VESTAL, N.Y. - The Binghamton volleyball program has announced its 2013 Summer Camp Schedule. The Bearcats will hold four different camps for athletes of all ages including two overnight camps. Registrations is available by clicking the above link. Check in for all camps will be held in the West Gym Lobby.

The first camp offered is the Boy’s Camp on July 22 for players grades 5-12. The new one-day camp will introduce the skills and game of volleyball in a fun and positive way to first time or inexperienced players. The campers will have an opportunity to practice all skills and participate in team play while learning the rules of volleyball. The single-day camp will have two sessions, the first goes from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and the second from 1 p.m.-4 p.m., with registration beginning at 8 a.m. in the West Gym Lobby. Lunch will be provided and the cost of the camp is $85.

The second camp offered is a Position Camp on July 23 and is open to all ages. The campers will receive instruction and repetition in the skills of their choice. The day-long camp will run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and costs $85.

The first of the two overnight camps (Junior Volleyball Camp) will be conducted on July 24-26 and is open to those individuals in grades 5-12. Campers will receive instruction on correct volleyball technique through individual and team drills. Campers will also participate in team competition and games in order to strengthen their all around performance. The three-day camp runs from 12:30-8:30 p.m. on day one, 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. on day two and 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on day three. Cost for commuters is $180 and residents is $230. Breakfast and dinner will be served during listed sessions.

The final camp to be held is the Elite Volleyball Camp for athletes in grades 9-12. The two-day camp will be conducted from July 27-29 and campers will receive instruction on correct volleyball technique through individual and team drills. Campers will also participate in team competitions and games in order to strengthen their all around performance. The Elite Camp is only open to campers who have previous high school playing experience or plan to play on a junior varsity team in the fall. Camp capacity is limited to 50 campers.

For more information regarding the camps please contact Binghamton assistant volleyball coach Rashinda Reed at rjreed@binghamton.edu or 607-777-5807.

VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball program will welcome four new additions to campus this fall for the 2013 season, head coach Glenn Kiriyama announced Wednesday. After capturing their third America East title last November, the Bearcats will look to defend its title with freshmen Bianca Anderson, Allison Hovie, Kelly Leach and Bailey Walker. Binghamton, a relatively young team in 2012, will lose just three seniors to graduation in May, Alex Roland, Iva Partaleva and Jordyn Suhr.

Arriving to Binghamton in August will be Bianca Anderson (Columbus, Ohio), Allison Hovie (Neenah, Wis.), Kelly Leach (Sayville, N.Y.) and Bailey Walker (Bayport, N.Y.). The four incoming freshmen will join seniors Xiomara Ortiz and Grace Vickers, juniors Amanda Dettmann, Kristin Hovie and Alexa Zbytniewski and sophomores Megan Burgess and Shannon Kirkpatrick. Junior-transfer Meghan Kraus will also join the Bearcats for the 2013 season after arriving at Binghamton last fall and playing with the team during the spring season.

“Our 2013 recruiting class has a nice mixture of volleyball experience,” Kiriyama said. “Bailey and Kelly have solid all-around ball control skills and will be great benefit to our service reception and back row defense. Allison and Bianca are gifted athletes and will be immediate contributors to our offense this coming year.  We are glad to have them join our team and looking forward to have their drive and enthusiasm permeates our gym.”

Bianca Anderson (Middle Hitter/Outside Hitter) won three letters at Westland High School in Columbus, Ohio. The 6-foot-1 middle hitter was a team captain her senior season and led her squad in kills, blocks and attack percentage. She was named a second-team Ohio Captial all-conference selection and her team’s MVP last fall. As a junior Anderson led Westland in kills, blocks and points garnering All-OCC honorable mention honors. 

Allison Hovie (Outside Hitter) is a three-year letterwinner for Neenah High School and is the younger sister of current Binghamton sophomore Kristin Hovie. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter is a three-time All-Conference selection including an All-State selection as a senior. She helped lead her team to a fifth place finish in WIAA Division I State Tournament and led Neenah to the Fox Valley Association title. The school’s all-time record holder for aces with 167 also compiled 872 kills and 837 digs during her three-year career. Hovie played her club ball with the Wisconsin Volleyball Academy.

Kelly Leach (Oustide Hitter/Defensive Specialist) is a four-year letterwinner at Sayville High School. The senior captain was a two-time All-Suffolk County selection and earned national honors from the AVCA as the Player of the Week for New York last September. Leach was also named to the Suffolk County All-Tournament team as a junior and a senior. Leach, a three-time scholar-athlete, also competed in basketball and lacrosse.

Bailey Walker (Libero/Defensive Specialist) is a five-year letterwinner for Bayport Blue Point High School. The two-year captain was named All-League in 2009 and 2011 and All-Conference in 2010 and 2012. The 5-foot-5 libero was named the League VII Player of the Year after leading her team to the best record in the conference. Walker is also a four-time All-League and two-time All-State selection for the track and field team. She helped her 4x400 team capture the 2012 New York State title while earning the Section XI Sportsmanship award. Walker is a member of the Long Island Volleyball Academy.

Binghamton will seek back-to-back America East titles when they begin camp in August. The Bearcats return three starters from their championship squad including reigning Co-Setter of the Year Amanda Dettmann and tournament Most Outstanding Player Grace Vickers.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.  – Junior co-captain Grace Vickers has been named the America East Scholar-Athlete for Volleyball, as announced Friday afternoon by the conference office. Vickers was among six student-athletes honored for demonstrating their excellence both on the court or field and in the classroom.

A committee of athletic administrators and NCAA Faculty Athletics Representatives chose an honoree in each of the six fall championship sports. Each America East Scholar-Athlete was a starter or prominent reserve and carries a minimum grade-point average of 3.30. Each honoree will automatically be eligible for the America East Female or Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award to be announced this summer.

Vickers, the fourth Bearcat volleyball player to win the award, produced a 3.38 GPA while majoring in geography. The third-year player from Pleasanton, California was also named to the 2012 America East All-Academic Team and is a two-time America East Academic Honor Roll selection. Megan Hoag (2006), Jacki Kane (2007) and Michelle McDonough (2010) also garnered the award.

“Grace has worked extremely hard to become one of the top middle hitters in the conference,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “But what makes her a complete student-athlete is the equal, if not greater, emphasis she places on her academics.”

Named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 America East Championship, Vickers led Binghamton to its second title in four years and third overall, sweeping No. 1 seed Albany in the championship match. En route to Binghamton’s third NCAA appearance versus No. 1 ranked Penn St., the middle hitter led the league with a .271 hitting percentage earning first-team all-conference honors. The two-time captain was the only player to be named to an America East All-Conference team and All Academic teams this year.

A Binghamton student-athlete has been named an America East Scholar-Athlete for the 12th consecutive year and Vickers is the university’s 31st award-winner overall. The Bearcats currently have the third-most Scholar-Athlete award winners since joining the conference prior to the 2001-02 academic year. Only Albany (38) and Stony Brook (35) have had more student-athletes garner the honor.

The five other student-athletes honored were Liam Paddock of UMBC (men’s soccer), Kristi Toch of Albany (field hockey), Amelia Pereira of Hartford (women’s soccer) and Erick Speakman and Olivia Burne of Stony Brook (cross country).

