Eagles Trek to Geneva for MAC Tournament

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - After completing the regular season, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team heads to Geneva, Ohio for its 13th straight appearance in the Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament. The Green and White will start its journey to a MAC Tournament title Friday, Nov. 22, at the SPIRE Institute.

The Eagles begin the tournament in the quarterfinal round as the No. 7 seed with a match against the co-MAC West Division Champion and No. 2-seeded Rockets from the University of Toledo (19-11, 12-4 MAC). Eastern will hit the hardwood against the Midnight Blue and Gold for a 5 p.m. match from the SPIRE Institute.

WITH A WIN: With a victory in the quarterfinal round against the No. 2-seeded Rockets, the Green and White would move on to the semifinals, where it would face off with another familiar MAC-West foe. Ball State is owns the No. 3 seed, while Western Michigan is seeded sixth. The winner of that match will move on to face the winner of the EMU/Toledo match at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. Ohio, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois and Kent State are all on the other side of the bracket and the Eagles see one of those four if they advance to the finals, Nov. 24, at 1 p.m. Head to page seven of these notes for a complete tournament bracket.

FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE: The MAC Digital Network will be carrying live streaming video of all MAC Tournament matches, as well as live stats for each match. You can find links for video and stats at EMUEagles.com.

BERRINGTON ALL-TIME IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT: Head Volleyball Coach Kim Berrington owns an 8-13 record all-time in the Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament. Last season, the Eagles exited the tourney in the first round after losing to Bowling Green. Her last tournament win came against Bowling Green in straight sets, Nov. 16, 2010. A Berrington-coached Eagles team has not made it past the second round of the MAC Tournament.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: This will be the first time that Toledo and Eastern Michigan will square off in a MAC Tournament match. The Eagles have never taken on the MAC West Divisional foe despite competing in the MAC a total of 34 seasons.

EAGLES SNEAK IN AS SEVENTH SEED: Needing to win heading into the final weekend of the 2013 regular season, the Green and White were on the outside looking into the MAC Tournament picture. Eastern rattled off a pair of wins, first at Central Michigan, Nov. 14, in a sweeping fashion, before taking down Kent State, Nov. 16, in a four set tilt.

THE LAST DANCE WITH TOLEDO: Eastern 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 dropped the first frame, 21-25, before evening up with the Rockets 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. The senior posted 10 kills on 30 attempts, with just one error, good for a .300 attack percentage. Stacey Perinar had a team-high 11 kills, while Erin Short notched nine of her own. Jill Briner totaled 44 assists in her setting duties for the match.

SHORT FIRST TO THIS DISTINCTION: Senior Erin Short became the fifth Eagle in the history of the program to amass 1,000 kills and 300 block assists when she posted six block assists against Central Michigan, Nov. 14. Only four other student-athletes have accomplished this, but each were middle blockers. Short became the first outside hitter to earn the distinction.

SMITH'S STELLAR SEASON: Despite not leading the conference in digs for every match this season, Corynne Smith is averaging 6.10 digs per frame in conference matches, the highest of anyone in the conference by nearly 0.40. Overall on the season, Smith has totaled 634 digs, which ranks as the fourth-most in a single season at Eastern Michigan. Smith is just six shy of Ashley Cudney's 640 for the third-most and 11 away from Haley Stein's 645 for the second-most in a season. Stein holds the single season record with 757 in the 2010 season.

AT THE TOP OF THE MAC: Over the last few years, EMU has been near the top of the Mid-American Conference in digs and this season is no different. The Eagles are currently leading the league in total digs with 2,070. The next closest is Ball State who has notched just 1,878 in five less sets, while the Green and White is currently posting 17.69 digs per set and Ball State is second in that category with 16.77 per game. The Eagles also lead the conference in service aces, posting 168 on the season, good for an average of 1.44 per frame.

Corynne Smith is tied for second in the conference with 5.42 digs per set, but is leading the conference in overall digs with 634. The leaders in the conference, Kelly Svoboda (Buffalo) averaging 5.60, respectively but she has accumulated just 626. Jill Briner leads the conference in aces, posting 0.34 per frame after notching 39 this season. Stacey Perinar ranks fourth in the league with 34 aces, good for 0.29 per frame.

IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: The Eagles are not only leading the MAC in digs, but they are ranked in the top-50 nationally. EMU is 10th overall in digs per set with 17.69. Tulsa leads the nation in that category with 18.45 digs per frame.

Individually, sophomore Corynne Smith is currently ranked 15th overall in the country in digs per set. The sophomore is averaging 5.62 digs in her first season starting at libero for the Green and White, while she trails the leader in the country, Rachel Wells of UNC Ashville, who posts 6.42 digs per set.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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