Eagles Head West to Start MAC Play

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vs. WMU: Live Stats

vs. NIU: Live Stats/Video

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - - Following a strong start to the 2015 campaign, Head Coach Kimi Olson and the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will begin the 16-match Mid-American Conference schedule with a pair of road contests against fellow MAC West Division institutions. The Eagles (8-5) will take on Western Michigan University and Northern Illinois University in their first MAC matches of the 2015 campaign.

EMU travels to Kalamazoo, Mich. to square off with the Broncos (4-11) at Kalamazoo College's Anderson Athletics Center Friday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. The game was moved from its original 7 p.m. start at University Arena because of delays of the installation of WMU's new hardwood floor.

The following day, the Eagles will continue the trek west until they arrive in DeKalb, Ill. for a showdown with the Huskies (4-8) Saturday, Sept. 26. The Saturday evening contest will take place at NIU's Convocation Center at 7 p.m. CT.

LEADERS OF THE WEST: With just three MAC member institutions completing the non-conference portion of the 2015 campaign with a record better than .500, Eastern Michigan finds itself in the minority, sporting a record of 8-5. With just one school in the conference boasting a better record than EMU, Ohio (10-3), the Eagles sit at the top of the MAC West heading into conference play as the only member of the division with a winning record.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: Despite finishing non-conference play on a somewhat sour note, Kimi Olson and her squad enjoyed success throughout the majority of the "preseason". The Eagles completed the non-conference portion of the 2015 with an 8-5 record, marking the sixth-straight season that EMU has entered Mid-American Conference play with a ledger on the positive side. The last time EMU was under the .500 mark in non-conference play was 2009 when it went 1-16.

YOUNG GUNS: Eastern Michigan has the luxury of a pair of freshmen stepping right into contributing roles this season. On the inside, Cassie Haut is hitting at a .248 clip, which ranks third on the squad, while Jordan Smith is racking up 2.39 kills per frame, which puts her second-most on the team. In addition, redshirt freshman Mallory Rajewski has split time with senior Alyssa Davis at setter and has done a fine job, averaging 5.32 assists per frame.

BUCKIN' BRONCOS: Western Michigan has been dominant in the series with EMU. The Eagles trail by a 21-59 margin over its opponent from Kalamazoo, Mich., including losses in the last eight matches with WMU. Last time out, the Green and White dropped a 0-3 decision to Western Michigan inside of University Arena. Eastern traveled to Kalamzoo but fell, Nov. 14, 2014.

Western comes into the Friday evening match sporting just a 4-11 overall record. WMU is led by Sydney LeMay at the net who averages 2.53 kills per set, while Mary Murphy's 9.53 assists per frame ranks as the fifth-best in the conference. Defensively, Nicole Kinser leads Western with 1.37 blocks per game, the best in the MAC, while Hailey Knecht boasts 4.79 digs per set, good for fourth in the conference.

LET'S HEAR ABOUT THE HUSKIES: The Eagles and Northern Illinois have met on the hardwood 51 times in the history of each program. Eastern Michigan is trailing that series, 22-29, including a split of last season's meetings. After falling in their first match last season, 2-3, the Eagles came back to knock off the Huskies, 3-2.

The Huskies are on a four-match losing streak heading into the first weekend of Mid-American Conference play. Overall on the season, Northern Illinois is 4-8 and has not won a match since Sept. 11 when the Huskies knocked off Texas State at the Wichita State Invitational. T'ara Austin averages 3.62 kills per set to lead NIU and rank fourth in the MAC, while Alexis Gonzalez' 9.12 assists per frame is seventh in the conference. Jenna Radtke blocks 1.28 hits per set, good for third and Anna Brereton's 3.76 digs per set is ninth in the conference. As a team, NIU leads the conference in attack percentage at a .227 clip. Conversely, the Huskies allow teams to hit at an inflated .230 hitting percentage.

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE LEADERS: As of the most recent full statistical release by the MAC, the EMU volleyball team is near the top in almost every statistical category following their strong 8-5 start to the season. In fact, Eastern leads the league in assists per set (12.06), while ranking second in opponent hitting percentage (.187), kills (12.65), blocks (2.29) and digs per set (16.69). EMU is also fourth in services aces per frame (1.29).

Individually, Stacey Perinar leads the conference in kills per set at 4.02 per frame, while Corynne Smith is second in the MAC in digs per set (5.27).

NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: EMU's senior libero, Corynne Smith, has been one of the top libero's in the conference since taking over the spot in 2013. In fact, Smith has become one of the best in the NCAA. She is averaging 5.27 digs per set which is tied for 18th in the country. In addition to Smith's success, fellow senior Stacey Perinar has made her way onto the national scene as well, ranking 48th in the NCAA in kills per set at 4.02.

Overall, the Eagles have become well-known for their defensive prowess. As a team, the Green and White's 16.69 digs per set is the 22nd-best in the country.

SMITH NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Senior libero Corynne Smith earned all-tournament team honors at the Dayton Flyer Invitational after averaging 4.60 digs per set for the weekend.

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Players Mentioned

Alyssa Davis

Cassie Haut

Stacey Perinar

Mallory Rajewski

Corynne Smith

Jordan Smith

Eastern Michigan Athletics