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Top ranked Penn State (30-2) hit .587 en route to a sweep of Binghamton (13-18) in a NCAA Tournament first round volleyball match on Friday night at Recreation Hall. The Nittany Lions won 25-11, 25-3, 25-9, advancing to a second-round match against Bowling Green in the process. The visiting Bearcats, meanwhile, concluded the season with their third NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005.

In 63 attack attempts, Penn State registered 40 kills and committed just three attack errors. In addition, the Nittany Lions turned in 12 service aces. Individually, Deja McClendon finished with 12 kills while Micha Hancock added 10 service aces and 33 assists.

Facing off against the Nittany Lions for the third time in NCAA Tournament action, Binghamton was led by senior outside hitter Iva Partaleva’s six kills and junior defensive specialist Xiomara Ortiz’s seven digs. Junior outside hitter Grace Vickers and senior middle hitter Alex Roland each added three kills.

Binghamton hung tough for the first part of the opening game, trailing by just 10-8 at one point. Partaleva had four kills and sophomore setter Amanda Dettman added three assists during that stretch.

From there, however, Penn State took command with an 11-1 run en route to the 25-11 victory. The Nittany Lions recorded a blistering .692 attack percentage in game one, recording 19 kills and just one attack error.

The floodgates opened up in the second game as the Nittany Lions scored the first 20 points.  The Bearcats stopped the bleeding by scoring three of the next five points but Penn State closed out the game with two more unanswered points.

Hancock was the star of game two, nailing six service aces and dishing out seven assists. The Nittany Lions as a team hit .500, with eight kills and no attack errors.  Binghamton, by contrast, was unable to record a kill.

Once again, the Nittany Lions opened up a huge lead to start the third game, scoring the opening 13 points.  Hancock turned in a pair of service aces and five assists during that span. Binghamton played even with Penn State the rest of the game but the final three points belonged to the Nittany Lions.

Binghamton, which won its third America East title two weeks ago, will return 10 out of its 12 players next season.

NOTES: Roland becomes just the second Binghamton volleyball player to compete in two NCAA Division I Tournament matches during her career. She also competed in the 2009 first-round match against Penn State. The other Bearcat player to play in a pair of NCAA Tournament matches was Brianna Strong (2005 and 2009).

When the 2012 Binghamton volleyball team celebrated its America East title and the program’s third NCAA Division I berth, one former standout was cheering loudly from across the country.

Jacki Kane led the volleyball program to its first conference title and NCAA Division I berth in 2005. She earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the America East Championship, where Binghamton defeated Maine and Stony Brook to win the crown. Kane, who graduated in 2008 with a degree in political science and English, has since embarked on a successful career in television broadcasting. But memories of her volleyball career, former teammates and time at Binghamton are never far from her mind.

“I am so very proud of this year’s team winning another America East title,” Kane says. “Coach Kiriyama has worked very hard to create a solid volleyball program and obviously his hard work is paying off. He continues to bring in talented women who really know the game and know how to perform under pressure. I am thrilled and so excited for them.”

Kane shared some memories of that magical 2005 season, which culminated with an NCAA matchup against national power and second-ranked Penn State (the same Nittany Lions program the 2009 team faced and now the 2012 BU team will oppose in the NCAA first round this Friday). The Bearcats were picked to finish sixth (out of seven) in the America East preseason poll, but instead ran up a 10-2 conference mark and went 12-2 down the stretch. The team, which had no seniors and eight underclassmen, was anchored in the middle by the 6-foot-2 Kane, who amassed 162 blocks in her sophomore campaign.

“Every athlete dreams of playing in the NCAA tournament,” she says. “I think most of us think that’s all it is ... just a dream that will probably never actually happen. But in 2005 ... everything we expected to happen at the tournament just didn’t.”

Kane was referring to a big semifinal upset that took out defending champion and host Albany and propelled Stony Brook into the finals. After dispatching Maine in four sets, the Bearcats met the Seawolves for the championship.

“I knew Stony Brook would be good, but we matched up against them really well, so I went into the match confident,” she says. “It was an incredibly intense match and I felt like my heart was racing the whole time .... there was this fire inside all of us and we sprang back from each mistake determined to fight for that next point.”

When that final point was won and Binghamton had secured its 30-20, 28-30, 30-21, 30-28 win, Kane recalls the feeling of disbelief.

“I don’t think it set in for me until they were handing us the awards and I could feel the plaques and trophies in my hand and I finally thought, ‘We’re going to the NCAA tournament!’”

The “prize” for the title was a trip to State College, Pa., and a matchup against one of the nation’s premier programs, Penn State. Though the resulting 3-0 loss ended Binghamton’s season, Kane relished the experience and the atmosphere of the NCAA match.

“The NCAAs were everything I imagined,” she says. “Penn State’s massive gym was more like a coliseum and it had big screens on the wall displaying our names and stats. The gym was filled and it was so loud, I could hardly think. It was probably one of the best moments of my life, even though they steamrolled us.”

Fast-forward two years, and though Kane and the Bearcats wouldn’t get a return trip to the national tournament, she ended her stellar collegiate career as a three-time first-team all-conference blocker. In her senior season, Kane led the America East and ranked eighth in the nation with 186 blocks. She was a scholar-athlete, the school’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominee and its Female Athlete of the Year.

Jacki Kane, the elite athlete, was now ready to transition to Jacki Kane, upstart news reporter.

Kane’s charm and effervescence made her perfectly suited to be in front of the camera. She did a test-run late in her senior year with some interviews for the athletics department’s year-end highlight film and she also was chosen to speak to the entire student-athlete body at the awards banquet. But it turns out, the reporting itch took hold many years earlier.

“When I was 10 years old, I remember sitting in French class and we were supposed to pick out an occupation for some class activity,” she says. “I remember seeing ‘journalist’ and just thought, ‘Well, I like writing and it sounds adventurous!’ So I checked it off. After that, I just became focused on doing whatever was necessary to get into the news business.”

Her path continued with an internship at local television station WIVT during her senior year. The station liked her work and hired her during her final college semester to be a weekend reporter. A position opened up at another Binghamton station, WICZ, and Kane was hired and started the day after graduation. A year and a half later, Kane made a move to a larger market in Springfield, Mass., where she worked for about 14 months before landing her current position at KWGN Channel 2 in Denver. The jump to the 18th-largest market brought Kane back home: she grew up in Centennial, located less than 20 miles from Denver.

Kane (who goes by the name Jacki Jing on the air) has been handling the station’s traffic reporting, but got a taste of entertainment in April when she traveled to Los Angeles to interview the stars of the movie The Avengers. That Youtube video has been watched more than 70,000 times and the experience has led to additional Hollywood interviews with the likes of Tom Hanks. Just how did Kane get the coveted gig of talking with Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Chris Evans (Captain America)?

“It’s a funny story,” she says. “Our entertainment reporter sent out an e-mail asking all the on-air talent if anyone was a fan of comic books. I immediately responded and I guess I was the only one who did. He said, ‘I have to miss this interview for The Avengers … will you go?’ I was mortified and scared, but he gave me pointers, told me to be myself and I guess I did okay because he sends me out to LA for these interviews every now and again when he can’t go.”

