Sometimes you have to take your lumps in non-conference games if you want to get better. The Binghamton volleyball team can only hope their tough non-conference slate will help them when it comes time for conference play.

The Bearcats (2-8) battled their hearts out at the Harvard Invitational this past weekend, managing one win, but losing two matches as well.

Binghamton opened the tournament Friday against the Harvard Crimson (2-1), eventually falling 25-30, 34-36, 31-29, 30-28 and 15-17. After battling back from a two game deficit, the girls pushed the match to a deciding fifth game. Leading 14-9, the Bearcats could smell a win, but the Crimson fought off match point and won 17-15.

Binghamton’s valiant effort was led by junior Jacki Kane, who amassed 20 kills, and by senior setter Ashley Meffert who posted a career-high 11 kills to go with her 47 assists.

“I thought we did a really good job against Harvard coming back after losing the first two games,” said head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t hold onto the lead in the fifth game.”

The Bearcats managed a split on Saturday, defeating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, but falling to the defending Northeastern Conference champion Long Island Blackbirds

Binghamton defeated the Scarlet Knights (3-7) 28-30, 31-29, 30-27 and 30-23. Kane and Meffert again led the team with 15 kills and 16 digs, respectively. Junior right side hitter Kathleen Schauer added a career-high 13 kills in the win.

The Bearcats did come up short against the Blackbirds (6-4) in the last match of the tournament, dropping three straight games 30-24, 30-24, 30-22.

Both Meffert and Kane were recognized for their efforts by being named to the Harvard Invitational All Tournament Team.

The Bearcats will continue pre-season play next weekend at the Cornell Invitational. The team hopes that its opponents, American University, Buffalo and St. Johns, will help better prepare them for conference play.

“Playing good teams gives us a sense of where we are at,” said Kiriyama. ” The team is getting better each week though we need to improve quite a bit before conference.”

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Volleyball setter Ashley Meffert was named America East Setter of the Week for the week of Sept. 3- 10, her fourth career conference recognition.

Meffert, who helped the Bearcats to a 1-2 record against stiff competition at the Harvard Crimson Invitational, dished out 125 assists over the course of the weekend, and was named to the All-Tournament team.

In the Bearcats Friday match against Harvard, she established career highs with 11 kills and 24 digs. She also registered a match high 47 assists, to pull off the first triple-double in Binghamton history. She also showed great control committing just one attack error, as Binghamton fought to get back in the match.

Meffert has been the team’s setter for the past three seasons and is currently the all-time assists per game leader. Her stellar weekend leaves her just 210 assists shy of tying the schools all time record for assists.