Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, November 7
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Toledo
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Set to Close Out the Home Slate with Toledo and Ball State
11/5/2014 3:03:00 PM | Volleyball
Saturday's contest with BSU will be Senior Night at the Convocation Center
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team's 2014 regular season is winding down and the Eagles (15-11, 6-6 MAC) will close out the home portion of the schedule this weekend, Nov. 7-8, with matches against the University of Toledo and Ball State University. The contest will Ball State will be the final home match for three Eastern Michigan seniors.
The Eagles and Rockets (1-24, 0-12 MAC) will tangle Friday, Nov. 7, at the Convocation Center at 7 p.m. The Green and White is looking for a sweep of Toledo after knocking off UT, 3-1, at Savage Arena earlier this year. Following its match with the Rockets, Eastern will host its Senior Night for a match with the Cardinals (14-11, 8-4 MAC) in hopes to give the senior Eagles a victory in their final contest .
WHERE DO THEY RANK: After heading into the final two weekends of Mid-American Conference play, the Eagles are currently ranked sixth in the conference at 6-6.
ROCKET POWER: It will be the 66th matchup in volleyball history between Eastern Michigan and Toledo Thursday, Nov. 7. The Eagles lead in the all-time series 52-13. EMU has had the Rockets number recently. In the last 10 matches, the Eagles are 7-3, including when the Green and White knocked off Toledo, 3-1, when it traveled to Savage Arena, Oct. 4.
This season, Toledo is struggling, posting a 1-24 record, without winning a MAC match through 12 contests. The Rockets are led by on the offensive end by Alyssa Ehrhardt who is posting 2.98 kills per set. Alex Hines is the UT setter and she averages 8.70 assists per frame, while Lauiren Bakaitis' 3.99 digs per set is the best on the Toledo squad. At the net, Rachel Vidcurek and Brooke Frazer have posted 60 and 59 blocks on the season, respectively.
CHECKING OUT THE CARDINALS: Ball State is near the top of the standings, with the fourth-best record in the MAC at 8-4, while they have a boast a 14-11 mark on the season. The Eagles trail in the all-time series with BSU, 22-46, but have given the Cardinals a run for their money over the last 10 meeting, beating Ball State four-of-six times on the hardwood. Eastern did drop its last match with BSU, 1-3, in Muncie, Ind, back on Oct. 3 inside John E. Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals are paced by Hayley Benson who averages 2.87 kills and 0.90 blocks per set this season. In addition, the six-foot-three middle hits at a .374 clip. Jenna Spadafora sets for Ball State posting an average of 10.40 assists per set, good for fourth in the MAC. Defensively, Alex Fuelling leads the Cardinals at 3.30 digs per frame, totaling 327 digs on the campaign.
HONORING THREE EAGLES: The Eastern Michigan volleyball team will honor its seniors Jill Briner, Megan Crawshaw and Natalie Folk Saturday, Nov. 8, following the Eagles' match with Ball State for their successful careers at EMU.
#6 Jill Briner: In just two seasons at EMU, Briner has put herself on the map as one of the most dynamic players to wear the Green and White. Briner has racked up 1768 assists in her time at Eastern, good for the ninth most in EMU history, while she also recorded the ninth-most aces in a single season during the 2013 campaign with 44. Briner has been honored as the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions in her career, while earning three all-tournament nods this season, including being named the MVP at the UMBC Maddie Bingham Memorial. Last season, Briner led the MAC in aces per set posting 0.35 before recording a career-best 57 assists in the first round of the 2013 MAC Volleyball Tournament. This season, Briner holds a .317 attack percentage, which is the best of any Eagle this season. In just two seasons, Briner has played in 60 matches, while appearing in 226 sets. Briner will graduate from Eastern with a degree in Accounting and boasts a 4.0 grade point average.
#13 Megan Crawshaw: Crawshaw has been a permanent fixture in Head Coach Kim Berrington's lineup during her four seasons at Eastern Michigan. The Mattawan, Mich. native has seen a steady incline in her offensive numbers throughout her career, including posting a career-best .285 attack percentage this season. This year, Crawshaw was named the most valuable player at the Northern Kentucky Volleyball Invitational and she also earned All-Tournament Team honors at the UMBC Maddie Bingham Memorial. While donning the Green and White, Crawshaw worked her way into the record books. To this point, Crawshaw has recorded 364 block assists during her tenure at EMU. That number is good for second all-time in EMU history. In 2012, Crawshaw finished the season with the fifth-best block per set average in the MAC. In her four seasons, Crawshaw has appeared in 124 matches and 449 sets as an Eagle. In her first year at Eastern, the 6-foot-1 middle blocker was named to the MAC All-Freshmen Team. Crawshaw will graduate from Eastern with a degree in Psychology and boasts a 3.02 grade point average.
#14 Natalie Folk: Folk has has appeared in 124 matches since she came to EMU, playing in 390 sets. The Saline, Mich. native has totaled 65 service aces in her career, including a team-high 30 this season. Folk proved to be asset on the defensive side of the net for the Green and White, as she has recorded 579 digs in her four seasons, including a career-best 273 this year. In addition to her dig numbers, Folk holds a .962 reception percentage, including a perfect 1.000 during the 2013 season. Earlier this season, she recorded a career-high five aces against Kent State, Sept. 27. Folk is working toward her degree at EMU in Special Education and holds a 3.15 grade point average.
