Eastern Knocks Off Army in Four Setter at Valpo Popcorn Classic

VALPARAISO, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team returned to its winning ways Saturday, Sept. 7, when it topped the United States Military Academy (Army) in four sets at the 2013 Valpo Popcorn Classic. The Eagles (3-3) dropped the first set to Army (1-5), but took the final three sets, 25-19, 25-20 and 25-21.

Megan Crawshaw (Mattawan, Mich.-Mattawan) led the offensive attack for EMU with 11 kills while posting a .407 (11-0-27) attack percentage. The junior did not make one attack error, while she also had one solo block and six block assists in the match. Stacey Perinar (Channahon, Ill.-Minooka Community) totaled 16 kills in the match. Jill Briner (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park and Forest River (Northeastern)) and Alyssa Davis (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Plainwell) split the setting duties with Briner posting 21 assists and Davis notching 19. Defensively, the Green and White had four student-athletes with double-digit digs. Corynne Smith (Norwalk, Ohio-St. Paul) posted 26, Briner had 17, Perinar had 16 and Sierra Reed (Muncie, Ind.-Wapahani) notched 10 digs. Devon Murray (Shelby, Ohio-Shelby) had the best performance of her freshman campaign with five kills in seven attempts, good for a .407 attack percentage. Dori Harrison (Euclid, Ohio-Beaumont School (South Florida)) had her most impressive showing since donning the Green and White after accumulating a .429 attack percentage, going 6-of-14 in her attack attempts.

EMU dropped the opening set, 24-26, after hitting .123 (12-5-57). Crawshaw, Perinar and Kelsey Jones (Reed City, Mich.-Reed City) each contributed three kills in the set, while Perinar notched nine digs. Army posted a .175 (16-6-57) hitting percentage. Margaux Jarka posted eight kills for the Black Knights to lead them to a set victory.

Eastern came back in the second set to hit .200 (10-3-35) and take the frame, 25-19. Despite totaling just 10 kills, the Eagles handled Army defensively with four team blocks, including four block assists from Crawshaw alone. Perinar added three kills to her total in the set.

Set three was an impressive one for EMU, as they banged home 20 kills in just 49 attempts en route to a 25-20 set victory. EMU had just three attack errors, while posting a .347 hitting percentage. Perinar and Crawshaw each contributed five kills, while Murray came on strong with four and Harrison added three of her own. Briner posted seven of her digs in the match in the third frame.

The Eagles completed the match with a 25-21 fourth set win. Despite hitting just .195 (14-6-41) EMU's defense was stellar by totaling five blocks in the frame to hold the Black Knights to a .116 (13-8-43) hitting percentage. Crawshaw had a solo block and one block assist, while Jones added three block assists and Perinar posted two of her own.

Eastern completes the 2013 Valpo Popcorn Classic this afternoon when they take on Big Ten foe, the University of Iowa. The match is scheduled to start a 2 p.m. (CST) at the Athletics-Recreation Center.

Eastern Knocks Off Army in Four Setter at Valpo Popcorn Classic

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Team Stats

Stacey Perinar

Megan Crawshaw

Kelsey Jones

Dori Harrison

Eastern Michigan Athletics