Kane’s growing list of Hollywood interview subjects also includes John C. Reilly, Jennifer Garner, Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman and Samuel L. Jackson, with whom she shared a funny, albeit embarrassing moment.

“When I was interviewing Samuel J. Jackson, I got so excited, I told him, ‘I’m a HUGE fan. I’ve been watching you … FOREVER’ … and then I sat there and thought, ‘Oh my god, what did I just say? I just called him old!’”

At 25 years old, what Kane lacks in experience, she makes up for with a natural smile and friendly air that puts her interviewees at ease, even if she isn’t.

“When I first started, I remember just being frozen sometimes … and I just blabbed and stuttered,” she recalls. “But practice makes perfect and now when I stutter, instead of panicking, I just keep going.”

Kane came away from her interview with Tom Hanks singing his praises.

“He’s a gem … seriously an amazing, sweet person. When I walked into the interview, he gave me the warmest welcome ever,” she says. “He demanded that everyone give me a round of applause. I feel very grateful to have interacted with all these incredible people … sometimes I think I’m still dreaming.”

Kane cites many mentors and role models in the broadcast business but one anchor she singled out was Meredith Vieira, the former moderator of the ABC talk program The View and co-host of the long-running NBC News morning news program, Today.

“[Vieira] isn’t on-air as much anymore, but I used to watch her religiously,” Kane says. “She had this aura that demanded respect when there was hard news, but she was never too authoritative … she had this welcoming warmth about her. And she could make you laugh so hard, creating these hysterical, light moments on the Today show. I thought she was great at interviewing, too.”

Closer to home, Kane remains deeply connected with her family. And her strong ties to former Bearcats teammates also keep Kane both grounded and enriched. She reminisces about her college career and the relationships and memories forged.

“I still keep in touch with almost all my teammates. To this day and forever, Kathleen Schauer and Katie Robertson will be best friends. I just miss the camaraderie, the hours in the gym, in the weight room, on the bus, in the hotel rooms. I miss it all the time every day.”

Kane’s experience as a Division I athlete helped prepared her for the pressures of her job and she easily draws parallels between the rigors of being an athlete and being an on-air personality.

“It’s the exact same thing!” she says. “Right before I’d play games in college, I would get this insane rush … this strange surge of adrenaline. Before I go live, I get that same feeling. When there’s a big story, a big interview … it’s like a big game. You just feel more amped, more pressure to perform. But you just have to do it … or you lose.”

So, where will those stories and interviews take Kane next?

“We’ll see where I end up,” she says. “I’ve always been kind of a drifter. I follow my heart and my gut and let the wind take me.”

That next gust of wind just might carry Kane to a TV set or movie screen near you.

VESTAL, N.Y. – Binghamton, the 2012 America East Volleyball Champions, will face No. 1 overall seed Penn State in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Volleyball Championship, the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee announced Sunday. The 64-team field was revealed during the 30-minute selection show on ESPNU. Thirty-one conferences were awarded automatic qualification and the remaining 33 slots were filed with at-large selections to complete the bracket.

The Bearcats (13-17) will challenge the five-time national champion Nittany Lions (29-2) on Friday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. in University Park, Pa. The winner will face the winner of the Yale and Bowling Green matchup on Saturday, Dec. 1.

“It’s not unexpected,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said of the matchup against the top-seeded Nittany Lions. “My first thought was ... ‘not them again!’ Penn State is a very good team and one of the biggest teams in the country so they will have a huge height advantage over us. They are a complete team ... that’s why they are No. 1. We want to go in and play well, play our best brand of volleyball and represent the America East. We will look to control the ball on our side of the net.”

Binghamton is making its third trip to the NCAA Volleyball Championship and fittingly will play Penn State for the third time. The Bearcats were swept by the Nittany Lions in both 2005 and 2009. Penn State has won championships in 1999, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and recently won its 15th Big Ten title.

The Bearcats earned the America East’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship with a five-set victory over UMBC in the semifinals and then a sweep of No. 1 Albany in the championship match. Junior captain Grace Vickers was named the Most Outstanding Player while senior hitter Iva Partaleva and sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann joined her on the All-Tournament Team.

The last America East team to win an NCAA Championship match was Albany, who beat Cleveland State in the first round in 2007.

The winners from each of the four Regional sites (West Lafayette, Ind., Omaha Neb., Berkeley, Calif., and Austin, Texas) advance to the NCAA National Semifinals, which will be held on Thursday, Dec. 13 in the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. The National Championship match is set for Saturday, Dec. 15.

ALL SESSION tickets for the First and Second rounds MUST be purchased at the Bryce Jordan Center Ticket Office or by calling 1-800-NITTANY beginning on Monday, Nov. 26 at 10 a.m. up until Friday, Nov. 30 at Noon. All session tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for youth and students and $8 for groups (20 or more). SINGLE SESSION tickets WILL ONLY be available at Rec Hall on Friday and Saturday and are $8 for adults, $6 for youth and students and $5 for groups.

ALBANY, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team rallied from large deficits in the second and third sets to sweep two-time defending champion Albany to win the America East title, Saturday night at University Gym on the campus of the University at Albany. The Bearcats captured their third conference championship defeating the Great Danes by scores of 25-17, 28-26 and 26-24. Binghamton also won conference titles in 2005 and 2009.

Binghamton was led by the championship’s Most Outstanding Player Grace Vickers and All-Tournament selections Iva Partaleva and Amanda Dettmann. Vickers posted 10 kills and seven block assists while Partaleva recorded a double-double with 19 kills and 13 digs. Dettmann handed out 37 assists, picked up nine digs and knocked back six block assists to earn her spot on the All-Tournament Team.

The Bearcats utilized a stout defense to surprise the No. 1 seeded Great Danes, led by a career-high 32 digs from junior libero Xiomara Ortiz. Binghamton held Albany to a .119 hitting percentage behind 12 total blocks.

Unfazed by the season sweep at the hands of the Great Danes, Binghamton raced out of the gates to take a 6-2 lead on a Dettmann dump, seizing the early momentum. Following a block by Vickers and Dettmann, Albany was forced to call timeout. The defending champions did not go away; stringing together four straight points to trim the Binghamton lead to two. However, a pair of kills and solo block by Vickers handed BU a 20-14 advantage. The Great Danes threatened with a late 3-1 run, but a Alex Roland block sealed the opening frame for the Bearcats, 25-17.

In a thrilling second set, Binghamton trailed 18-7 before going on a 15-4 run to even the frame at 22, completing the comeback in extra points, 28-26. Albany took control of the stanza early on, jumping out to a 5-1 lead. A Partaleva kill made it 14-7 before a 4-0 Albany run pushed the margin to the largest of the set.

An Alexa Zbytniewski service ace coupled with a back-to-back kills by Partaleva sparked the BU run. Albany struggled to generate offense as multiple attack errors aided the Bearcats’ comeback. Following a Great Dane timeout, kills by Roland and Partaleva trimmed the lead to four, 22-18. A service ace by Dettmann followed by a pair of Albany errors finally evened the stanza at 22.

