The UMBC Volleyball team (12-5, 5-0 AE) returns home to host a pair of America East matches this weekend. The Retrievers face NJIT at 5 p.m. on Friday, before welcoming Binghamton to the The Peake for a 1 p.m. match on Sunday.

RETRIEVER NOTEBOOK

·       The UMBC volleyball squad staved off a match point and extended its winning streak to seven with a dramatic 3-2 win over New Hampshire at Lundholm Gymnasium last Sunday afternoon.
·       The Retrievers triumphed, 25-15, 21-25, 25-14, 21-25, 17-15 and improved to 12-5 overall and 5-0 in America East Conference play.
·       The Retrievers have won seven straight and 11 of their last 13 matches.
·       UMBC has now won 20 consecutive regular season America East matches, 23 in a row versus league foes (including league tournament play) and 14 straight at Chesapeake Arena.
·       With the win over UMBC improved to 4-1 in five-set matches this season.
·       The Retrievers are ranked 68th in of 344 NCAA Division I volleyball programs in the RPI ratings (matches played as of Oct. 23).
·       2022 America East honorees
    o   Mia Bilusic, So, Player of the Week, Sept. 13, Oct. 4, Oct. 18
    o   Kamani Conteh, Sr., Player of the Week, Sept. 20
    o   Serin Maden, Fr., Setter of the Week, Aug. 30, Sept. 7, Sept. 13
    o   Aysia Miller, Jr., Defensive Specialist of the Week, Sept. 7, Sept. 27, Oct. 18 
·       UMBC currently leads America East in assists (12.31), kills (13.27) and service aces (tied-1.96) per set.
·       Bilusic (4.27) and Conteh (4.14) are 1-2 in the league in kills per set. Bilusic is also tops in services aces (0.54), while Maden is far and away the leader in assists at 10.42 assists per set through 64 sets in 2022. Miller leads the AE in digs per set (4.27) – the libero is playing her third different position (setter, outside hitter, libero) in three seasons on Hilltop Circle.
·       Through matches of Oct. 19th, Bilusic was 16^th in the nation in services aces per set, while Maden was 38th in assists per set. The Retrievers are 11th in the nation in service aces per set (1.96).

A GLANCE AT THE HIGHLANDERS

• NJIT enters this match with a 7-17 record, losing all five of their America East matches this season.
• In their most recent match, NJIT fell, 3-0, in a dominant win by Bryant University (14-25, 19-25, 22-25) 
• Sophomore Asher Vallone has made significant progress this season, leading the Highlanders with 2.49 kills per set.  
• In the last meeting between the Retrievers and Highlanders on October 14th, UMBC was victorious in a tightly-contested 3-0 win.
• The Retrievers have won all eight previous matches versus NJIT, including a 5-0 mark since the Highlanders joined the AE.

 
A GLANCE AT THE BEARCATS

• Binghamton University enters play this Sunday with an impressive 13-7 record overall and a 4-2 record in the AEC. They rank second in the standings just behind the Retrievers and had Friday off before traveling to UMBC.
• The Bearcats are attempting to rally after a very close 3-2 loss to UAlbany. 
• Junior, Tsvetelina Ilieva leads the charge for the Bearcats this season, averaging 3.7 kills per set, followed by freshman Giulia Bonifacio who averages 3.0 kills per set.
• The last time these two teams met the Retrievers pulled out the win in a competitive 3-2 match.

·       It was UMBC's eighth consecutive match win over Binghamton and they now own a 23-21 series lead.
·       Binghamton's last win in the series occurred at UMBC in September of 2018.
 
UP NEXT

UMBC plays its final non-conference match at Howard on Wednesday, Nov. 2.