Eastern Falls in Four Setter at Toledo

TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped a four set match to Mid-American Conference West Division foe, the University of Toledo, Friday, Nov. 1, at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio. The Eagles (14-12, 4-7 MAC) dropped the first frame, 21-25, before evening up with the Rockets (15-10, 8-3 MAC) in the second set, 25-22. Eastern was unable to take a set the rest of the way, falling 19-25 and 16-25.

The Eagles were led offensively by Paige Roback (Maumee, Ohio-Notre Dame Academy). The senior posted 10 kills on 30 attempts, with just one error, good for a .300 attack percentage. Stacey Perinar (Channahon, Ill.-Minooka Community) had a team-high 11 kills, while Erin Short (Orrville, Ohio-Orrville) notched nine of her own. Jill Briner (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park and River Forest (Northeastern)) totaled 44 assists in her setting duties for the match.

On the defensive side of the net, EMU spread the wealth in picking up the ball. EMU had five student-athletes accumulate double-digit digs. Corynne Smith (Norwalk, Ohio-St. Paul) notched a team-high 23, while Briner, Perinar and Short each totaled 14. Roback also added 11.The Eagles totaled six blocks, including four block assists from Megan Crawshaw (Mattawan, Mich.-Mattawan).

EMU opened up the match with struggles offensively. The Green and White hit just .132 in the first set, falling 21-25. Toledo did not do much better offensively, but used Jordan Kielty's five kills to lead the squad to a 1-0 set lead. Defensively, Eastern picked up three team blocks, including a pair of block assists from both Briner and Crawshaw.

Eastern knotted up the match at one set apiece after taking the second set, 25-22. The Eagles used a spectacular offensive display to take the set, hitting .326 after 15 kills on 43 attempts, with just one error. Perinar led the way with four kills, while Katie Krasowski (Oak Lawn, Ill.-Marist) went 3-for-4 in attack attempts. Despite not posting a single block in the set, EMU held Toledo to a .271 attack percentage which was good enough to even things up.

EMU's offense saw offensive woes coming out of the two set break, hitting just .096, en route to a third set loss, 19-25. Perinar totaled four kills in the set, but Toledo's Lauren Rafdal six kills helped the Rockets to a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth frame.

Dakota Harkins went 6-of-10 in attack attempts in the fourth frame victory, 16-25, for the Rockets. The Toledo offense was too strong to handle in the fourth and final set, as it hit .341, while the Eagles managed just a .125 hitting percentage. Roback did her best to lead the Green and White, going 4-for-8 in attack attempts for a .500 attack percentage but a pair of negative attack percentages held EMU to its seventh MAC loss of the 2013 campaign.

The Green and White continue this season's campaign tomorrow, Nov. 2, with 7 p.m. matchup against Ball State University. The Eagles square off with the Cardinals in Muncie, Ind. at John E. Worthen Saturday evening. Eastern is looking to avenge a three set loss to BSU back on Sept. 27.

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Team Stats

Stacey Perinar

Paige Roback

Erin Short

Katie Krasowski

Eastern Michigan Athletics