VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton volleyball (15-7, 6-2 America East) hit .337 and won for the fourth time in five matches with a 3-0 sweep of visiting NJIT (8-19, 1-7 AE) Friday night at West Gym. Binghamton won 25-17, 25-14, 25-14. 

With the victory, BU clinched a top-four playoff spot for the upcoming America East Championship. Under first-year coach Allie Yaeger, BU will return to the postseason for the first time since reaching the title match in 2017. 

"Tonight was exciting," Yaeger said. "We've had our minds set on making the playoffs since last February, so it was nice to actually do it and see it become real. I'm so happy for the players and this program. Not a lot of us have been around a championship type of environment recently so it's exciting for us. Now we get a day break to prepare for Albany - and we want another shot at them."

Junior hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva had 13 kills and didn't commit an error (.565) and freshman right-side hitter Giulia Bonifacio added 13 kills, five blocks and two aces. Junior Stefana Stan contributed 10 kills. Freshman setter Lottie Scully handed out 35 assists and classmate Madison Konopka collected seven digs and four aces. 

Binghamton jumped ahead 12-3 in the opening set and never looked back. Stan had seven of her kills in the first set and Ilieva added six. In set two, NJIT led 11-9 before the Bearcats closed out the set with a dominating 16-3 run. Bonifacio took over in the set and totaled six kills and three blocks in the frame. Binghamton broke away from a tight 7-5 game with a 13-4 run that featured four kills from Ilieva. 

The Bearcats host Albany Sunday in their final home match of the regular season. It will be Senior Day for fourth-year letterwinner Victoria Erwat, who will be honored immediately following the match. Binghamton will look to gain a split of the season series with Albany and keep pressure on first-place UMBC.