against conference rival UMass Lowell, Binghamton (5-16, 2-4 America East) head coach Glenn Kiriyama had hoped to see more energy from his team early on in the non-conference contest.

“It really started off slow,” Kiriyama said. “But they picked it up midway through the match and fought hard until the end.”

In the first set, the Bearcats and Saints (11-8, 7-2 MAAC) went back and forth, fighting to take a definitive lead. Freshman Gabby Alicea served two straight aces early on in the period to set a competitive tone for BU. Sophomore setter Sarah Ngo provided a backbone to the Bearcat’s offense, amassing eight assists throughout the set. Sophomore middle hitter Kristella Morina kept the Saints’ defense at bay, recording three kills and two blocks at the net before. Despite BU’S efforts, Siena took the first set, 27-25.

Siena took control of the second frame, taking the lead by six points early in the set. Following two kills by Morina and three Saint-errors, BU sliced the deficit to just one. But, four consecutive attack errors by the Saints and a kill by Binghamton freshman setter Kaelen Haag gave the Bearcats the set victory, 25-20.

After a third set win for the Saints, 29-25, and a fourth set win for the Bearcats, 25-20, both teams prepared for the deciding fifth set, where BU has won 80 percent of its matches this season.

The Saints got off to a quick start in the fifth with five timely kills. In response, junior middle hitter Bianca Anderson sent three bullet-like spikes over the net to bring the Bearcats within reach of the win. But a BU error followed by consecutive kills by the Saints put the final nail in Binghamton’s coffin. Siena won the fifth and final set, 15-11, taking the match, 3-2.

With six more conference chances to go, Binghamton hopes that its final non-conference contest of the season will serve as more of a learning experience than a hiccup.

“I felt like we were playing behind the whole match. We picked up the energy, but we have to start off like that in every game,” Kiriyama stated. “We want to learn from this game.”