UMBC Volleyball (8-5, 1-0 America East) makes its first America East road trip of 2022, as the Retrievers visit red-hot Binghamton (10-4, 1-0) on Friday, Oct. 7. The action gets underway at 7:00 p.m. on the hardwood of West Gym and the game broadcast is available on ESPN3.  

RETRIEVER NOTEBOOK
·       UMBC opened their defense of their America East title by defeating a veteran Bryant squad, 3-0, at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena on Oct. 1. It was the Retrievers' first 3-set win of the season, after playing a rigorous non-conference schedule.  
·       The Retrievers have won three straight and seven of their last nine matches.
·       UMBC has now won 16 consecutive regular season America East matches, 19 in a row versus league foes (including league tournament play) and 13 straight at Chesapeake Arena.
·       For the second time this season, sophomore outside hitter Mia Bilusic was named the America East Player of the Week. She averaged 5.14 kills and 2.42 digs per set on .300 hitting with six total blocks in the two wins last week. 
·       Earlier in the week, UMBC ended a 12-match losing streak to American, picking up their first victory over the Eagles since 1996.
·       2022 America East honorees:
            o   Mia Bilusic, So, Player of the Week, Sept. 13, Oct. 4
            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 
·       UMBC currently leads America East in assists (12.51) and kills (13.53) per set.
·       Conteh (4.41) and Bilusic (4.39) and are 1-2 in the league in kills per set. Bilusic is also tops in service aces (0.53), while Maden is far and away the leader in assists at 10.65 assists per set through 47 sets in 2022. Miller leads the AE in digs per set (4.39) – the libero is playing her third different position (setter, outside hitter, libero) in three seasons on Hilltop Circle.
·       Through matches of Oct. 4, Bilusic was tied for 24th in the nation in service aces per set, while Maden was 24th in assists per set. The Retrievers are 46th in the nation in assists per set (12.51).

A GLANCE AT THE BEARCATS    
?      The Bearcats have already outpaced their win total from a year ago, improving from 7-17 in 2021 to 10-4 as league play gets underway in 2022.  
?      Binghamton opened America East Conference play with a convincing sweep at New Hampshire last Sunday.
?      Seton Hall transfer Tsvetelina Ilieva and freshman Giulia Bonifacio each produced 15 kills for Binghamton.
?      Bonifacio has won five consecutive America East Rookie of the Week honors. She is third in the league in hitting percentage (.333) and fourth in kills per set (3.41).
?      The Bearcats lead the conference in hitting percentage (.242), blocks (2.51) and digs (14.57) per set.  
 
SERIES RECORD
·       UMBC won its seventh consecutive match over Binghamton at West Gym last October to take a 22-21 series lead. The Retrievers triumphed, 3-1, after posting five straight sweeps of the Bearcats.
·       Binghamton's last win in the series occurred at UMBC in September of 2018.
·       The Bearcats are 11-8 versus UMBC in West Gym.

UP NEXT
UMBC will have its first two-match weekend on Oct. 14 and 16, facing NJIT in Newark, before hosting UAlbany at Chesapeake Arena at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.