Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, September 25
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Central Michigan
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Chloe Smith
Eastern Opens 2014 MAC Campaign with Central Michigan and Kent State
9/23/2014 11:07:00 AM | Volleyball
The Eagles will head to Mount Pleasant before returning to the Convocation Center
| Complete Release (pdf). | vs. Central Michigan: Live Stats/Live Video | vs. Kent State: Live Stats/Live Video |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team is set to begin the 2014 Mid-American Conference slate this week. The Eagles (8-5) will first travel up to Mount Pleasant, Mich. Thursday, Sept. 25, for a MAC West battle with Central Michigan University. First serve with the Chippewas (5-7) is slated for 7 p.m. at McGuirk Arena.
The Green and White will then return home after the quick trip upstate for a cross-divisional matchup with Kent State University Saturday, Sept. 27. The Golden Flashes (8-5) and Eagles will take the court at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
EASTERN RUNS INTO TROUBLE: After cruising through the non-conference slate, Eastern Michigan ran into a little trouble last weekend, coming away with just a 1-3 record. EMU first dropped a 1-3 decision to UC Irvine Thursday, Sept. 18, before going 1-2 at the 2014 Michigan Invitational, defeating Youngstown State but falling to Kansas State and Michigan.
CHIP DIP RECIPE: It will be the 79th matchup in volleyball history between Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan Thursday, Sept. 25. The Eagles trail in the all-time series 24-54, but EMU and the Chippewas have been neck and neck the last eight seasons, with an even 8-8 record. The Green and White took the last meeting, 3-0, when it traveled to McGuirk Arena, Nov. 14, 2013.
This season, Central Michigan is 5-7, while being led by its 2013 First Team All-MAC award winner and reigning MAC West Offensive Player of the Week, Kaitlyn McIntyre. McIntyre tops the charts with 145 kills, good for 3.09 per frame, while Kyle Copple is the setter for CMU, posting an average of 9.12 assists per game. Defensively, Angelique White has been a force at the net for the Chips, stuffing the offense 1.20 times per frame, which is the best in the MAC. Finally, Kristen Reenders' 4.57 dig average ranks at the top of the conference as well. She has totaled 215 digs this season.
KEEPING UP WITH KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes have met on the hardwood 51 times in the history of each program. Eastern Michigan is leading that series, 33-17-1, including victories in the last two meetings. In the most recent contest, EMU came away with a 3-1 win, Nov. 16, 2013.
The Golden Flashes have started the season strong, boasting an 8-5 record. Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola is the offensive leader for KSU, averaging 3.04 kills per frame, while Brittney Jakscht's 419 assists is the most on the team. However, Jenny Buczek has given Jakscht a run for her money, posting 9.38 assists per frame this season. Defensively, Liz Reikow is averaging 1.15 blocks per frame, ranking second in the MAC, while the Flashes have four members of its squad with 100-or-more digs this season.
PERINAR EARNS MICHIGAN INVITE TOURNAMENT HONOR: For her efforts at the 2014 Michigan Invitational, Stacey Perinar was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 3.91 kills and 0.45 blocks per set. The junior's best contest came against Youngstown State, Sept. 19, when she posted 17 kills on 36 attempts, with just two errors, good for a .417 attack percentage. In addition to her offensive performance, the Channahon, Ill. native averaged 2.27 digs per set.
RESPECT FOR SMITH: After posting a .957 reception percentage and proving to be one of the best defensive players in the MAC during the 2013 season, Corynne Smith has earned some respect amongst the Eagles' opponents. The Norwalk, Ohio native averaged 5.09 reception attempts per set last season. This season, it seems as though the opposition is veering away from the libero as she is averaging just 4.42 reception attempts per game. However, when she is targeted, the 5-foot-3 junior has been stout, making just five errors in 221 attempts, good for a .977 reception percentage.
MIDDLE ATTACK SQUAD: The EMU volleyball squad has shown quite the improvement in the middle this season, especially on the offensive side. The three primary middle blockers have accounted for just over 37 percent of the Eagles' kills, while last season the Green and White had just 30.4 percent of its kills come from the middles. If EMU includes Kelsey Jones who can play multiple positions at the net, as a middle, the MB production level on the offensive end increases to nearly 49 percent.
