VESTAL, N.Y. - Surging Binghamton volleyball (12-11, 6-3 America East) begins its final homestand when the Bearcats host UMBC (14-7, 5-3 AE) at 7 p.m. Friday at West Gym. The match pits the third and fourth place teams in the conference, separated by just a half-game in the standings. Binghamton can clinch a postseason berth with one more victory in its remaining three matches. 

Binghamton is riding a season-best four-match win streak and has moved to within a half-game of second-place New Hampshire. The Bearcats have swept three straight opponents and have won 12 of their last 13 sets.

Last weekend, BU blanked UMass Lowell and Hartford on the road to complete season sweeps of both those programs. On Sunday, freshman outside hitter Lauren Kornmann wound up with a match-high 12 kills. Sophomore hitter Gaby Alicea had nine kills and four blocks. Junior setter Sarah Ngo chipped in 31 assists and nine digs. Kornmann and Ngo repeated their America East selections as Rookie and Setter of the Week, respectively.  

Kornmann ranks third in the America East in kills (3.26/set), Ngo is third in assists (9.42/set) and Alicea is second in aces (0.38/set) and 12th in kills. Junior middle Kristella Morina is third in hitting percentage (.285) and senior Bianca Anderson is right behind her in fourth (.264). Anderson also is third in the AE in blocks (1.03/set). Senior libero Bailey Walker ranks third in digs (4.67/set)

The Bearcats' last conference defeat was a three-game sweep at the hands of UMBC on October 9. In that match, BU hit just .111 and the host Retrievers put down 45 kills en route to a 25-16, 25-20, 25-16 win. 

UMBC is coming off a 3-1 home loss to New Hampshire last Sunday. That snapped a four-match conference win streak for the Retrievers, who rank second in the league in both kills and aces. Junior Abbie Mirabella is second in the league in kills (3.72/set) and sophomore setter Claudia Lopez is second in assists (10.40/set). The Retrievers are the top defensive team in the conference, holding opponents to just .174 on the attack. 

Binghamton owns a 17-10 lead in the all-time series. The teams split two matches last season with each team winning on its home floor.