Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, September 17
Davidson, N.C.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Davidson
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Final In-Season Tournament Awaits Eagles
9/13/2010 3:45:38 PM | Volleyball
EMU motors off to Davidson, N.C., Sept. 17-18, for the Nfinity Wildcat Classic
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team motors off to Davidson, N.C., Sept. 17-18, for the Nfinity Wildcat Classic at John M. Belk Arena. The four-team tournament is the Eagles' final in-season tournament of the 2010 campaign.
The Green and White face off against the host Wildcats Friday evening at 7 p.m.. A quick turnaround pits the Eagles versus Boise State University Saturday morning at 10 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend at 4:30 p.m. versus High Point University.
OFF TO A SIZZLING START: The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team is off to a sensational start to the 2010 campaign with a 10-1 record, that includes winning 31 of its 37 sets played. The Eagles are off to their best start since the 2003 campaign. To further demonstrate how dominant a start to the year it has been, the Eagles have nearly doubled its opposition in kills (512 to 370), hitting percentage (.227 to .125) and points (663.5 to 490.0).
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Head Coach Kim Berrington has relied heavily on underclassmen, with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 72.6 percent of the squad's kills, 62.1 percent of its blocks and 71.3 percent of its points.
THIRD TITLE IN AS MANY WEEKS: For the third-straight weekend, the EMU volleyball team walked away with a tournament title. The Eagles claimed the Spartan Invitational title with a 2-1 record, defeating Michigan State, 3-2, Saturday evening, Sept. 11. Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Iaquaniello was named the tournament MVP with juniors Ashley Mason and Haley Stein garnering All-Tournament accolades
Eastern Michigan also won the Bucknell Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa., Sept. 3-4., and the 35th Annual Comfort Suites Invitational, Aug. 27-28, at Sam Houston State University.
KEEP 'EM DOWN: Only five teams have hit better than .100 against the Eagles this season and only one team has hit better than .200. Eastern Michigan ranks second in the Mid-American Conference with an opponent hitting percentage of .125
Junior Ashley Mason leads the MAC with 11.24 assists per set and junior Haley Stein is third with 4.84 digs per set. Sophomore Rachel Iaquaniello ranks second with 4.85 kills per set and third in kills at 4.16.
VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS WEEKLY MAC AWARDS: Rachel Iaquaniello and Haley Stein were named the Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week the conference office announced Monday, Sept. 13. This is the first time either Iaquaniello or Stein have been recognized by the league.
Iaquaniello was named the Spartan Invitational MVP as the Eagles continued to excel with a 10-1 start to the season. The Plymouth, Mich. native averaged 4.53 kills, 2.13 digs and 4.93 points per set while hitting a solid .253 in four matches from the outside. Iaquaniello's best performance of the week came in the finale against Big Ten Conference foe Michigan State, Sept. 11, when she blasted 22 kills, pulled up eight digs and blocked a pair of balls in the EMU victory. She also chipped in a double-double with 17 kills and 10 digs in the lone setback, to Clemson, Sept. 11.
Iaquaniello, who was not yet one year old the last time EMU defeated MSU, has now been named the Tournament MVP at two of three invitationals that Eastern has played in during the 2010 season.
Stein was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Spartan Invitational as the Eagles finished with a 2-1 record to claim its third-straight championship. Stein averaged 5.47 digs per set in four matches on the week. Stein's best match came against Michigan State when she pulled up a season-high 27 digs while adding three service aces on 16 serves. Stein also chipped in 23 digs against Clemson after posting 16 versus Oakland and Eastern Illinois.
EMU SHOCKS MICHIGAN STATE: Three Eagles reached double figures in kills, as the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team outlasted Michigan State University, 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 16-25, 25-21, 15-10), to capture the Spartan Invitational championship Saturday, Sept. 11, at Jenison Field House. Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Iaquaniello was named the tournament MVP with juniors Ashley Mason and Haley Stein garnering All-Tournament accolades.
STREAKS COME TO AN END: The Eagles' 3-2 victory snapped Michigan State's recent domination in the series, with the Spartans now holding a 20-8 edge in the all-time series. Prior to the Sept. 11 victory, Eastern had lost six consecutive matches to MSU dating back to the 1993 season. EMU's last win occurred nearly 19 years ago when the then-Hurons recorded a 3-1 victory at venerable Bowen Field House, Sept. 23, 1992.
The victory moves the Eagles to 10-1 on the season, the program's best 11-match record since the 2003 campaign. Additionally, the win was the first by EMU over a Big Ten Conference foe since Sept. 14, 2002, when the Eagles upended Iowa, 3-1, at the Western Illinois Tournament.
ONE OF THE BEST IN HISTORY: In a quick check of the record books the Eagles were statistically off to one of the finest starts in the program's 35-year history. The perfect 7-0 start is tied with the 1990 and the 2003 squads, as both of those teams also cruised through early portions of the schedule. Led by Head Coach Nona Richardson, the 1990 team won 21 of its first 22 sets played, while Berrington's 2003 squad started a perfect 22-for-22 in sets played.
Click Here for Live Stats.
Click Here for Live Video.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team motors off to Davidson, N.C., Sept. 17-18, for the Nfinity Wildcat Classic at John M. Belk Arena. The four-team tournament is the Eagles' final in-season tournament of the 2010 campaign.
The Green and White face off against the host Wildcats Friday evening at 7 p.m.. A quick turnaround pits the Eagles versus Boise State University Saturday morning at 10 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend at 4:30 p.m. versus High Point University.
OFF TO A SIZZLING START: The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team is off to a sensational start to the 2010 campaign with a 10-1 record, that includes winning 31 of its 37 sets played. The Eagles are off to their best start since the 2003 campaign. To further demonstrate how dominant a start to the year it has been, the Eagles have nearly doubled its opposition in kills (512 to 370), hitting percentage (.227 to .125) and points (663.5 to 490.0).
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Head Coach Kim Berrington has relied heavily on underclassmen, with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 72.6 percent of the squad's kills, 62.1 percent of its blocks and 71.3 percent of its points.
THIRD TITLE IN AS MANY WEEKS: For the third-straight weekend, the EMU volleyball team walked away with a tournament title. The Eagles claimed the Spartan Invitational title with a 2-1 record, defeating Michigan State, 3-2, Saturday evening, Sept. 11. Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Iaquaniello was named the tournament MVP with juniors Ashley Mason and Haley Stein garnering All-Tournament accolades
Eastern Michigan also won the Bucknell Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa., Sept. 3-4., and the 35th Annual Comfort Suites Invitational, Aug. 27-28, at Sam Houston State University.
KEEP 'EM DOWN: Only five teams have hit better than .100 against the Eagles this season and only one team has hit better than .200. Eastern Michigan ranks second in the Mid-American Conference with an opponent hitting percentage of .125
Junior Ashley Mason leads the MAC with 11.24 assists per set and junior Haley Stein is third with 4.84 digs per set. Sophomore Rachel Iaquaniello ranks second with 4.85 kills per set and third in kills at 4.16.
VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS WEEKLY MAC AWARDS: Rachel Iaquaniello and Haley Stein were named the Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week the conference office announced Monday, Sept. 13. This is the first time either Iaquaniello or Stein have been recognized by the league.
Iaquaniello was named the Spartan Invitational MVP as the Eagles continued to excel with a 10-1 start to the season. The Plymouth, Mich. native averaged 4.53 kills, 2.13 digs and 4.93 points per set while hitting a solid .253 in four matches from the outside. Iaquaniello's best performance of the week came in the finale against Big Ten Conference foe Michigan State, Sept. 11, when she blasted 22 kills, pulled up eight digs and blocked a pair of balls in the EMU victory. She also chipped in a double-double with 17 kills and 10 digs in the lone setback, to Clemson, Sept. 11.
Iaquaniello, who was not yet one year old the last time EMU defeated MSU, has now been named the Tournament MVP at two of three invitationals that Eastern has played in during the 2010 season.
Stein was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Spartan Invitational as the Eagles finished with a 2-1 record to claim its third-straight championship. Stein averaged 5.47 digs per set in four matches on the week. Stein's best match came against Michigan State when she pulled up a season-high 27 digs while adding three service aces on 16 serves. Stein also chipped in 23 digs against Clemson after posting 16 versus Oakland and Eastern Illinois.
EMU SHOCKS MICHIGAN STATE: Three Eagles reached double figures in kills, as the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team outlasted Michigan State University, 3-2 (25-22, 23-25, 16-25, 25-21, 15-10), to capture the Spartan Invitational championship Saturday, Sept. 11, at Jenison Field House. Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Iaquaniello was named the tournament MVP with juniors Ashley Mason and Haley Stein garnering All-Tournament accolades.
STREAKS COME TO AN END: The Eagles' 3-2 victory snapped Michigan State's recent domination in the series, with the Spartans now holding a 20-8 edge in the all-time series. Prior to the Sept. 11 victory, Eastern had lost six consecutive matches to MSU dating back to the 1993 season. EMU's last win occurred nearly 19 years ago when the then-Hurons recorded a 3-1 victory at venerable Bowen Field House, Sept. 23, 1992.
The victory moves the Eagles to 10-1 on the season, the program's best 11-match record since the 2003 campaign. Additionally, the win was the first by EMU over a Big Ten Conference foe since Sept. 14, 2002, when the Eagles upended Iowa, 3-1, at the Western Illinois Tournament.
ONE OF THE BEST IN HISTORY: In a quick check of the record books the Eagles were statistically off to one of the finest starts in the program's 35-year history. The perfect 7-0 start is tied with the 1990 and the 2003 squads, as both of those teams also cruised through early portions of the schedule. Led by Head Coach Nona Richardson, the 1990 team won 21 of its first 22 sets played, while Berrington's 2003 squad started a perfect 22-for-22 in sets played.
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