Albany regained the lead, but Partaleva’s sixth termination of the set evened the score at 23. The Great Danes fought off a Binghamton set-point, before gaining set-point themselves, 25-24. Sophomore Kristin Hovie came up big with her first kill of the match to fight off set-point and level the frame again, at 25. Albany staved off set-point once more before back-to-back kills by Partaleva and Vickers closed out the second set 28-26, giving Binghamton a two-sets-to-none lead.

The third and final set was similar to the second with Albany taking the upper hand midway through the frame holding a 16-9 advantage. The Bearcats began to chip away at the deficit following a 4-0 run, sparked by kills from Vickers, Partaleva and Dettmann, bringing BU within two, 18-16. After Albany pushed its lead back to four, BU used three straight kills from Roland, Zbytniewski and Partaleva to cut the lead to one, 20-19. Albany attack errors and a Hovie kill allowed Binghamton to even the frame at 24 before back-to-back kills by Partaleva gave the Bearcats their third conference title.

Binghamton earned the conference’s automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Championship, and will learn their matchup during the 2012 NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, November 25 at 4:00 p.m. on ESPNU.

ALBANY, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team advanced to its fourth America East championship match following its five-set defeat of UMBC, Friday evening at University Gym on the campus of the University at Albany. The Bearcats (12-17, 8-4 AE) rallied from a two-sets-to-one deficit and overcame a five-point hole with a 9-0 run in the fifth set to upend the Retrievers (15-15, 8-4 AE) 16-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20 and 15-9. In Binghamton’s second-ever five set match at an America East Championship, the Bearcats set new team records for kills (64), hitting percentage (.237) and assists (55).

Highlighting BU’s victory was senior Iva Partaleva, who registered a match-high 21 kills, one shy of the Binghamton tournament record. The Bearcats also received a stellar performance from newly crowned Co-Setter of the Year Amanda Dettmann, who established a new program mark for assists in a conference tournament game with 48. Junior libero Xiomara Ortiz also had record-setting match, picking up 24 digs breaking the old BU tournament number of 23.

UMBC raced out of the gates in the first set jumping out to a 9-1 lead to take control of the opening frame early on. Binghamton responded with a 4-0 run, ignited by a pair of kills from Grace Vickers, to trim the lead to four. The two teams traded points throughout the middle of set as UMBC maintained its cushion. A Vickers kill brought Binghamton within 17-13, but that would be as close as they would get dropping the opening set 25-16. UMBC hit .312 while Binghamton managed just a .097 clip.

Determined to even the match, Binghamton gained an 8-5 advantage on UMBC to open the second set, forcing a Retrievers timeout. Following the break, the Bearcats went on a 4-0 run sparked by a Kristin Hovie kill to take a 12-5 lead. BU maintained its cushion until UMBC threatened with a 11-4 run to slice the lead one, 23-22. However, Binghamton was able to hold off the Retrievers for the 25-22 second-set victory.

After dropping the third set 25-20, Binghamton needed a victory in the fourth frame to continue its season. A pair of kills by Alex Roland gave the Bearcats an early 7-5 lead, but the Retrievers did not go away fighting back to even the stanza at seven. From there the set was tied eight times before back-to-back kills by Partaleva and Vickers handed Binghamton a 20-18 lead. UMBC pulled within one, but the Bearcats closed the frame on a 5-1 run to take the set 25-20. Binghamton hit a match-best .324 during the set.

In the fifth and deciding frame, a situation Binghamton found themselves in 12 times during the 2012 season, UMBC raced out to a 6-1 advantage. Seemingly in control of the set, UMBC allowed the Bearcats back into the frame following a 5-1 run. The scoring spurt was propelled by three terminations from the arm of Vickers. UMBC regained its composure and took an 8-6 lead at the switch and went up 9-6 before the pivotal run. Following an UMBC service error, freshman Alexandra Warner led the Bearcats on a resounding 8-0 service run to close out the frame 15-9. Vickers put down three kills during the run, while Warner added two service aces as UMBC was unable to handle the freshman’s serves.

Binghamton was outhit by UMBC .245 to .237, but held the Retrievers to .179 and .100 hitting clips in the fourth and fifth sets, respectively. The Bearcats picked up 74 digs against the Retrievers and collected four service aces. Vickers and Hovie each registered double-digit kills with 17 and 11, respectively.

The Bearcats will face three-time defending champion and host Albany tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Head volleyball coach Glenn Kiriyama was honored by his peers as the America East Coach of the Year and sophomore Amanda Dettmann was voted Co-Setter of the Year, as announced by the conference Thursday. Kiriyama was named Coach of the Year after leading the Bearcats back to the America East tournament following their absence in 2011. Setting a precedent, Dettmann became the first Binghamton player to win a major conference award since BU joined the league in 2002.

Kiriyama’s team was picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll but instead went 8-4 in conference play to finish in a tie for second in the league and carry the No. 2 seed into the tournament. The honor marked the third time the 14th year head coach won the award also capturing the hardware in 2005 and 2008.

“I am very grateful for this award,” Kiriyama said. “I am fortunate to have a strong staff of coaches and trainers who have dedicated a large amount of their time and talents to the benefit of the program.  But above all, I would like to recognize the student-athletes who have sacrificed so much to move this program forward.” 

Dettmann finished the season in a tie for the league lead in assists (9.81 a/s) and was one of two America East setters to eclipse 1,000 assists (1,099). She quarterbacked Binghamton to its highest hitting percentage in program history and led the conference with 16 double-doubles. Dettmann recorded her first career triple-double in Binghamton’s season-ending victory at Stony Brook, allowing BU to clinch the No. 2 seed. The tie in the Setter of the Year voting marked the first time in conference history two setters shared the award.

“Amanda has been a pleasure to coach,” Kiriyama stated. “She works hard to improve, leads by example, and has a strong desire to achieve.”

In addition to announcing the major award winners, the all-conference and all-academic teams were released and the Bearcats garnered six positions total. Junior Grace Vickers was Binghamton’s lone first-team selection while three Bearcats were named to the second-team as Dettmann and seniors Iva Partaleva and Alex Roland were also honored by the conference.

Vickers helped Binghamton lead the conference in hitting percentage (.214), finishing second in the league with a .264 hitting clip. She also led the team in blocks (0.87 b/s) and was third in kills per set with 2.26.

“Grace has put in a tremendous amount of effort to get to where she is today,” Kiriyama added.  “She has been one of our top hitters and blockers all season long.”

Partaleva and Roland joined Dettmann on the second-team after compiling strong senior seasons. Roland led the conference in hitting percentage (.271), while Partaleva completed the year third in the league in kills (3.59 k/s). Her 402 kills led the team and is the sixth highest single-season total in Binghamton’s Division I history. Roland topped BU with 15 solo blocks and will finish her career at Binghamton fifth all-time in total blocks (330).

“Iva has been our go to hitter down the stretch,” Kiriyama continued “Iva is a great competitor who consistently put up some strong offensive numbers for us. Alex has greatly improved her hitting efficiency and along with Grace has formed the top middle hitting duo in the conference.”

Vickers continued to earn accolades after being the lone all-conference selection named to the All-Academic Team and was joined by senior Jordyn Suhr. The duo is the first pair of Binghamton players to be named to the team since 2009 when Michelle McDonough and Dawn Lammert were recognized. Suhr, who has earned a sparkling 3.91 GPA while studying Integrated Nuero Molecular Track, will be attending the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine next year. Vickers, a junior captain, carried a 3.37 in Geography to collect her second conference honor.

