The volleyball team’s Cinderella season has finally come to an end. The Bearcats turned what was supposed to be a sub-par season into a conference championship but lost in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament this past Friday.
The Bearcats, who ended their season 20-12, were trampled by national powerhouse Penn State (31-2) at Rec Hall, falling to the No. 2 Nittany Lions by the scores 15-30, 8-30, 10-30.
“You couldn’t help but smile and applaud Penn State,” said junior outside hitter Katie Brody. “Their level of talent is something I’ve certainly never seen before. Some of their hits were just amazing.”
The Nittany Lions were relentless from the beginning, starting the first game with a 23-7 run. The Bearcats cut the deficit to 26-14, but couldn’t get any closer.
Penn State utterly dominated the second game, holding the Bearcats to only eight points, which tied a record for the lowest score the Nittany Lions have held an opponent to since rally scoring was instituted. BU bounced back to begin the third game with a determined 5-8 start, but Penn State went on a 15-0 run, extinguishing the Bearcats’ hope for a comeback.
“I’ve never seen a group of such tall people be so coordinated,” Brody said. “They are tremendous athletes.”
The Nittany Lions dominated from both the attack and service line, piling up 60 kills and nine service aces. Even though the Bearcats couldn’t shut down Penn State’s offensive attack, they never stopped fighting back. Brody managed to rip seven kills, along with eight digs and four blocks. BU also only had two service errors, making sure not to give anything away.
“That was probably the best volleyball that any of us have ever seen,” said sophomore middle blocker Jacki Kane, acknowledging Penn State’s depth and talent. “It was a really cool experience because we were playing some of the best volleyball players in the world.”
Penn State went on to sweep Long Island (26-14) in the second round of the tournament. The Nittany Lions will now face No. 23 Tennessee on Friday.
Despite the first round exit, this season has been nothing short of astonishing for the Bearcats. The team was without any senior leadership and many people doubted the young squad’s talent at the beginning of the year. As a result, the Bearcats were predicted to finish sixth in the preseason poll, but their biggest weakness has now turned into their strongest point.
The Bearcats have gained a tremendous amount of experience, and their greatest threats — Maine and Albany — are losing significant starting players.
“With the girls we have now, we’ve proven we are not a sixth-seed team,” Brody said. “Next year we want to get back to the NCAA’s and get past the first round. We already have the chemistry down and we’re not losing anyone, so we’ll come back just as strong next year.”
Don’t be surprised if Brody capitalizes on that promise. Next year Binghamton will no longer be the underdogs; they will be the team to beat. This squad has proven that anything is possible and if they have it their way, another dance in the tournament is within their grasp.