University of Albany Volleyball Kicks Off America East Conference Play With 3-1 Win at Binghamton - Ualbany Sports 2011

Vestal, N.Y. - Dunja Prgomet recorded a team-high 13 kills to lead three players in double-digit kill totals, as UAlbany defeated Binghamton, 3-1, to start off America East Conference volleyball action on Sunday afternoon at West Gym. After dropping the first set, 25-19, UAlbany rallied for set scores of 25-23, 25-15 and 25-15 for the match win.

Binghamton opened up the first set by scoring five straight points to force the Great Danes to take a timeout to regroup. A service ace by Amanda Dettmann and three attack errors by UAlbany gave Binghamton the momentum. UAlbany battled back, and pulled within 10-6 on a service ace by Brooke Stanley. The Bearcats rattled off five straight points to build up a 16-9 advantage, before the teams began exchanging points on service. Stanley served up another ace to pull the Great Danes within 20-15, but Binghamton got a kill by Grace Vickers, and then took advantage of back-to-back attack errors by UAlbany to hold onto a 23-15 lead. The Bearcats got to set point on a kill by Iva Partaleva, but the Great Danes recorded three straight points to extend the set. A UAlbany service error ended the set in Binghamton's favor.

The second set started similar to the first, with Binghamton jumping out to a 4-0 lead from the start. A Bearcat service error pulled UAlbany within 7-5 and put the ball in Samantha Brostrom's hands behind the service line for UAlbany. Brostrom served for four straight points to give the Great Danes their first lead of the match, which they then extended to 14-11 on a solo block by Traci Vandegrift. However, Binghamton rallied back, and pulled within 19-18 on a UAlbany error. The Great Danes responded with a Gabby Whitworth kill and a Stanley service ace to gain a 21-18 lead. UAlbany used a kill by Casey Wright to get to set point, but Vickers responded with a kill of her own to close the gap to 24-23. Binghamton ended the set with a service error to tie the match at 1-1.

Set three started off with a back-and-forth battle until UAlbany took over on a Binghamton service error, and built up a 6-4 advantage. Kills by Wright and Whitworth gave the Great Danes a 9-6 lead, which they built up to a 13-9 advantage on consecutive attack errors by Binghamton. UAlbany rolled from there, building up a 20-13 lead on a kill by Prgomet, before getting to set point on a Vandegrift kill. Progomet tallied a service ace to end the set and give the Great Danes a 2-1 lead in the match.

UAlbany continued the momentum into the fourth set, building up an early 5-0 advantage. Iva Partaleva ended the run for the Great Danes, but UAlbany would not slow down, getting four consecutive points to pull ahead by 10 points, 13-3, on a Binghamton attack error. The teams exchanged points, which allowed the Bearcats to stay within 10 points, before they rattled off six of the next nine points to pull within 22-15 on a Vickers kill. Prgomet followed with a kill, before Binghamton committed an attack error to give UAlbany match point. The Bearcats followed with another attack error to end the match and give the Great Danes the win.

Brostrom and Wright each recorded 10 kills for the Great Danes, while Brostrom completed a double-double with 10 digs. Vandegrift tallied six total blocks, while Stanley finished with a match-high 41 assists to go along with seven digs and three service aces. Libero Laurie Gonzalez recorded a team-high 21 digs and notched one of UAlbany's eight service aces.

Partaleva totaled a match-high 15 kills for Binghamton (8-10, AE 0-1), while Alex Roland finished with 12 kills and three total blocks. Vickers added 10 kills, while Dettmann recorded 35 assists. Libero Xiomara Ortiz finished with a match-best 28 digs.

UAlbany (7-7, AE 1-0) will return to action on Friday, visiting Stony Brook for an America East match at 7 p.m.

Courtesy: UAlbany Athletics