BEARCAT VOLLEYBALL WEEKLY RELEASE - Sept. 22, 2008
Volleyball Contact - Matt Muzza - sports@binghamton.edu
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This week's schedule:

Binghamton @ Siena
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008 at 7 p.m.
Game to be televised locally on Time Warner Sports Channel 23
Live Stats


Robert Morris @ Binghamton
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008 at 1 p.m.
Live Stats


Up Next: Team will travel to Siena and then host Robert Morris
The Bearcats will have two tune-up matches this week as they prepare for their conference schedule next week. First, the Bearcats will travel to Siena to play a locally televised match against the Saints. The game will be available in the Binghamton area on Time Warner, Channel 23 at 7 p.m. The contest against Robert Morris on Sunday will be the second home match of the season at the West Gym for the Bearcats.

Scouting Siena: The Saints are 2-8 so far this season but hold an impressive three-year MAAC Championship winning streak. Last season, the Saints made their third-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament but were bounced by eventual National Champion Penn State in the first round. The Saints are led by Burgandy McCurty, the preseason MAAC Player of the Year selection. McCurty is averaging 3.70 kills and 0.68 blocks per set. Binghamton holds a 13-5 all-time edge against Siena and have won six of their last seven meetings since 2002. In their last meeting in 2007 in Vestal, Binghamton swept Siena 3-0 (30-27, 30-26, 30-19) on October 23. Current sophomore Michelle McDonough posted a match-high 10 kills while current senior Jaclyn Strader came up with a match-high 15 digs for the Bearcats.

Scouting Robert Morris: The Colonials are out to a hot 8-4 start to the 2008 season. Last year the Colonials were 18-11 (6-2) and made it all the way to the NEC Championship match before bowing out to Long Island. The team is led by sophomore Amanda Graham who is averaging 2.63 kills per set and 0.71 blocks per set. Graham was named to the all-NEC first team in 2007. This will be the second all-time meeting between the two schools. Robert Morris won the only other meeting 3-1 in 2002.

Mueller named America East Setter of the Week on Sept. 22
Sophomore Lindsey Mueller was named America East Setter of the Week for the week ending September 21. Mueller led the conference in assists last week, totaling 153 assists for 10.93 a/s, while also averaging 2.64 digs per set and 0.64 blocks per set. The sophomore posted two double-doubles on the week. Against Hofstra, she tallied 49 assists and 11 digs, while recording 31 assists and 13 digs against Bowling Green. The 49 assists against Hofstra was Mueller's season high, while she also contributed four blocks in the match against the Pride. She led the Bearcats in assists, ranked second in digs and fourth on the squad in blocks for the week. This was the third career weekly honor for Mueller who was named AE Setter of the Week on October 22 and Rookie of the Week on September 10 of last year.

Binghamton goes 1-2 at BGSU Invitational
The Bearcats posted a 1-2 record at the BGSU/Best Western Invitational this past weekend, defeating Hofstra 3-1, but were swept by Rice and Bowling Green. Binghamton had an impressive victory over Hofstra with many players setting season highs. In that match, sophomore Anna Lejina crushed 22 kills and posted a .375 hitting percentage (22-4-48) and also contributed two blocks. Lejina was named to the all-tournament team, her second in-season tournament honor of the season. Senior Jaclyn Strader tallied a season-high 19 digs in the match to go along with four total service aces.

Binghamton falls to Colgate in home opener 3-1
The Raiders came into town and spoiled the Bearcats home opener on Tuesday night, defeating the hosts 3-1. Sophomores McDonough and Lejina each tallied 14 kills for the Bearcats and senior captain Ashley Allen contributed 12 kills of her own. McDonough also came up with five blocks in the match.

Group of talented sophomores excelling for Bearcats
A talented core group of the Class of 2011 have been excelling on the court so far this season for the Bearcats. Newcomer Lejina, returning AE all-rookie selections Mueller and McDonough, and emerging blocker Mercedes Montford form one of the best young groups in the America East. All four players rank among the conference’s elite in their respective positions. Outside hitters Lejina (3.19 k/s) and McDonough (3.02 k/s) are ranked third and fourth respectively in kills per set in the AE. Mueller is ranked second in the AE in assists per set (9.78) and Montford ranks third in blocks per set (0.96).