In 2015, America East (AE) play failed to go as planned for the Binghamton volleyball team, as the Bearcats dropped six of their first seven conference matchups. It wasn’t until the tail end of the regular season when BU began to turn up the heat, winning its last four matches to secure the fourth and final spot in the AE tournament.
Despite losing to eventual champion New Hampshire in the first round, the Bearcats hope to recreate the play that led to their success late last year.
“We remind [the players] a lot of our last few games of the season,” said BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “We hope to get that same intensity level in practice and have it carry over into this season.”
With just three incoming freshmen and a strong core of returners, Kiriyama will rely on the experienced members of the Bearcat roster to relay this message to the rest of the squad, which was ranked fourth in the conference preseason poll.
“Hopefully [the veterans] can lead by example,” Kiriyama said. “They know the work that it takes to get there to the conference championship.”
Binghamton returns junior setter Sarah Ngo and sophomore outside hitter Gaby Alicea, who were both members of the All-Conference Second Team in 2015. Ngo was first on the team and fourth in the AE with 999 assists while Alicea led BU in points (339) and kills (284).
The dynamic pair will be a key for BU in its quest to return to the AE Championships.
“I’m really excited this year just because we have almost everybody back now,” Ngo said. “I really think this team has a lot of potential.”
Injuries served as a constant thorn in the Bearcats’ side last season. Senior outside hitter Allison Hovie and junior middle hitter Lexi LaGoy both missed almost all of the 2015 season while senior libero Bailey Walker missed the final nine matches.
Kiriyama knows keeping his squad healthy will give them a chance to climb in the conference standings.
“It’s always a key and always a question mark for every season and we’re just hoping that we can stay healthy,” Kiriyama said.
In 2014, LaGoy was named America East Rookie of the Year and led the team with a .294 hitting percentage. Hovie and Walker also played major roles for Binghamton prior to their injuries. Hovie was selected to the 2014 All-Conference First Team while Walker set a program record with 558 digs. This season, they will serve as captains for the seasoned Bearcats as they solidify their identity.
“We’re looking to solidify a lineup,” Kiriyama said. “We’re looking at team chemistry and to see who works well with each other on the court.”
Binghamton is set to kick off its season against the University of Tennessee at Martin in the first round of the College of Charleston Invitational on Friday. First serve is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. from TD Arena in Charleston, South Carolina.