For the first time in the 2014 season, the Binghamton volleyball team is set to take the court at home. The Bearcats (4-15, 2-1 America East), who host America East rivals Hartford and Stony Brook on Friday and Saturday, have played 19 consecutive matches on the road to open this year’s campaign.
“It’s something we have been looking forward to since the beginning of the season,” BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “It is nice to be home and play in front of a crowd that is rooting for you and represents the school here. I know the team is psyched up about it.”
Binghamton struggled from week one, dropping seven straight matches to open the season. However, since the start of conference play, the Bearcats have shown significant improvement against programs whose caliber more closely reflects their own. BU defeated Albany in a thrilling five-set match before suffering a heart-breaker of a loss to New Hampshire — also in five sets. Most recently, the Bearcats swept UMass Lowell, the newest member of the AE.
“They have had to persevere through quite a bit there at the beginning of the season and it has been tough on them,” Kiriyama said. “But I think they have matured in that sense, with the mental aspect of the game, more focused on the court. With that they are executing a little bit better. The skills have gotten better … [they have been] able to execute a little bit better on offense, and I think our defense has been fairly scrappy since the start of the conference.”
One of the troubles the Bearcats faced entering the season — as well as during the non-conference portion of their schedule — was filling the middle hitter position, at which they returned no experienced players. However, not only one, but two players have since filled the void. Freshman Alexis LaGoy — the reigning America East Rookie of the Week – leads the team with a .300 hitting percentage and 136 recorded kills, good for third on the team. More recently, sophomore Bianca Anderson has improved her performance, racking up 28 kills in her last three games.
“I think Bianca is progressing,” Kiriyama said. “She has had a couple of good matches there to start the conference.”
Against the Hawks and Seawolves this weekend, the Bearcats should find some staunch competition. Last season, the Hawks (10-8, 0-2 AE) swept Binghamton early in conference play. The Bearcats would return the favor a month later, defeating Hartford in straight sets. Leading into this weekend’s competition, Hartford has dropped two consecutive conference battles, albeit in ultra-competitive matchups. The Seawolves (11-7, 2-0 AE), on the other hand, should prove a more difficult rival. SBU defeated the Bearcats twice during the 2013 season, and currently sit first in the conference.
In order to capture two victories this weekend, the host team will have to cut down on mistakes and take advantage of its opportunities.
“We have got to control the ball well on our side when we have that chance,” Kiriyama said. “We have got to serve [and] receive well. We have got to dig well. We have got to play solid defense all around. We are looking for a good effort, everyone rallying around each other and supporting one another on the court.”
First serve for tonight’s match against Hartford is scheduled for 7 p.m., while Saturday’s with Stony Brook is slated for 4 p.m. Both will be played in the West Gym.