VESTAL, N.Y. – Binghamton volleyball (10-4, 1-0 America East) welcomes two-time reigning champion UMBC (8-5, 1-0 AE) to town when the two unbeaten squads square off for the first of two times at 7 p.m. Friday at West Gym.

The Bearcats have won three matches in a row – all courtesy of sweeps. The latest was an impressive 3-0 takedown of host New Hampshire in BU's conference opener on Sunday. The win snapped UNH's six-match win streak and moved the Bearcats six games over the .500 mark for the first time since the program's championship season in 2005.

Binghamton leads the conference in hitting percentage (.242), blocks (2.51/set) and digs (14.57/set).

Individually, freshman right-side hitter Giulia Bonifacio has earned Rookie of the Week honors for five consecutive weeks. Bonifacio put down 15 kills and hit a sparkling .440 to pace BU's attack against UNH. It was the third time she has amassed 15 or more kills. In her last three matches, Bonifacio is hitting a blazing .493. She ranks third in hitting percentage (.333) and fourth in kills (3.41/set) and is the top freshman hitter in the conference.    

Freshman setter Lottie Scully compiled her seventh double-double of the season with 34 assists and 12 digs in the 3-0 win over the Wildcats. It marked the seventh match (and fifth straight) that Scully racked up 30 or more assists. Scully ranks third in the America East with 7.92 assists per set and is seventh in digs (2.57).

Junior hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva totalled 15 kills and seven digs in the big road win at UNH. It was the fourth time she's hit the 15-kill mark this season. Ilieva ranks third in the conference in kills (3.45/set) and also ranks second in aces with 21. 

UMBC has won three straight, including a 3-0 win over 2021 NEC regular season champion and first-year America East member Bryant in the Retrievers' conference opener last Saturday. The Retrievers, again tabbed as conference favorites in the preseason poll, return many of the key contributors from their 19-12 team that went a perfect 12-0 in America East play en route to the program's second straight title. Senior Kamani Conteh and sophomore Mia Bilusic are 1-2 in the conference in kills and freshman Serin Maden leads the league in assists.

The Retrievers have won 16 straight matches and 20 of their last 21 against America East opponents dating back to Spring 2021.

UMBC leads the all-time series 22-18, thanks to seven straight and 10-of-12 head-to-head wins over the Bearcats. The last time BU defeated UMBC was Sept. 21, 2018 in Baltimore (3-2). The teams will play the second match of the home-and-home series in Baltimore on Oct. 30.