CAMBRIDGE,
Mass. - Just
two weekends remain in the America East volleyball regular season, and the
playoff picture is still very cloudy. Only Providence has been eliminated from
America East Championship contention, with the other six teams still alive. No
teams have secured a spot in the America East Championship.
UMBC and
Stony Brook are separated by just 0.5 games for the final spot, while
Binghamton and New Hampshire are tied for second behind Albany.
The No. 1
seed will host the 2012 America East Volleyball Championship on either Nov. 16
and 17 or Nov. 17 and 18.
Upcoming Matches
Friday, November 2
Hartford (8-16, 2-6 AE) at Binghamton (9-16,
6-3), 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Video
-
Binghamton
beat Hartford, 3-0, in the first meeting of the season. The Bearcats hit .299
as a team in that match, with Kristin Hovie leading the way with 15 kills.
-
The
Bearcats own an 18-3 advantage all-time in the series. The Hawks have not won
at Binghamton since Oct. 19, 2002.
-
Hartford
is 2.5 games behind UMBC for the final playoff spot, and would be eliminated
from contention with a loss and a win by UMBC.
-
Binghamton
is tied with New Hampshire for second place at 6-3.
Albany (10-13, 7-1) at UMBC (12-14, 5-4), 7
p.m.
Live Stats | Video
-
Albany
can clinch a spot in the America East Championship with a win over UMBC on Friday
night.
-
The
Great Danes are coming off their first conference loss since Oct. 16, 2011, and
first conference home loss in more than two years after losing to Stony Brook
last week.
-
Albany
beat UMBC in four sets in the first meeting. Sara Pope led the Great Danes with
20 kills and a .543 hitting percentage.
-
The
Retrievers are only a game behind Binghamton and New Hampshire for second place
in the conference, but only hold a 0.5 match advantage over Stony Brook for the
final playoff spot.
Providence (1-26, 0-9) at Stony Brook (9-12,
4-4), 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Video
-
Stony
Brook is coming off a 2-0 week and sits in fifth-place entering the weekend,
just 0.5 matches behind UMBC for the final spot in the America East
Championship.
-
Providence
came a decisive fifth-set away from its first America East win of the year last
Sunday, but fell to Binghamton, 3-2.
-
The
Seawolves are led by reigning America East Player and Rookie of the Week,
Melissa Rigo, who leads the conference at 4.35 kills per set.