LOOKING AHEAD: This season's Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament will be held at the Ohio University Convocation Center. According to the league rules, the previous season's tournament winner will host the following season's tournament. Currently, Ohio (12-0) would enter as the No. 1 seed, followed by No. 2 Northern Illinois (11-1), No. 3 Miami (9-3), No. 4 Ball State (8-4), No. 5 Western Michigan (7-5), No. 6 Eastern Michigan (6-6), No. 7 Kent State (5-7) and No. 8 Buffalo (4-8).
FIVE AT 10-PLUS: Eastern Michigan saw a strong offensive output by multiple individuals in the Eagles' 3-2 win over Central Michigan, Oct. 30. In the match, EMU saw five student-athletes record 10-or-more kills, including 14 from Stacey Perinar, who paced the Green and White.
STICKING IT TO THE BOBCATS: Despite dropping the match, the Eagles completed a feat that most teams have not been able to do this season against Ohio, Nov. 1. The Eagles hit at a .200 clip in Athens, Ohio. Overall, teams hit at a .156 mark against Ohio. In fact, the Eagles' .200 attack percentage makes them just one-of-two MAC opponents that have hit .200-or-better against the conference leaders.
STRAIGHT UP THE MIDDLE: Eastern's middle blockers have become a force for the Eagles on both offense and defense since beginning MAC play. In 12 conference tilts, the middles have provided nearly half of the Green and White's kills (46 percent). Additionally, the blockers, although its not surprise, have accounted for 68.6 percent of the Eagles' blocks. In total, the middle blockers have totaled 354 points, good for 47.1 percent of EMU's total in conference matches.
INCREASING HER AVERAGE: Senior setter Jill Briner averaged just 6.84 assists per set last season, totaling 862 on the year. With her 906 assists this year, she has already surpassed her total from the 2013 campaign and is averaging 9.06 assists per game, good for eighth in the MAC.
THE BACK-TO-BACK BEST IN THE WEST: Eastern Michigan libero Corynne Smith has won the MAC West Weekly award for defensive player of the week in back-to-back weeks. Despite averaging just 4.89 digs in MAC play, the Norwalk, Ohio native has just four reception errors in 200 attempts, good for a .980 reception percentage.
IN MAC PLAY...: Eastern has been known as one of the top squads on the defensive side of the net in the Mid-American Conference and this season has been no different. In MAC contests EMU leads the conference in digs with 830 overall, good for a 17.66 per set average. On the offensive side of the net, Eastern's 1.30 aces per set ranks second in the conference.
The Eagles and Rockets (1-24, 0-12 MAC) will tangle Friday, Nov. 7, at the Convocation Center at 7 p.m. The Green and White is looking for a sweep of Toledo after knocking off UT, 3-1, at Savage Arena earlier this year. Following its match with the Rockets, Eastern will host its Senior Night for a match with the Cardinals (14-11, 8-4 MAC) in hopes to give the senior Eagles a victory in their final contest .
WHERE DO THEY RANK: After heading into the final two weekends of Mid-American Conference play, the Eagles are currently ranked sixth in the conference at 6-6.
ROCKET POWER: It will be the 66th matchup in volleyball history between Eastern Michigan and Toledo Thursday, Nov. 7. The Eagles lead in the all-time series 52-13. EMU has had the Rockets number recently. In the last 10 matches, the Eagles are 7-3, including when the Green and White knocked off Toledo, 3-1, when it traveled to Savage Arena, Oct. 4.
This season, Toledo is struggling, posting a 1-24 record, without winning a MAC match through 12 contests. The Rockets are led by on the offensive end by Alyssa Ehrhardt who is posting 2.98 kills per set. Alex Hines is the UT setter and she averages 8.70 assists per frame, while Lauiren Bakaitis' 3.99 digs per set is the best on the Toledo squad. At the net, Rachel Vidcurek and Brooke Frazer have posted 60 and 59 blocks on the season, respectively.
CHECKING OUT THE CARDINALS: Ball State is near the top of the standings, with the fourth-best record in the MAC at 8-4, while they have a boast a 14-11 mark on the season. The Eagles trail in the all-time series with BSU, 22-46, but have given the Cardinals a run for their money over the last 10 meeting, beating Ball State four-of-six times on the hardwood. Eastern did drop its last match with BSU, 1-3, in Muncie, Ind, back on Oct. 3 inside John E. Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals are paced by Hayley Benson who averages 2.87 kills and 0.90 blocks per set this season. In addition, the six-foot-three middle hits at a .374 clip. Jenna Spadafora sets for Ball State posting an average of 10.40 assists per set, good for fourth in the MAC. Defensively, Alex Fuelling leads the Cardinals at 3.30 digs per frame, totaling 327 digs on the campaign.
