VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton volleyball team (12-9, 3-4 America East) looks to clinch its fifth-straight appearance in the America East Volleyball Championship this weekend, as the Bearcats face UAlbany (6-13, 2-5 America East) at 6 p.m., Friday at PE Gym in Albany, N.Y., and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (1-22, 0-8 America East) at noon Sunday in the West Gym in Vestal.
 
Sunday's match against NJIT is also the Bearcats' regular season home finale. Fans are encouraged to wear green at the match as part of Binghamton's Green Out. Admission to the match is free on behalf of Hinman, Howard & Katell, LLP.
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Binghamton clinches a berth in the conference tournament if the Bearcats defeat UAlbany on Friday. If the Bearcats fall to the Great Danes by the score of 3-2, Binghamton could still potentially clinch a spot with a win against NJIT on Sunday and a loss by UAlbany to Bryant that same day. Binghamton would also have to lead in points percentage after the loss. Right now, the Bearcats lead that category at 52.6 percent to 47.3 percent (108-97).
 
If Binghamton qualifies for the America East Volleyball Championship, it will be the first time the Bearcats have reached the conference tournament five-straight times since Binghamton made the tournament seven times in a row from 2004-10. Binghamton reached the finals three times during that stretch, winning the championship twice (2005, 09).
 
LAST TIME OUT ON THE COURT
Binghamton picked up a crucial 3-2 victory at Bryant on Sunday, Nov. 1. The Bearcats prevailed in the close contest 22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 23-25 and 17-15. In her first match in three weeks, Viktoria Dimitrova led the Bearcats with 20 kills, while Magi Milicevic added 16. Regan Kadel recorded 54 assists and 12 digs for the second time in three matches, making it her sixth double-double of the season. Hannah Olmstead also had a match-high seven blocks, and Celeste Ocampo put up 27 digs.
 
CAN YOU DIG IT?
Ocampo continues to establish herself as one of the top-performing liberos in the country. The sophomore ranks seventh in the nation in digs per set, averaging 5.00 per frame. Ocampo has recorded at least 26 digs in each of her last four matches, reaching that mark a total of six times this season.
 
THE BLOCK PARTY CONTINUES
Binghamton ranks 36th in the country as a team with an average of 2.56 blocks per set. Leading the Bearcats in blocks is Olmstead with 85.0. Francesca Pierdonati, meanwhile, has recorded 78.0 this season.
 
Also, Binghamton leads the America East in blocking by its opponents. On average, the Bearcats only allow an average of 1.63 blocks by their opponent per set, the lowest average in the league.
 
SETTING THE TONE
Kadel has recorded at least 26 assists in each of her last six matches. Her average of 8.32 assists per set ranks third in the America East Conference. The junior has also put up at least 10 digs in five of her last eight contests.
 
MORE ON UALBANY
UAlbany leads the all-time series against Binghamton 34-22. In their previous meeting earlier this season on Oct. 11, Binghamton won a thrilling five-set match in the West Gym. Briana Binagi recorded a career-high 20 kills in the win for the Bearcats.
 
The Great Danes have lost four of their last six matches going into this weekend. In its latest match, UAlbany was swept by UMBC on Sunday.
 
Mina Benucci and Campbell Robinson both rank in the top five in the America East in hitting percentage. Benucci is second in the league with a percentage of .324, while Robinson is tied for third at .304. Meanwhile, Pinar Erol is tied for second in the America East in both kills per set (3.46) and points per set (3.86).
 
MORE ON NJIT
Binghamton leads the all-time series against NJIT 12-2. The Bearcats have won the last 11 meetings. In the last match between the two programs, the Bearcats swept the Highlanders in Newark, N.J., on Oct. 16.
 
NJIT's lone win this season came back on Sept. 2, a 3-2 victory against Manhattan. The Highlanders have lost their last 19 matches going into this weekend.
 
Ema Torres ranks eighth in the America East in kills per set (2.79), while Aries Fontaine is ninth in the league in points per set (3.06).
 
Hinman, Howard & Katell, LLP is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats Volleyball.