Binghamton will face No. 3 seed UMBC on Friday at 4 p.m. in the first America East semifinal match. The winner will move onto play the winner of the second semifinal match between No. 1 Albany and No. 4 New Hampshire. The Bearcats and Retrievers split the season series as each team won on their home floor.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann garnered her second America East Setter of the Week accolade after recording her first career triple-double in Binghamton’s crucial five-set victory at Stony Brook, as announced by the conference Monday. The win gave the Bearcats the No. 2 seed in next weekend’s America East Championship. Dettmann also earned the recognition back on Sept. 24.

“Amanda was superb throughout the tough five-setter,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “She had a nice all-around game, making some key digs and kills, while keeping our hitters engaged. It was a great all-around effort, but Amanda was excellent in getting everyone involved.”

In Binghamton’s final match of the season, the Bearcats needed a victory over Stony Brook to ensure their place in the postseason tournament. Dettmann had the best game of her short career in an epic battle that witnessed each set decided by a two-point margin until the final frame. The Milwaukee native handed out 53 assists, picked up 14 digs and connected on a career-best 10 kills to complete the rare triple-double.

Dettmann quarterback Binghamton to a .242 hitting percentage against the Seawolves, finishing the season with a .214 clip giving the Bearcats the conference hitting title by 14 points. During the Stony Brook match, Dettmann helped four Binghamton hitters register double-digit kills for the first time in 2012. Thanks to Dettmann’s ability to spread the ball around, four BU players (Partaleva, Hovie, Vickers, Roland) have amassed over 200 kills for the second straight season, the only team in the America East to accomplish the feat.

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2003 last year, BU was determined to return to the postseason. Dettmann’s third 50-plus assist outing in her last four matches guaranteed Binghamton’s position in the postseason. The second-year captain finished the year tied for the league lead in assists per set with 9.81.

As the No. 2 seed, Binghamton will face No. 3 UMBC Friday, Nov. 16 at 4 p.m. at Albany’s University Gym. The Bearcats and Retrievers split the season series with each team winning on its home floor.

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team held off host Stony Brook in five sets, Sunday afternoon at Pritchard Gymnasium, clinching a berth in the America East tournament next weekend. The Bearcats (11-17, 8-4 AE) earned the No. 2 seed by defeating the Seawolves (11-14, 6-6 AE) 24-26, 27-25, 26-24, 28-30 and 15-12. Binghamton returns to the conference tournament after failing to qualify last season for the first time since 2003.

“It was an epic battle and extremely hard fought match,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “We got an all-around effort from everyone and the team continued to fight until the end. Amanda (Dettmann) had a huge game for us and really got our hitters involved. We very excited to return to the conference tournament and can’t wait for next weekend.”

Binghamton was led by sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann’s first career triple-double of 53 assists, 14 digs and 10 kills. She quarterbacked the Bearcats to a .242 hitting percentage and helped four other Binghamton players record at least 12 kills. Headlining the BU attack was senior hitter Iva Partaleva, who connected on 21 terminations, eclipsing the 20-kill mark for the fourth time in the last five matches.

After dropping a tight opening frame 26-24, Binghamton dug themselves out of a whole in the second to even the match at one set apiece. Down 14-10, the Bearcats went on a 6-2 run ignited by a pair of Grace Vickers kills, to level the stanza at 16. The two teams battled back and forth as the set was tied seven more times down the stretch. Vickers’ sixth termination of the frame helped Binghamton stave off set-point and knotted the game at 24. A pair of Alex Roland kills aided the Bearcats in closing out the second set, 27-25.

The Bearcats continued to roll in the third frame as a kill by sophomore Kristin Hovie handed Binghamton an early 10-8 advantage. From there, the two SUNY rivals traded points as no lead grew greater than one. Terminations by Hovie and Partaleva coupled with several Stony Brook errors helped Binghamton earn set-point. The Seawolves fought off one set-point before a Hovie kill and Stony Brook error gave BU the set, 26-24. The Bearcats held Stony Brook to a .081 hitting percentage during the frame, it’s lowest of the match.

In a frantic fourth set, Stony Brook fought off five set-points to push the match to a fifth set 30-28. Binghamton was unfazed however, taking an early 3-1 lead in the final set on a Hovie kill. The Bearcats continued to control the frame thanks to back-to-back errors by the Seawolves, leading to a Stony Brook timeout. Binghamton extended its lead to four, 9-5, on a kill by Roland. But Stony Brook did not back down, going on a 5-2 run to pull within one. Following a late BU timeout, consecutive kills by Roland gave Binghamton the 15-12 fifth-set victory and a chance at an America East title.

Roland finished the match with 16 kills, while Vickers and Hovie recorded 15 and 12 terminations, respectively. Junior libero Xiomara Ortiz picked up a team-high 22 digs for her 10th 20-dig performance of the season.

Binghamton recorded 75 kills and 11 blocks for a dynamic all-around effort. After going 1-6 in five-set matches during non-conference action, BU improved to a perfect 4-0 in five-setters during America East play.

As the No. 2 seed, Binghamton will face No. 3 UMBC Friday, Nov. 16 at 4 p.m. at Albany’s University Gym. The Bearcats and Retrievers split the season series with each team winning on its home floor. 

Check out the video interviews with head coach Glenn Kiriyama as he discusses his background and coaching philosophy, the sport of volleyball and his Bearcats program.

Information about Binghamton University and the overall athletics program is also included, along with links to the America East Conference and other online sources.

The guide will permanently reside on the “Media Guide” page, which can be accessed on the column of links to the left.

VESTAL, N.Y. – Despite having four players register double-digit kills, the Binghamton volleyball team fell in four sets to first-place Albany, Sunday evening at West Gym. In an important America East contest, the Bearcats (10-17, 7-4 AE) dropped the match 20-25, 27-25, 23-25 and 20-25 to the Great Danes (11-14, 8-2 AE) in a tightly contested meeting between the SUNY rivals.

“We didn’t play our best match tonight,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “I thought we could have played better, especially down the stretch where we committed a few too many errors. We didn’t have the execution with our middles, which is a big part of our offense. But we fought hard all night and played well on the outside. We will continue to work hard and prepare for Stony Brook next Sunday.”

On Senior Day, a pair of graduating players stepped up for the Bearcats with Iva Partaleva and Alex Roland leading Binghamton’s offensive attack. Partaleva connected on a match-high 20 kills while picking up 12 digs for her second double-double in three matches. Roland led the Bearcats with a .407 hitting clip to go along with her 14 kills. Junior Grace Vickers and sophomore Kristin Hovie put down 15 and 11 terminations, respectively.

Albany controlled much of the first set jumping out to an 8-4 lead. Binghamton tried to cool off the Great Danes’ hot start with a 3-0 run capped by a Roland kill. However, Albany went on a 5-1 after calling timeout to extend its lead to five. The Bearcats were unable to rally in the frame, dropping the opening set 25-20. Partaleva led BU with five kills in the stanza.

