After a year that saw the Binghamton volleyball team finish with a 9-20 overall record, the Bearcats look to improve their results despite the relative inexperience of their roster. With only one senior on the squad, BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama is going to rely on strong performances from his younger players to take Binghamton to the next level.
In the Florida Atlantic Invitational last weekend, Kiriyama had an opportunity to see what some of his younger players were able to bring to the table.
“It gave us a chance to see some of the new players on the team,” Kiriyama said. “Freshmen got a lot of playing time and we got better as the weekend went on.”
Even though the Bearcats went just 1-3 in the Florida Atlantic Invitational, it gave them a good look at what to expect when America East play starts in late September. Junior libero Bailey Walker and sophomore setter Sarah Ngo earned All-Tournament honors, while providing stability on a team that played many different lineups throughout the tournament. Next up for the Bearcats is a trip to Ohio, as Binghamton is set to compete in the Cleveland State Invitational. As part of the two-day event, BU is set face Cincinnati, Cleveland State and Central Michigan. The Bearcats aim to improve a variety of different aspects of their game this weekend.
“We want to be able to handle the ball a lot better on our side,” Kiriyama said. “We also need to pass and set well while getting some good hits in there.”
All of this is in preparation for Binghamton’s AE opener on September 25 against Albany. This could be a a key moment in the season. Albany was one of the teams that also finished 7-5 in conference play in 2014, alongside Binghamton, to tie for second in the AE standings. With eight freshmen and only one senior on its roster, Albany also looks to build on its previous season despite its youth. With 10 matches to go before conference play starts, the Bearcats have plenty of opportunities to sharpen their game before the Great Danes come to Vestal.
“We’re hoping we’ll be ready when the conference season starts,” Kiriyama said. ”We’re looking forward to it.”
Binghamton is set to open the Cleveland State Invitational with a match-up against Cincinnati at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. BU is than scheduled to face the host Cleveland State at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday before concluding the tournament against Central Michigan at 4:30 p.m. All games will be played at the Woodling Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio.