Eagles Clip Falcons' Wings in Five Set Road Contest

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team broke a five match losing streak by defeating Bowling Green State University Friday, Oct. 18, on the road in a thrilling five set match. The Eagles (12-11, 2-6 MAC) knocked off the Falcons (9-10, 5-2 MAC) in five sets, after a triple double from one of EMU's 2013 newcomers.

Jill Briner (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park and River Forest (Northeastern)) led the Eagles with a triple-double for the Green and White. Briner set a career high in assists with 46, while notching 12 kills and 15 digs, all while maintaining a .333 attack percentage. Paige Roback (Maumee, Ohio-Notre Dame Academy) led the offense with 15 kills, posting a .308 hitting percentage, with a double-double , after notching a career-high 24 digs. Katie Krasowski (Oak Lawn, Ill.-Marist) posted a career-best 14 kills and seven blocks, while Roback's six blocks were the most of her prestigious four-year career. Megan Crawshaw (Mattawan, Mich.-Mattawan) notched 11 kills and five blocks and Corynne Smith (Norwalk, Ohio-St. Paul) picked up a match high 29 digs. As a team, the Green and White notched a .240 hitting percentage, while holding the Falcons to a .160 hitting percentage. Eastern also totaled 12 blocks defensively, which was a season high for the Green and White.

Roback was the difference maker in the opening frame going 6-of-8 in her attack attempts, as the Eagles hit .395 with just three attack errors in the set. EMU held the Bowling Green to just nine points in the first set,g taking it, 25-9. The Falcons were held to a -.028 hitting percentage, after the Eagles picked up 24 digs. Briner added five kills in the first set, while Crawshaw and Krasowski notched three kills in four attempts for EMU en route to a 1-0 set lead.

Bowling Green knotted up the match in the second frame after taking down the Eagles, 23-25. Eastern was held to a .171 hitting percentage with 13 kills. BGSU posted a .261 hitting percentage to tie up the match at one set apiece. Paige Penrod led the Falcons with four kills, while Krasowski matched that amount on the Eagles' side of the court.

Eastern used a 25-21 third set to retake a one set lead. Krasowski was a difference maker, going 4-for-4 in attack attempts. EMU posted a .216 attack percentage, while holding the Falcons to a .146 hitting percentage. EMU used three kills from Briner and Roback to lead Eastern to the 2-1 lead.

The Falcons did not allow Eastern to finish them off in four sets after they took the fourth frame, 19-25. Kaitlyn Skinner had four kills in four attempts for Bowling Green, while Krasowski notched three more for her total. Despite outhitting BGSU, .226 to .184, the Falcons were able to overcome EMU by out-digging the Green and White, 20-14.

The fifth set was a nail-biter, however, the Eagles were able to take the frame, 15-12. Crawshaw led EMU with three kills, while the Green and White posted a .188 attack percentage. Despite BGSU's .231 hitting percentage Eastern prevailed to dispatch a five match skid.

Eastern is off until next Friday, Oct. 25, when it plays host to the University of Akron. The Eagles look to make it two-straight when they host the Zips for a 7 p.m. match at the Convocation Center.

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Team Stats

Paige Roback

Katie Krasowski

Jill Briner

Megan Crawshaw

Eastern Michigan Athletics