FINDING HER PLACE: Redshirt-junior Katie Krasowski has made an impact with the EMU squad this season. After posting just 1.47 kills per set last season, Krasowski has discovered her place in the Eastern Michigan offense. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker is posting 2.40 kills per frame, good for second on the squad.
SETTLING IN NICELY: Senior setter Jill Briner made the switch to the Eagles' full-time setter late in the 2013 season and has significantly improved her play since taking on that role. Through the entire 2013 campaign, Briner averaged 6.84 assists per frame, while posting just over seven per frame in MAC matches. Heading into conference play this year, the dual-threat offensive player is averaging a solid 9.04 assists per set, while also holding a .336 attack percentage with a 1.84s kill per set average.
BLOCK BOOKS: Eastern senior middle blocker Megan Crawshaw has proven to be a force at the net defensively. In her first three seasons, Crawshaw recorded 278 block assists which ranked eighth in EMU's all-time records. This season, Crawshaw has recorded 37 block assists, ranking her fifth all-time in Eastern laurels with 315 block assists. She trails Eastern's leader Jill Hutton by 87.
WELCOME BACK TO YPSILANTI: New Assistant Volleyball Coach Shayna Munson is no stranger to the Convocation Center and Ypsilanti, Mich. The Temperance, Mich. native was a part of the EMU program for four years from 2001-2004, two seasons as a student-athlete and two as a student assistant coach. In two seasons with EMU, Munson appeared in 63 matches and accumulated 644 kills, averaging 2.85 kills per frame. The Temperance Bedford graduate excelled from the service line averaging 0.24 aces per set, while she also posted 0.85 blocks per frame in her career.
AMONG THE CONFERENCE RANKS: Individually, multiple Eagles can be touted as the top student-athletes in their respective positions based on the statistics so far this season. From the setter position Jill Briner has proved to be a dual-threat. Not only is Briner fifth in the MAC in assists per contest (9.20 apg) but she ranks second in the league in attack percentage (.386). In addition to Briner's stout offensive play, Megan Crawshaw is hitting .349 which is the fourth-best in the conference.
Corynne Smith is averaging 4.23 digs per contest, which is tied for third in the conference. Finally, Natalie Folk is averaging 0.37 aces per game, which is eighth in the MAC.
The Green and White will then return home after the quick trip upstate for a cross-divisional matchup with Kent State University Saturday, Sept. 27. The Golden Flashes (8-5) and Eagles will take the court at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
EASTERN RUNS INTO TROUBLE: After cruising through the non-conference slate, Eastern Michigan ran into a little trouble last weekend, coming away with just a 1-3 record. EMU first dropped a 1-3 decision to UC Irvine Thursday, Sept. 18, before going 1-2 at the 2014 Michigan Invitational, defeating Youngstown State but falling to Kansas State and Michigan.
CHIP DIP RECIPE: It will be the 79th matchup in volleyball history between Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan Thursday, Sept. 25. The Eagles trail in the all-time series 24-54, but EMU and the Chippewas have been neck and neck the last eight seasons, with an even 8-8 record. The Green and White took the last meeting, 3-0, when it traveled to McGuirk Arena, Nov. 14, 2013.
This season, Central Michigan is 5-7, while being led by its 2013 First Team All-MAC award winner and reigning MAC West Offensive Player of the Week, Kaitlyn McIntyre. McIntyre tops the charts with 145 kills, good for 3.09 per frame, while Kyle Copple is the setter for CMU, posting an average of 9.12 assists per game. Defensively, Angelique White has been a force at the net for the Chips, stuffing the offense 1.20 times per frame, which is the best in the MAC. Finally, Kristen Reenders' 4.57 dig average ranks at the top of the conference as well. She has totaled 215 digs this season.
KEEPING UP WITH KENT STATE: The Eagles and Golden Flashes have met on the hardwood 51 times in the history of each program. Eastern Michigan is leading that series, 33-17-1, including victories in the last two meetings. In the most recent contest, EMU came away with a 3-1 win, Nov. 16, 2013.
