DURHAM, N.H. - After winning their respective semifinal matches on Friday, top-seeded New Hampshire and second-seeded UMBC will meet for the 2013 America East Volleyball title on Saturday at 4 p.m. at UNH's Lundholm Gymnasium.
It is the first title match for the Wildcats since 2003, the last America East championship for the program. UMBC is looking for its first title in its third appearance in the championship match, the last coming in 2010.
The game will be available live for free on AmericaEast.TV with Ben Altsher and Justine Elliott on the call.
Here is a look at the matchup:
The Matchup
- New Hampshire and UMBC have never met in the America East tournament.
- The Wildcats won both regular-season meetings and have won the last four matches between the two teams.
- UMBC’s last win came on Nov. 4, 2011 in Baltimore.
- The Retrievers’ last win in Durham came on October 16, 2010.
- The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met 10 times for the title with the No. 1 seed holding a 6-4 edge. The No. 2 seed has won the last two meetings.
No. 1 New Hampshire
- New Hampshire is 3-3 all-time in the America East championship match
- The Wildcats won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003 and once in 1998
- The last title match appearance for UNH came in 2003 at Lundholm Gymnasium
- All three of New Hampshire’s titles have come as the No. 1 seed while playing at home.
- The Wildcats are 10-9 all-time in the championship.
No. 2 UMBC
- UMBC playing in its third championship game and looking for its first title.
- The Retrievers lost title appearances in 2010 and 2006 to Albany.
- UMBC is playing in its sixth-straight championship. Albany is the only other team to appear in the last six America East tournaments.
The No. 1 Seed in the Championship
- The No. 1 seed has now advanced to the title game 19 times in 23 years of the America East tournament including eight-straight years.
- The No. 1 seed is 13-5 all-time in the title match but just 2-2 over the past four years.
The No. 2 Seed in the Championship
- Won last 4 appearances including Binghamton last year
- Only 5th appearance for No. 2 seed since 2001
- The No. 2 seed is 8-6 all-time in title matches