In a thrilling second set, Albany looked to be in complete control holding an 18-10 advantage late in the frame. However, Binghamton was determined to even the match surging back with a 12-3 run to take a 22-21 lead. The senior duo of Roland and Partaleva sparked the run with four and three kills, respectively during the spurt. The Great Danes regained the lead, but the Bearcats were able to fight off set point twice before going on a 3-0 run to take the set 27-25. BU tallied 23 kills, seven of which came from swings by Partaleva, and a .500 hitting percentage during the frame.

The two teams furiously battled throughout the pivotal third set when Albany pulled ahead 12-9. Binghamton was able to knot the frame at 12 after a service ace by Xiomara Ortiz and kill by Vickers. Albany responded with a 4-0 run to take a 16-12 lead. The Bearcats fought back to retake the lead, 21-20 following a service ace and dump kill by Amanda Dettmann. However, Albany went on a 4-1 run after calling timeout and took the set 25-23. Vickers registered six kills during the frame
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In the fourth and final set, Albany was in control throughout, never relinquishing the lead. A kill by Kristin Hovie evened the frame at 11, but the Great Danes countered with a 7-3 spurt to take an 18-14 lead. BU pulled within three late in the set following kills by Hovie and Partaleva, but it wasn’t enough as Albany remained in first place with a 25-20 fourth-set victory.

Dettmann had a solid night handing out 55 assists and corralling 10 digs for her fourth straight double-double. Ortiz recorded a match-high 24 digs for the Bearcats on the backline, while senior Jordyn Suhr had a big night with 10 of her own.

Albany out hit Binghamton .340 to .284, but the Bearcats connected on more terminations with a 67-62 advantage. The Bearcats outperformed the top defensive team in the conference collecting 69 digs compared to the Great Danes’ 64, however BU dropped its fifth straight match to the Great Danes.

Binghamton completes its regular season schedule with a huge road match against Stony Brook on Sunday, Nov. 11 at noon. The meeting with Stony Brook will have large implications on the playoff picture. The Bearcats currently sit in a tie for second with UMBC and are just a half game up on Stony Brook and New Hampshire.

“We have played really well all year at home this season,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said afterwards. “The success we had tonight in the middle really opened things up for our outside hitters who have really produced for us down the stretch.”

In the first set, both teams traded points early on. With the score knotted at six, Hartford generated a quick 4-0 run, thanks to a pair of kills from Kami Nethersole. Just minutes later, BU worked its way back to level footing at 12 on the strength of two Hovie kills. Later in the set, Binghamton started to distance themselves, corralling a 7-2 run that was capped off by a dump shot from sophomore Amanda Dettmann. Once again, Dettmann registered the set winner off the assist from senior Iva Partaleva, putting the hosts up a set by the score of 25-18.

In the following stanza, junior middle hitter Grace Vickers’ termination propelled Binghamton to a quick 5-1 lead. The Hawks didn’t back down, putting up a 7-1 run of their own to take a one-point lead. A pair of kills from Hovie and Partaleva, coupled with a service ace from freshman Alexandra Warner gave the home squad a five-point cushion,17-12, and forced the visitors from West Hartford to use one of their timeouts. The timeout didn’t provide any spark for the Hawks, as Binghamton closed out the second set with an identical score of 25-18.

Determined to prolong the match, Hartford caught BU off guard early, claiming six of the first 10 points. Although, they wouldn’t hold the lead long as a block assist from the duo of sophomore Alexa Zbytniewski and senior Alex Roland sent Hartford down a point, 7-6. A few points later, it was Hovie and Vickers who denied the Hawks at the net, giving BU the 11-8 lead. With the score in favor of the Bearcats, 14-12, BU shot ahead powered by three straight kills from the trio of Dettmann, Partaleva and Roland. Now at 21-14, it was Hovie who answered the call. The sophomore from Neenah, Wisconsin connected on a pair of kills off two Dettmann assists, and moments later, she finished things off with a termination that gave the Bearcats their fifth sweep of the season.

The Bearcats outhit the Hawks .350 to .147 and in the process picked up nine blocks as a team. Both Vickers and Roland had strong nights in the middle, picking up a combined 14 kills and 4 blocks. Dettmann picked up her third straight double-double with a 32-assist, 11-dig performance Friday evening. The Bearcats also got a strong performance out of sophomore Alexa Zbtniewski, who picked up four digs, two kills and a pair of block assists in her first career start.

“Our blocking came through for us towards the end of the match,” Kiriyama said. “Our defense picked up and I thought we looked strong in all facets of the game tonight.”

Binghamton turns its attention now to Sunday afternoon (5 p.m.) when they host league leaders Albany. Having lost Friday evening, the Great Danes hold a slim one game lead over the Bearcats. BU will honor three of its seniors (Alex Roland, Jordan Suhr and Iva Partaleva) with a ceremony before game time.

DURHAM, N.H. – Senior hitter Iva Partaleva connected on a career-high 23 kills to lead the Binghamton volleyball program to a thrilling five-set victory over New Hampshire, Friday night in a pivotal America East match at Lundholm Gymnasium. The Bearcats (8-16, 5-3 AE) were just 2-6 in five-setters this season before defeating New Hampshire (10-14, 5-3 AE) 21-25, 25-20, 25-13, 19-25 and 18-16 to claim a share of second place in the league standings.

“It was a barnburner tonight, but a great road win,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “I really thought our offense was clicking all night and we stayed aggressive, especially down the stretch. Our ability to execute when we needed it was huge. Overall, it was a phenomenal performance by everybody and a great team effort. We played hard through the match and never gave up.”

Six of Partaleva’s kills came in the all important fifth set, helping Binghamton fight off match point on several occasions with smashing attempts New Hampshire was unable to dig. The most important point however, came when Kristin Hovie and Grace Vickers teamed up for a block on the conference’s second-leading hitter Morgan Thatcher, staving off match point.

Sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann quarterbacked the offense to the tune of 50 assists, adding a 16 digs for her 11th double-double of the season. Junior libero Xiomara Ortiz, who missed the UMBC match with an injury, bounced back with a 20 dig night, the seventh time this season she’s eclipsed that mark.

Binghamton, determined to prove itself on the road, rushed out to an 11-6 lead thanks to a disheartening 7-0 run bookended by Partaleva kills. Their hosts did not back down however, as New Hampshire responded with an 8-1 run of its own to regain the lead, 18-15. Back-to-back kills by Partaleva and Vickers evened the frame at 18, but it wasn’t enough as the Wildcats put away the opening set 25-21. Partaleva was on fire in the first stanza tallying seven terminations.

In the second set the Bearcats utilized kills by Hovie, Partaleva and freshman Megan Burgess to jump out to a 10-6 advantage. A pair of terminations by Vickers and Hovie extended Binghamton’s lead to seven, 14-7. The Bearcats maintained the margin until a 6-0 spurt by the Wildcats brought UNH within one, 19-18, forcing a BU timeout. Kiriyama’s team answered with a 5-0 run out of the break ignited by a pair of Partaleva service aces to claim set point 24-18. A Burgess kill evened the match at one set apiece, 25-20. Binghamton connected on four service aces during the frame.