HONORING THREE EAGLES: The Eastern Michigan volleyball team will honor its seniors Jill Briner, Megan Crawshaw and Natalie Folk Saturday, Nov. 8, following the Eagles' match with Ball State for their successful careers at EMU.
#6 Jill Briner: In just two seasons at EMU, Briner has put herself on the map as one of the most dynamic players to wear the Green and White. Briner has racked up 1768 assists in her time at Eastern, good for the ninth most in EMU history, while she also recorded the ninth-most aces in a single season during the 2013 campaign with 44. Briner has been honored as the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions in her career, while earning three all-tournament nods this season, including being named the MVP at the UMBC Maddie Bingham Memorial. Last season, Briner led the MAC in aces per set posting 0.35 before recording a career-best 57 assists in the first round of the 2013 MAC Volleyball Tournament. This season, Briner holds a .317 attack percentage, which is the best of any Eagle this season. In just two seasons, Briner has played in 60 matches, while appearing in 226 sets. Briner will graduate from Eastern with a degree in Accounting and boasts a 4.0 grade point average.
#13 Megan Crawshaw: Crawshaw has been a permanent fixture in Head Coach Kim Berrington's lineup during her four seasons at Eastern Michigan. The Mattawan, Mich. native has seen a steady incline in her offensive numbers throughout her career, including posting a career-best .285 attack percentage this season. This year, Crawshaw was named the most valuable player at the Northern Kentucky Volleyball Invitational and she also earned All-Tournament Team honors at the UMBC Maddie Bingham Memorial. While donning the Green and White, Crawshaw worked her way into the record books. To this point, Crawshaw has recorded 364 block assists during her tenure at EMU. That number is good for second all-time in EMU history. In 2012, Crawshaw finished the season with the fifth-best block per set average in the MAC. In her four seasons, Crawshaw has appeared in 124 matches and 449 sets as an Eagle. In her first year at Eastern, the 6-foot-1 middle blocker was named to the MAC All-Freshmen Team. Crawshaw will graduate from Eastern with a degree in Psychology and boasts a 3.02 grade point average.
#14 Natalie Folk: Folk has has appeared in 124 matches since she came to EMU, playing in 390 sets. The Saline, Mich. native has totaled 65 service aces in her career, including a team-high 30 this season. Folk proved to be asset on the defensive side of the net for the Green and White, as she has recorded 579 digs in her four seasons, including a career-best 273 this year. In addition to her dig numbers, Folk holds a .962 reception percentage, including a perfect 1.000 during the 2013 season. Earlier this season, she recorded a career-high five aces against Kent State, Sept. 27. Folk is working toward her degree at EMU in Special Education and holds a 3.15 grade point average.
LOOKING AHEAD: This season's Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament will be held at the Ohio University Convocation Center. According to the league rules, the previous season's tournament winner will host the following season's tournament. Currently, Ohio (12-0) would enter as the No. 1 seed, followed by No. 2 Northern Illinois (11-1), No. 3 Miami (9-3), No. 4 Ball State (8-4), No. 5 Western Michigan (7-5), No. 6 Eastern Michigan (6-6), No. 7 Kent State (5-7) and No. 8 Buffalo (4-8).
FIVE AT 10-PLUS: Eastern Michigan saw a strong offensive output by multiple individuals in the Eagles' 3-2 win over Central Michigan, Oct. 30. In the match, EMU saw five student-athletes record 10-or-more kills, including 14 from Stacey Perinar, who paced the Green and White.
STICKING IT TO THE BOBCATS: Despite dropping the match, the Eagles completed a feat that most teams have not been able to do this season against Ohio, Nov. 1. The Eagles hit at a .200 clip in Athens, Ohio. Overall, teams hit at a .156 mark against Ohio. In fact, the Eagles' .200 attack percentage makes them just one-of-two MAC opponents that have hit .200-or-better against the conference leaders.
STRAIGHT UP THE MIDDLE: Eastern's middle blockers have become a force for the Eagles on both offense and defense since beginning MAC play. In 12 conference tilts, the middles have provided nearly half of the Green and White's kills (46 percent). Additionally, the blockers, although its not surprise, have accounted for 68.6 percent of the Eagles' blocks. In total, the middle blockers have totaled 354 points, good for 47.1 percent of EMU's total in conference matches.
INCREASING HER AVERAGE: Senior setter Jill Briner averaged just 6.84 assists per set last season, totaling 862 on the year. With her 906 assists this year, she has already surpassed her total from the 2013 campaign and is averaging 9.06 assists per game, good for eighth in the MAC.
THE BACK-TO-BACK BEST IN THE WEST: Eastern Michigan libero Corynne Smith has won the MAC West Weekly award for defensive player of the week in back-to-back weeks. Despite averaging just 4.89 digs in MAC play, the Norwalk, Ohio native has just four reception errors in 200 attempts, good for a .980 reception percentage.
IN MAC PLAY...: Eastern has been known as one of the top squads on the defensive side of the net in the Mid-American Conference and this season has been no different. In MAC contests EMU leads the conference in digs with 830 overall, good for a 17.66 per set average. On the offensive side of the net, Eastern's 1.30 aces per set ranks second in the conference.
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