For Immediate Release: October 22, 2006
Contact: Anthony G. Naglieri (sports@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-2956

Volleyball continues home dominance with 3-0 sweep over Hartford
Bearcats extend home streak to 12 games, have won 8 of last 10 overall

Box Score

VESTAL, N.Y - Senior middle blocker Megan Hoag (Brunswick, Ohio) recorded match-highs with 10 kills and five service aces while classmate Ashley Meffert (Louisville, Ky.) notched her third consecutive double-double to lead the Binghamton volleyball team to a 30-11, 30-24, 30-27 victory over visiting Hartford on Sunday afternoon in America East Conference action at the West Gym.

The Bearcats (11-14, 6-1 AE) have now won their last three matches and eight of ten overall. Additionally, dating back to last season, BU has now won a program-best 12 straight matches on their home floor.

Meffert navigated BU's offense to the tune of a 12-dig and 29-assist performance, both match highs.

Junior rightside hitter Kathleen Schauer (Littleton, Colo.) added nine kills and seven digs, while junior middle blocker Jacki Kane (Centennial,Colo.) put down eight kills to go along with a match-high six blocks. Sophomore Ashley Allen (Mill Creek, Wash.) chipped in six kills and four blocks.

"We got off to a quick start in all aspects of our game - serving, hitting, blocking - you name it," said head coach Glenn Kiriyama. "I thought our middles were again very solid. They got there hands on a lot of balls and really blocked quite well."

BU controlled the action at the net, holding Hartford (7-14, 0-7 AE) to a .031 hitting percentage and finishing with a commanding 9-3 advantage in total blocks.

The Bearcats caught the Hawks off guard in game one, jumping out to a 7-0 lead and never looking back as they cruised to a comfortable 30-11 victory. BU kept the Hartford hitters in check, limiting them to a -.206 hitting percentage and forcing 12 attack errors in the opening frame alone.

Binghamton held a narrow 13-12 advantage before breaking things open with a 7-1 surge en route to a 30-24 game -two win.

Game three was by far the most competitive of the three, featuring 11 ties and six lead changes. With the game even at 27-27, a Hoag kill and a Hartford attack error put BU just one point from victory. Allen and Kane then teamed up for an emphatic stuff to seal the deal.

The visiting Hawks were led by junior Jennifer Monroy who recorded eight kills and 10 digs.

With the second half of conference play now underway, the Bearcats currently hold the conference's top spot with a 6-1 record.

"There is still a lot of room for us to improve. We have a very tough stretch coming up and if in order to continue this success, we will really need to up our level of play."

Binghamton concludes its three-game homestand on Wednesday evening with a non-conference tilt with Colgate. First serve is set for 7 p.m.

Notes: BU has now won 16 of its last 19 America East Conference matches...Meffert now has 10 double-doubles on the season...Binghamton sweeps the season series from Hartford for the second straight year.