The Golden Flashes have started the season strong, boasting an 8-5 record. Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola is the offensive leader for KSU, averaging 3.04 kills per frame, while Brittney Jakscht's 419 assists is the most on the team. However, Jenny Buczek has given Jakscht a run for her money, posting 9.38 assists per frame this season. Defensively, Liz Reikow is averaging 1.15 blocks per frame, ranking second in the MAC, while the Flashes have four members of its squad with 100-or-more digs this season.
PERINAR EARNS MICHIGAN INVITE TOURNAMENT HONOR: For her efforts at the 2014 Michigan Invitational, Stacey Perinar was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 3.91 kills and 0.45 blocks per set. The junior's best contest came against Youngstown State, Sept. 19, when she posted 17 kills on 36 attempts, with just two errors, good for a .417 attack percentage. In addition to her offensive performance, the Channahon, Ill. native averaged 2.27 digs per set.
RESPECT FOR SMITH: After posting a .957 reception percentage and proving to be one of the best defensive players in the MAC during the 2013 season, Corynne Smith has earned some respect amongst the Eagles' opponents. The Norwalk, Ohio native averaged 5.09 reception attempts per set last season. This season, it seems as though the opposition is veering away from the libero as she is averaging just 4.42 reception attempts per game. However, when she is targeted, the 5-foot-3 junior has been stout, making just five errors in 221 attempts, good for a .977 reception percentage.
MIDDLE ATTACK SQUAD: The EMU volleyball squad has shown quite the improvement in the middle this season, especially on the offensive side. The three primary middle blockers have accounted for just over 37 percent of the Eagles' kills, while last season the Green and White had just 30.4 percent of its kills come from the middles. If EMU includes Kelsey Jones who can play multiple positions at the net, as a middle, the MB production level on the offensive end increases to nearly 49 percent.
FINDING HER PLACE: Redshirt-junior Katie Krasowski has made an impact with the EMU squad this season. After posting just 1.47 kills per set last season, Krasowski has discovered her place in the Eastern Michigan offense. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker is posting 2.40 kills per frame, good for second on the squad.
SETTLING IN NICELY: Senior setter Jill Briner made the switch to the Eagles' full-time setter late in the 2013 season and has significantly improved her play since taking on that role. Through the entire 2013 campaign, Briner averaged 6.84 assists per frame, while posting just over seven per frame in MAC matches. Heading into conference play this year, the dual-threat offensive player is averaging a solid 9.04 assists per set, while also holding a .336 attack percentage with a 1.84s kill per set average.
BLOCK BOOKS: Eastern senior middle blocker Megan Crawshaw has proven to be a force at the net defensively. In her first three seasons, Crawshaw recorded 278 block assists which ranked eighth in EMU's all-time records. This season, Crawshaw has recorded 37 block assists, ranking her fifth all-time in Eastern laurels with 315 block assists. She trails Eastern's leader Jill Hutton by 87.
WELCOME BACK TO YPSILANTI: New Assistant Volleyball Coach Shayna Munson is no stranger to the Convocation Center and Ypsilanti, Mich. The Temperance, Mich. native was a part of the EMU program for four years from 2001-2004, two seasons as a student-athlete and two as a student assistant coach. In two seasons with EMU, Munson appeared in 63 matches and accumulated 644 kills, averaging 2.85 kills per frame. The Temperance Bedford graduate excelled from the service line averaging 0.24 aces per set, while she also posted 0.85 blocks per frame in her career.
AMONG THE CONFERENCE RANKS: Individually, multiple Eagles can be touted as the top student-athletes in their respective positions based on the statistics so far this season. From the setter position Jill Briner has proved to be a dual-threat. Not only is Briner fifth in the MAC in assists per contest (9.20 apg) but she ranks second in the league in attack percentage (.386). In addition to Briner's stout offensive play, Megan Crawshaw is hitting .349 which is the fourth-best in the conference.
Corynne Smith is averaging 4.23 digs per contest, which is tied for third in the conference. Finally, Natalie Folk is averaging 0.37 aces per game, which is eighth in the MAC.
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