Having already clinched at least a share of the regular season title and the top overall seed in the America East Tournament, the UMBC Volleyball team closes the regular season at UAlbany on Friday night at 6 p.m.

Last time out, despite falling behind 1-0, UMBC volleyball knocked off New Hampshire 3-1 on Sunday afternoon inside Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. Thanks to the victory and an NJIT win over UAlbany, the Retrievers clinched at least a share of an America East Regular Season Championship and will host the America East playoffs November 21-22.

Three Retrievers reached double-digit kills, led by 19 from Jalynn Brown. Hannah Dobbs (13 kills, 17 digs) and Claudia Llamas (12 kills, 11 digs) added double-doubles for UMBC. 

UMBC hit .250 for the match with four players hitting at least .235 with six or more kills. Izzy Ostvig hit .429, chipping in six kills and seven digs to go with 18 assists. Serin Maden just missed out on a double-double with 20 assists and nine digs. 

Defensively, UMBC racked up 11 blocks, led by seven from Laura Fuehrer and six from Llamas. Already with six America East Defensive Specialist of the Week nods this season, Hannah Howard led the match with 19 more digs, leaving her just 27 shy of reaching 400 digs for the second time in her career. 

With her seven blocks today, Fuehrer moves into ninth on the UMBC single-season blocks list with 107. Her 94 assisted blocks are tied for the sixth-most in a single season. 

Thanks to five straight wins and eight victories in their last nine contests, the Retrievers sit at 11-10, putting them above .500 for the first time this season.

Earlier this week, and for the seventh time this season, Howard was named the America East Defensive Player of the Week, the Conference announced on Tuesday morning. 

Howard had 32 digs in only seven sets, and also added three aces for the week. She was 29/29 in serve receive and anchored defense that held opponents to .120 hitting.

Scouting UAlbany:

• The Great Danes took the first two sets, but dropped the final three to fall in five sets at NJIT on Sunday ((22-25, 16-25, 25-18, 25-18, 15-12)

• Graduate setter Maria Olga Siapani tallied 42 assists, 17 digs, and added 5 kills.

• Senior outside hitter Anna Myhal led all players with 14 kills, adding 11 digs and 1 ace.

• Graduate outside hitter Shynelle Woroniuk finished with 12 kills, 12 digs, and 5 blocks.

• Redshirt-junior middle blocker Gabriella Karman hit .643 with 10 kills, 8 blocks, and 15 points.

• Senior middle blocker Tori Wilson hit .227 with 10 kills and 3 blocks.

• Sophomore defensive specialist Kasia Barletta anchored the back row with 18 digs and 1 ace.

The Retrievers will host the America East Tournament November 21-22 at The Peake. UMBC will play in the first semifinal game against the No.4 Seed at 4 p.m. on Friday.