VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The Binghamton University Volleyball team enters the America East playoffs with 1 goal, win the conference championship.

After reaching the postseason as the regular season champion in 2022 but losing in the semifinals, the Bearcats are looking to bounce back in the postseason this year.

Binghamton went 6-4 in America East play this year, earning the 3 seed in the playoffs.

As the Bearcats enter the postseason with the chance to win the conference championship, the team is ready to prove they are the best in the conference.

“We are very excited,” Senior Tsvetelina Ilieva said. “We feel like we have so much more to show of what we’ve been playing like the past couple games. And I feel all of the girls want it as much as the coaches want it, if not even more than them, and I feel we’re ready. We’re ready to show what we can do.”

This season is the second year in a row that the program has reached the postseason, it is also the second year with Allie Yaeger leading the way as the Head Coach.

Yaeger explained what reaching the postseason once again means for the program and what the Bearcats need to be prepared for this weekend in the postseason.

“It’s exciting, because it’s back-to-back appearances from us in 2 season’s and that’s exciting,” Yaeger said. “And I think that’s really important for the program and for the student athletes to experience it. Going to a conference tournament and just experiencing the overall, practicing at another place and all four teams are in one location, it’s just something totally different. So, experiencing it is fun, but we need to get used to preparing and being there and playing and playing well in it.”

The postseason for the Bearcats will begin in the semifinals against New Hampshire, the same team that beat them in the playoffs in 2022.

Yaeger acknowledged that there is a rivalry between the 2 sides, they went 1-1 against each other in the regular season this year.

Leading up to the opening round of the playoffs, Yaeger explained how the team is preparing for the match against New Hampshire.

“We are picking apart every single thing that they did against us the first time, against us the second time,” Yaeger said. “Individually, the girls have homework, when they go home, they’re watching our old film. We’re just trying to make sure we are overly ready for them on Friday.”

The Bearcats match against the Wildcats will begin on Friday at 8 p.m.

If Binghamton wins, they will advance to the championship game where they will play Bryant or UMBC who play in the semifinals prior to the Bearcats.