Eagles Trip Up Cougars in Four Set Victory

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (EMUEagles.com) – Heading into the second tournament of its season, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team began the Northern Kentucky Volleyball Invitational on the right foot Friday, Sept. 5, with a four set victory over SIU Edwardsville. The Eagles (3-1) dropped the first set to the Cougars (2-3), 20-25, but return-fired with three-straight, 25-18, 25-23, 25-11, to nab their third victory of the 2014 campaign.

Stacey Perinar (Channahon, Ill.-Minooka Community) and Jill Briner (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park and River Forest (Northeastern)) paced the Eastern Michigan offense. Perinar came up with 15 kills, while Briner posted 36 assists and hit .500 (8-1-14). In addition to Perinar and Briner's offensive performances, Megan Crawshaw (Mattawan, Mich.-Mattawan) put together a solid day. The Mattawan, Mich. native came away with eight kills on 20 attempts with just one error. As a team, Eastern hit .202 with 49 kills and 45 set assists.

On the other side of the net, Katie Krasowski (Oak Lawn, Ill.-Marist) was the Eagles' force at the net, tallying four block assists, while Corynne Smith (Norwalk, Ohio-St. Paul) picked up a team-best 15 digs and Perinar added 12 to pick up her second double-double of the season. As a whole, the Green and White held Edwardsville to .074 attack percentage with five blocks and 49 digs.

The Eagles struggled in the opening frame, hitting just. 086 (11-8-35). Conversely, the Cougars hit .250 (12-6-24), but it was their strength at the net that hurt the Green and White. SIUE recorded five blocks on its way to the 20-25 set one victory.

Trailing by one set heading into the second frame, Eastern picked it up on both sides of the net. Defensively, the Eagles held the Cougars to a -.049 attack percentage, while EMU hit .167 on their own. It was Briner who shined, hitting .750 with three kills, while picking up eight assists. Smith added eight of her 15 digs in the set, while as a team, the Green and White posted three blocks, earning a 25-18 win to knot up the match.

The Eagles continued to improve at the net offensively in set three. Perinar was a force, hitting .500 with seven kills on 12 attempts, making just one error. Briner, Crawshaw and Krasowski each recorded a pair of kills. Briner setup EMU's offense with 12 assists in the set, helping Eastern to its 25-23 win.

With a one-set advantage, the Eagles cruised to victory in the fourth set, 25-11. The offense was spread out amongst six student-athletes. Devon Murray (Shelby, Ohio-Shelby) and Perinar each recorded three kills, while Briner and Krasowski picked up a pair. In addition both Crawshaw and Kelsey Jones (Reed City, Mich.-Reed City) notched one kill each.

The Eagles hit the floor again Saturday, Sept. 6, for a pair of matches in the Northern Kentucky Volleyball Invitational. The Green and White begins the day with a 10 a.m. match versus Samford University at the Regents Hall Albright Health Center before squaring off with the host Northern Kentucky University.

Next Event

Team Stats

Stacey Perinar

Jill Briner

Megan Crawshaw

Katie Krasowski

Players Mentioned

Jill Briner

Megan Crawshaw

Kelsey Jones

Katie Krasowski

Devon Murray

Stacey Perinar

Corynne Smith

Eastern Michigan Athletics