VESTAL, N.Y. (BUBearcats.com) - The Binghamton University volleyball team (13-9, 6-1) will compete in two America East match-ups this weekend, taking on Bryant on the road Friday at 6 p.m. before hosting UMBC, Sunday at 1 p.m.
BU will honor graduating players Lydia Adam, Stephanie Gatto, Anna Sprys and Stefana Stan after the conclusion of Sunday's match against UMBC. Both contests will be broadcast on ESPN+ and can be followed through live stats here on bubearcats.com.
The Bearcats are coming off two straight wins after a 3-1 victory over UAlbany last Friday and a 3-0 sweep of NJIT Sunday afternoon. Against the Great Danes, BU commanded the match at the net, registering a season-high 18 team blocks to their opponent's five. Binghamton hit at .259 percent while holding UAlbany to just .193 percent.
The team's dominance continued into the following contest versus NJIT, where the Bearcats hit an impressive .474 as a team while holding the Highlanders to a just .052 clip. BU recorded more than twice as many kills as the NJIT with 47 and owned a 11-2 block advantage. Binghamton registered all three of the match's service aces and led team assists 45-22 and digs 28-15.
Tsvetelina Ilieva took home her fifth America East Player of the Week honor this Tuesday, the most of any player in the AE this fall. The senior registered 32 kills, 14 digs, a .302 hitting percentage and five blocks in two wins for Binghamton this weekend, along with two assists and one ace.
Ilieva's weekend performances were her eighteenth and nineteenth double-digit kill matches of the season. She ranks first in the America East in kills with 353 total at 4.36 per set and in points with 408.5 total at 5.04 per set.
Lottie Scully grabbed her third Setter of the Week nod after taking two consecutive honors in weeks seven and eight. The sophomore tallied 85 assists, 13 digs, 12 blocks, five kills and one service ace in BU's weekend victories over UAlbany and NJIT.
The sophomore setter recorded a career high seven blocks against NJIT. Scully currently sits in second place in the America East assists rankings with 469 total for 8.38 per set.
Sprys leads the America East in blocks with a 1.28 average per set and 104 total.
Misa Dlouha follows right behind her teammate in second with 94 for 1.16 avg/s.
Bryant owns a 6-4 series lead over Binghamton though BU has taken the last three contests 3-0, including their first match against the Bulldogs this season, Oct. 8.
UMBC also holds the all-time advantage 24-19 against the Bearcats. BU fell in the team's last match at UMBC 3-0, Oct. 19.
Next up, Binghamton will travel to Riverdale, N.Y. for its final non conference contest of the season against Manhattan College, Wednesday, Nov. 8. Match time is slated for 6 p.m.
