Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, October 15
Convocation Center
5 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
7-14, 2-6MAC
1
vs
3
Miami
16-4, 8-0MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Miami
25
25
17
25
3
Eastern Michigan
21
18
25
21
1
Photo by: Andy Drabic
Eagles Rally but Eventually Fall, 3-1, to Miami
10/15/2016 7:17:00 PM | Volleyball
The Eagles became one of two MAC teams to win a set agaist MU this season
Video Highlights.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped its fifth-straight match Saturday, Oct. 15, when the Mid-American Conference leading Miami University RedHawks came to Ypsilanti to square off at the Convocation Center. After falling behind, 2-0, the Eagles (7-14, 2-6 MAC) took set three but the RedHawks (16-4, 8-0 MAC) were too much for EMU as the Green and White eventually fell, 25-21, 25-18, 17-25, 25-21.
Freshman Rachel Irbe (Greenfield, Ind.-Greenfield Central) led the Eagles in an offensive slugfest, posting a match-high 15 kills, while just missing a double-double with nine digs. Not far behind Irbe were sophomore Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa-Solon) and senior Devon Murray (Shelby, Ohio-Shelby) who finished the night with 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Meanwhile, junior Kelly Ferguson (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont (Austin Peay)) added nine kills, while hitting at a team-best .571 clip. Freshman Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) and redshirt sophomore Mallory Rajewski (Midland, Mich.-Midland) split the setting duties in the match. Taylor posted a team-high 31 assists, while Rajewski recorded 24.
Defensively, three Eagles exceeded double digits in digs. Sophomore libero Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) led the way with a match-high 18 digs, while Smith added 14 and Rajewski chipped in 12. At the net, Ferguson and junior Samantha Falco (Antioch, Ill.-Antioch) tallied five blocks apiece.
Murray paced the Eagles in the opening set, recording a set-high five kills on nine attempts, while Jordan Smith added a team-high five digs and three kills. The Green and White hung with the RedHawks early in the set thanks to an attack that hit at a .314 clip, but Miami used a .459 attack percentage to take the set, 25-21.
Trailing, 11-5, midway through the second set, a kill by Jordan Smith jumpstarted an EMU run. Giving the serve to Ferguson, the Eagles chipped away at the deficit. Back-to-back kills by Falco and an ace by Ferguson pulled Eastern Michigan within one, 11-10. From there, Miami charged ahead to a 20-16 lead before claiming the set, 25-18.
In the third set, the Eagles offense clicked. Hitting at a team-best .447, the Green and White used five kills from Irbe and four from Ferguson to cruise to a 20-13 lead. The RedHawks interrupted the Eagles run with a kill but gave the ball right back to EMU on a service error. In front, 22-14, Irbe pushed the Eagles to set point before Falco and Ferguson teamed up for a block, securing the set for Eastern Michigan, 25-17. With the set victory, the Eagles became one of just two teams to win a set against the RedHawks in conference play this season.
Fighting to a 17-17 tie in the fourth frame, a timely kill by Falco gave EMU a slim one point edge. Murray followed Falco's lead, tallying a kill of her own but MU came right back to even the score at 19. Miami went on to gain a 22-20 lead, forcing EMU to burn its second timeout of the set. Out of the pause in action, Taylor set Irbe for the kill but the RedHawks rattled off three straight points to take the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1.
Eastern returns to action Friday, Oct. 21, when the Eagles flock to Akron, Ohio for a 7 p.m. match with the University of Akron Zips.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped its fifth-straight match Saturday, Oct. 15, when the Mid-American Conference leading Miami University RedHawks came to Ypsilanti to square off at the Convocation Center. After falling behind, 2-0, the Eagles (7-14, 2-6 MAC) took set three but the RedHawks (16-4, 8-0 MAC) were too much for EMU as the Green and White eventually fell, 25-21, 25-18, 17-25, 25-21.
Freshman Rachel Irbe (Greenfield, Ind.-Greenfield Central) led the Eagles in an offensive slugfest, posting a match-high 15 kills, while just missing a double-double with nine digs. Not far behind Irbe were sophomore Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa-Solon) and senior Devon Murray (Shelby, Ohio-Shelby) who finished the night with 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Meanwhile, junior Kelly Ferguson (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont (Austin Peay)) added nine kills, while hitting at a team-best .571 clip. Freshman Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind.-Perry Meridian) and redshirt sophomore Mallory Rajewski (Midland, Mich.-Midland) split the setting duties in the match. Taylor posted a team-high 31 assists, while Rajewski recorded 24.
Defensively, three Eagles exceeded double digits in digs. Sophomore libero Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) led the way with a match-high 18 digs, while Smith added 14 and Rajewski chipped in 12. At the net, Ferguson and junior Samantha Falco (Antioch, Ill.-Antioch) tallied five blocks apiece.
Murray paced the Eagles in the opening set, recording a set-high five kills on nine attempts, while Jordan Smith added a team-high five digs and three kills. The Green and White hung with the RedHawks early in the set thanks to an attack that hit at a .314 clip, but Miami used a .459 attack percentage to take the set, 25-21.
Trailing, 11-5, midway through the second set, a kill by Jordan Smith jumpstarted an EMU run. Giving the serve to Ferguson, the Eagles chipped away at the deficit. Back-to-back kills by Falco and an ace by Ferguson pulled Eastern Michigan within one, 11-10. From there, Miami charged ahead to a 20-16 lead before claiming the set, 25-18.
In the third set, the Eagles offense clicked. Hitting at a team-best .447, the Green and White used five kills from Irbe and four from Ferguson to cruise to a 20-13 lead. The RedHawks interrupted the Eagles run with a kill but gave the ball right back to EMU on a service error. In front, 22-14, Irbe pushed the Eagles to set point before Falco and Ferguson teamed up for a block, securing the set for Eastern Michigan, 25-17. With the set victory, the Eagles became one of just two teams to win a set against the RedHawks in conference play this season.
Fighting to a 17-17 tie in the fourth frame, a timely kill by Falco gave EMU a slim one point edge. Murray followed Falco's lead, tallying a kill of her own but MU came right back to even the score at 19. Miami went on to gain a 22-20 lead, forcing EMU to burn its second timeout of the set. Out of the pause in action, Taylor set Irbe for the kill but the RedHawks rattled off three straight points to take the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1.
Eastern returns to action Friday, Oct. 21, when the Eagles flock to Akron, Ohio for a 7 p.m. match with the University of Akron Zips.
Team Stats
MIAMI
EMU
Kills
61
62
Errors
10
18
Attempts
145
146
Hitting %
.352
.301
Points
76.0
73.0
Assists
56
60
Aces
8
4
Blocks
7.0
7.0
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
13
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
1
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
MB
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballRS/MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
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