The Bearcats completely dominated the third set connecting on 16 kills while hitting at a .484 clip. Binghamton raced out to a 7-2 lead, thanks to a pair of kills each from Vickers and Hovie. A service ace by Burgess forced a New Hampshire timeout as the Wildcats trailed 12-7. BU extended its lead to the largest of the set, 18-10, following a Partaleva termination. The Wildcats had no response as Binghamton closed out the frame on a 7-3 run propelled by a pair of Burgess terminations. Binghamton took a 2-1 lead with a 25-13 third-set victory.

After New Hampshire lengthened the match to a fifth and deciding set with a 25-19 victory in the fourth frame, Binghamton was poised to improve upon its five-set match record. Partaleva sparked the Binghamton attack with three kills early in the set. A Hovie termination handed the Bearcats an 8-4 lead as the teams switch sides. However, a 5-0 New Hampshire run erased the Binghamton lead and gave the Wildcats a 9-8 advantage. The two teams furiously battled with the match being tied several times down the stretch. Binghamton fought off match point twice before the all important Hovie-Vickers block. Following the denial of match point, a solo block by Dettman coupled with a Hovie kill ended the excitement 18-16.

Hovie finished the match with 12 kills while Burgess added six to go along with her season-high 15 digs.

Binghamton compiled a .200 hitting percentage with 57 kills. The Bearcats corralled a season-high 84 digs while recording nine total blocks.

The Bearcats head straight for Providence following the match for a meeting with the Friars on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m. from Alumni Hall.

Providence, RI—The Bearcats (9-16, 6-3 AE) battled back after falling behind two sets to none to improve to 6-3 in conference play with a five-set victory (17-25, 20-25, 25-13, 25-16, 15-12) over Providence (1-26, 0-9 AE) Sunday afternoon at Alumni Hall. After a career-high 23 kills on Friday night versus UNH, senior outside hitter Iva Partaleva continued her stellar play, leading BU with a team-high 22 kills.

Joining Partaleva in double digits was sophomore Kristin Hovie, who notched 11 terminations on the afternoon. Fellow sophomore Amanda Dettmann was strong from the setter position, tallying a match-high 41 assists. Dettmann also corralled 10 digs and seven kills to help BU improve to 4-1 in their last five America East match ups.

The Friars, who are winless in conference play, started the match strong jumping ahead 25-17 and 25-20 in the first two opening stanzas. Binghamton was held to a hitting percentage of just .026 in the first set and fell into a deeper hole after the Friars connected on a match-high 16 kills in the second set.

After intermission, with their backs against the wall, Binghamton came out with a stronger sense of urgency. The Bearcats took the third and fourth set in quick and impressive fashion winning 25-13 and 25-16, holding Providence to a negative hitting percentage during both sets.

For the 10th time this season, BU had worked its way to a fifth and final set. After five ties and four lead changes, Binghamton put the match away with a 15-12 triumph.

BU was stronger defensively on the afternoon, beating Providence in digs (81-73), blocks (11-9) and holding them to a .089 hitting clip. Junior libero Xiomara Ortiz was strong in the middle picking up 30 digs on the afternoon as three others joined her in double digits.

Binghamton returns home for their next two matches beginning on Friday when they host Hartford. On Sunday, they will host conference-leaders Albany who stands at 7-1 and defeated the Bearcats in straight sets back on October 5.

Contact: Terrence Lollie (sports@binghamton.edu)

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Binghamton volleyball fell to UMBC in four sets, Friday night in an America East match at the RAC Arena. The Bearcats (7-16, 4-3 AE) were upended by the Retrievers (11-13, 4-3 AE) 18-25, 14-25, 25-20 and 18-25, falling into a tie for third place with the hosts. The contest with UMBC kicked off the second half of BU’s conference slate, as each team meets twice during the season.

“I just felt like we couldn’t get it together tonight,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “I thought we under performed during the match and never really picked up the pace. We knew it was going to be a tough contest going in and we weren’t able to match their intensity.”

Binghamton was led by sophomore Kristin Hovie’s 13 kills. Senior hitter Iva Partaleva contributed double-digit terminations with 11. Sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann handed out 38 assists, while in her first start at libero freshman Alexandra Warner picked up a team-high 13 digs.

In the first set, Binghamton built a 10-6 lead thanks to a 4-0 run ignited by a pair of kills from junior captain Grace Vickers. UMBC did not go away however, countering with a 7-0 run to take a 13-10 advantage. The Bearcats went on a brief 3-0 run late in the frame to climb within four, 22-18, but was unable to get any closer than two, dropping the first set 25-18. Hovie and Partaleva had four kills each in the opening stanza.

The two teams battled back and forth in the second set as the frame was tied seven times in the early going. UMBC broke away from Binghamton with a 6-0 run to take a 14-8 lead. The Bearcats continued to fight, responding with a 4-1 run sparked by a pair of Hovie kills to crawl within two. However, out of an UMBC timeout the Retrievers went on a resounding 9-0 run to take a 24-13 advantage. A .111 hitting clip hampered Binghamton, falling in the second set 25-14.

Binghamton was able to extend the match in the third set, racing out to a 7-3 lead capped by a Dettmann ace. A block assist from Vickers and Hovie extended the Bearcats’ lead and forced a UMBC time out. The Retrievers battled back with a 4-0 run to trim Binghamton’s lead to three, 15-12. Determined not to go away quietly, kills by Vickers and Partaleva helped BU put away UMBC in the third set 25-20.

The Bearcats dug themselves a large hole in the fourth set as UMBC jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Binghamton battled back and forced multiple UMBC errors to trim the Retriever lead to just three, 12-9. It wasn’t enough however, as UMBC continued to apply pressure extending its lead to eight late in the frame. Binghamton attempted a late comeback with a 3-0 spurt, but couldn’t overcome their hosts dropping the fourth set 25-18.

UMBC out hit Binghamton .293 to .254, posting 64 kills compared to just 44 by the Bearcats. Binghamton out blocked a typically good defensive team in UMBC seven to four.

Binghamton continues its three-match road trip next weekend with games at New Hampshire (Oct. 26) and Providence (Oct. 28).

VESTAL, N.Y. – After falling behind two sets to one, the Binghamton volleyball team rallied for a five-set victory over visiting Stony Brook, Friday night at West Gym.  In a pivotal America East matchup, the Bearcats (7-15, 4-2 AE) knocked off the Seawolves (7-11, 2-3 AE) 25-19, 22-25, 18-25, 25-15, 15-12 to move a full game ahead of both Stony Brook and UMBC in the conference standings.

“This was a big win for us…it was good to see us fight in the fourth and fifth set,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “I thought we controlled the ball well tonight, which helped open up our offense. Our hitters did a nice job and stayed aggressive. They hammered some balls out there that fired the team up. This gives us a lot of confidence and puts us in a good place for the second half of the conference schedule.”

Led by superb hitting performances from Kristin Hovie and Iva Partaleva, Binghamton’s offense produced a .203 hitting clip and 59 kills. Hovie recorded a match-high 21 kills, while Partaleva put down 18 terminations for the Bearcats. Sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann put together another stellar outing, handing out 48 assists and picking up 15 digs for her second straight 40-10 match. Junior libero Xiomara Ortiz coordinated the backline to the tune of a match-high 17 digs. It was the first match of 2012 that Hovie eclipsed the 20-kill mark and just her second-career 20-plus kill match.

