For Immediate Release: August 25, 2006
Contact: Anthony G. Naglieri (sports@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-2956

Binghamton volleyball drops season opener to Toledo in four games
Bearcats unable to keep up with host Rockets

Box score

TOLEDO, OH - The Binghamton volleyball team fell 3-1 to host University of Toledo its 2006 season-opener at the Rocket Volleyball Classic at John F. Savage Hall Friday afternoon. The host Rockets won 30-26, 16-30, 30-16, 30-21. The Bearcats conclude their first day of competition with a 5 p.m. match with Big Ten power Michigan this evening.

"We fought, but ultimately we just couldnt keep up with them in the last two games. We had some trouble containing their hitters and ultimately I think that was the difference," said head coach Glenn Kiriyama. "I think we can play better, especially with both our passing and hitting. Defensively, however, I was pretty happy with what I saw today."

Both teams fought hard in game one with the Bearcats overcoming an early 13-5 deficit to take their first lead of the afternoon at 25-24. Toledo would prove too tough though, as the Rockets closed the game on a 6-1 surge thanks to a pair of kills from senior outside hitter Kate Bean as well as two Binghamton hitting errors.

Again in game two, both teams would come out fighting. This time around, however, Binghamton would have the upperhand. After a back and forth start, the Bearcat women broke open a game in which they narrowly led by a 13-11 margin, using a commanding 17-5 run to capture a 30-16 game two victory.

After squaring things away at one game a piece, the match turned back in the Rockets favor as they failed to relinquish the lead over the final two games, a span in which Binghamton made 16 attack errors and hit just .037.

Bean collected a match-high 17 kills (.200) and Mallory Ladd had 49 assists and 10 digs to lead the Rockets' attack. Toledo (1-0) hit .160 for the afternoon compared to .093 for Binghamton (0-1).

Two Binghamton players hit in double-figures led by juniors Kathleen Schauer (Littleton, Colo. ) with 12 and Jacki Kane (Centennial, Colo.) with 10, while making just three errors. Schauer also added 11 digs to register a double-double, while Kane had a team-best four blocks.

Senior setter Ashley Meffert (Louisville, Ky.) added 37 assists and a team-high 17 digs while classmate Katie Robertson (Ancaster, Ontario) was impressive in her return to the court, depositing 7 kills to go along with 13 digs. Robertson missed the final five contests in 2005 due to a late-season leg injury.