Determined to forget about Tuesday night’s five-set defeat at Cornell, Binghamton jumped out to a 12-8 lead on a Dettmann service ace, forcing a Stony Brook timeout. The Seawolves crept within one, but the Bearcats continued to control the frame thanks to a Hovie kill. Following a second SBU timeout, a Partaleva termination handed BU a 19-15 advantage. Stony Brook tried to climb back into the frame, but multiple attack errors hindered their opportunities falling 25-19 in the opening stanza.

Stony Brook controlled sets two and three throughout, taking the second 25-22 and the third 25-18. Binghamton did not back down however, jumping out to an 8-4 lead in the fourth on kills by Partaleva and junior captain Grace Vickers. Back-to-back kills by Partaleva extended the Bearcats’ lead to five, 10-5, forcing the Seawolves to call timeout. Binghamton maintained its lead throughout the set until another Partaleva kill helped push the lead to seven, 18-11. A pair of kills by Hovie down the stretch aided BU’s 25-15 fourth-set victory.

In the fifth and deciding set, a pair of service aces by freshman Megan Burgess propelled BU to a 3-0 start. Stony Brook worked to even the match however, as the frame would be tied three times in the early moments of the fifth set. A 5-1 run, capped by a Hovie kill, broke open the stanza for the Bearcats taking a 10-6 advantage. Stony Brook crawled within one of Binghamton, 12-11, but kills by Hovie, Partaleva and Vickers ended the drama, 15-12.

Binghamton was dominant in the service column, holding a 13-3 advantage over Stony Brook. The Seawolves out blocked the Bearcats however, 12-8. BU’s backline had solid play all night, recording 63 digs compared to SBU’s 52.

Binghamton has a week off before traveling south to Baltimore to begin the second-half of its conference schedule against UMBC on Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

Contact: Terrence Lollie (sports@binghamton.edu)

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team fell to Cornell on the road in five sets, Friday evening at Newman Arena. The Bearcats (6-15, 3-2 AE) led two sets to one, but could not hold off the Big Red (5-11) dropping the match 25-16, 18-25, 25-20, 22-25 and 16-18. The win marked Cornell’s first over Binghamton since 2005. With the defeat the Bearcats fell to 1-6 in five set matches this season.

“I didn’t think we ever really got into the match tonight,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “We fought hard and I thought it was good to push them to five, but we didn’t get the key points when we needed them. Offensively, we just couldn’t get anything going and defensively we weren’t able to get to enough balls. I hope we just take something away from this and use it to motivate us for Friday night.”

The Bearcats had three players’ record double-digit kills, but it wasn’t enough as BU had its worst hitting performance in eight matches. Sophomore Kristin Hovie led Binghamton with 16 kills, while Grace Vickers and Iva Partaleva had 12 each. Sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann posted a double-double with 43 assists and 14 kills. Junior libero Xiomara Ortiz had a stellar night on the backline with a career–high 32 digs.

Binghamton raced out to a 6-2 lead early in the first set thanks to a dump by Dettmann and kills by Alex Roland and Megan Burgess. Cornell did not back down however, working to even the score at 10. From there it was all Bearcats, as BU went on a 6-0 run capped by a Hovie termination. The Big Red briefly stopped the bleeding before a 7-3 Bearcat run extended Binghamton’s lead to 10, forcing a Cornell timeout. Following the break a Roland kill ended the set 25-16 in favor of the Bearcats.

After dropping the second set 25-16, Binghamton took a slim 5-4 advantage early in the third on a Dettmann service ace. The two teams battled back and forth until a 4-0 service run handed the Bearcats a 12-8 lead. Following a Cornell timeout, the Big Red countered with a 4-0 run of their own to even the frame at 12. With the two teams trading jabs, Binghamton eventually broke free with a 4-0 run to take a 22-18 advantage. The spurt was ignited by a block assist from Roland and Burgess. The Bearcats finally ended the frame on a Vickers kill, 25-20.

Cornell took the fourth set 25-22 pushing the match to a deciding fifth frame. In the stanza neither team was able to gain any breathing room as the set was tied six times in the early going. Binghamton held an 8-7 advantage at the switch thanks to a Burgess kill. A solo block by Vickers maintained BU’s slim one-point edge, but Cornell continued to fight back. The Bearcats held three match points, but were unable to convert as the Big Red took the final frame 18-16.

Cornell out hit Binghamton .206 to .194, connecting on 62 terminations compared to BU’s 58. Each team recorded nine blocks, while Binghamton registered a season-high 82 digs.

After three consecutive road matches the Bearcats briefly return home to welcome Stony Brook to West Gym for Homecoming Weekend, Friday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m.

ALBANY, N.Y. – Albany continued to display its America East might as they swept Binghamton, Friday night at University Gymnasium. The Bearcats (5-14, 2-2 AE) fell in straight sets to the three-time defending conference champion Great Danes (6-10, 3-0 AE) 25-16, 25-21 and 25-17. Attacking miscues were costly for the Bearcats all night as they committed 19 attack errors compared to Albany’s eight.

“We had a tough time stopping their hitters and our blocks were a bit late at times,” head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “Albany has some good hitters and they’re a good team, so you have to give them credit. I thought our middles did a good job tonight, but we couldn’t control the ball enough to get them more sets.”

The Bearcats were led by senior middle Alex Roland, who tallied a match-high 13 kills and .522 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Amanda Dettmann handed out 32 helpers, while junior libero Xiomara Ortiz chipped in 15 digs. Despite being ranked third in the league in blocking, Binghamton did not register a single block against Albany.

In the first set, Binghamton fell behind 11-7 due to multiple attack errors, forcing Kiriyama to use an early timeout. Albany maintained its four-point cushion throughout the frame eventually extending it to seven, taking a 17-10 lead. The Bearcats attempted to stay in the set as kills by Roland and senior Iva Partaleva briefly trimmed the deficit. However, it wasn’t enough as Albany won the first set 25-16. Binghamton was out hit in the stanza .314 to .125, committing eight attack errors.

Determined to bounce back in the second set, the Bearcats raced out to a 5-0 advantage capped by an Alexa Zbytniewski service ace. Binghamton held a four-point margin until a 4-0 spurt by Albany evened the frame at 11. As the two teams battled, kills by Roland and sophomore Kristin Hovie gave BU a slim 16-15 lead. Albany countered however with a 3-0 burst to regain the lead 18-16. A Roland kill knotted the frame at 19, but Binghamton was unable to overcome unforced errors succumbing to Albany 25-21.

Binghamton was ineffective in gaining its footing in the third set quickly falling behind 10-5. The Great Danes maintained their cushion until they broke the frame open with a 3-0 spurt to take a 19-11 lead. The Bearcats tried to climb back into the match with a 5-1 run, aided by a pair of Roland kills, to trim the deficit to four 20-16. After an Albany timeout the Great Danes went on a 5-1 run of their own, closing out the set and the match 25-17.

The Bearcats were out hit by the Great Danes .359 to .204, but trailed by just two in the kill column 43-41. Binghamton tallied just two service aces opposed to Albany’s six. The Bearcats are first in the conference in service aces per set (1.47).

Binghamton has to get over the straight set defeat quickly as they head to Hartford tonight for a meeting with the Hawks tomorrow evening at 6 p.m.