Eastern Closes Out Regular Season With Two MAC Contests

Volleyball vs. Central Michigan and Kent State
Date:	November 10 \| November 12
Location:	Ypsilanti, Mich. - Convocation Center
Weekly Notes:	EMU Notes
Live Stats:	EMU Live Stats
Watch Live:	vs. Central Michigan \| vs. Kent State

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team has been struggling to get things going, losing its last five matches. The Eagles (8-19, 3-11 MAC) need to turn it around in their final two matches if they want a chance at making the 2016 Mid-American Conference Volleyball Tournament.

Currently riding a five-match losing streak, Eastern Michgan hosts a pair of contests on the final weekend of the season. EMU takes on Central Michigan University, Thursday night, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. The Chippewas (9-17, 3-11 MAC) have lost their last five matches as well. For the regular season finale, the Green and White welcome Kent State University to the Convocation Center Saturday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m. for Senior Day. The Golden Flashes (14-13, 7-7 MAC) come into the contest after handing Miami its first loss of the conference season. Both matches will be available to watch live on ESPN 3. Should fans be unable to get to a computer, the broadcasts can also be found on the WatchESPN app on your smartphones and other mobile devices.

ALL-TIME VERSUS THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS: As we head into the final Mid-American Conference matches, the Eagles are looking to turn their fortunes this weekend as they look to get off the schneid to snap a five-match losing streak. In fact, against this weekend's competition, the Green and White hold a 59-76-1 record, totaling 136 matches played.

CHIP DIP: Eastern Michigan will begin the weekend with in-state and MAC West foe Central Michigan on Thursday night. The Eagles and Chippewas have met on the hardwood 82 times. The series is heavily in favor of Central Michigan, as the Green and White trail, 25-57. A year ago, the Eagles met the Chippewas on two occasions and the two squads split those contests. In fact, the two Michigan institutions have split their two matches in every season for the past five. The last sweep came during the 2010 campaign when EMU knocked off the Chippewas in a pair of 3-2 victories.

A FEEL FOR THE FLASHES: Eastern will finish the weekend with a cross-divisional matchup on Saturday night versus Kent State. The Eagles and Flashes have met on the hardwood 54 times. Eastern Michigan leads the series, as the Green and White hold a 34-19-1 recprd. A year ago, the Eagles met the Flashes on one occasion and Kent State came away with the victory. In fact, the Eagles have dropped the last two matches against KSU.

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Eastern had a strugglesome weekend, dropping a pair of crucial MAC West contests on the road. The Green and White met Northern Illinois, Friday, Nov. 4, falling in three sets, before Western Michigan took down the Eagles on the next night in four sets.

AN OUTSIDE CHANCE: Right now, Eastern Michigan is 1-of-4 teams tied for the No. 9 spot in the MAC. Despite being two games back, the Eagles do have a chance to clinch a spot in the tournament, but would need some help. Should EMU win both matches and Western Michigan lose both matches, the Eagles would clinch the No. 8 seed. The only kink in that plan would be if both Akron and Buffalo go undefeated this weekend as well, WMU would hold the tiebreaker and keep a stranglehold on the coveted eighth seed.

ROAD WOES: Like most teams in intercollegiate athletics, EMU has had much less success on the road. So far this season, the Eagles are 2-11 in true road matches. In the history of the program, the Green and White maintains a 184-269 overall record away from Ypsilanti. In addition to that number, Eastern Michigan holds just a 101-167 mark away from the Convo. Last year, EMU went 5-8 in true road matches.

COMFORTS OF THE CONVO: Since beginning play in 1976, Eastern Michigan has compiled a 227-170 record on their home court, highlighted by a 116-83 mark since moving to the Convocation Center in 1998.

RISING TO THE TOP: EMU's libero Alyssa LaFace has continued to improve since she took over the libero spot exclusively. Since the beginning of conference play, LaFace is averaging 4.54 digs per set. For the season, the Allen Park, Mich. native is posting 4.09 digs per set, good for the sixth-best mark in the Mid-American Conference. In addition, LaFace set a career-best with 30 digs on the road at Western Michigan, Nov. 5.

OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES: The Eastern Michigan offense has struggled so far this season. In fact, the squad ranks 12th in the conference in hitting percentage (.172) and 10th in assists (11.34/set) and kills (12.10/set).

TAYLOR HAS TAKEN OVER: Although both freshman Riley Taylor and redshirt sophomore Mallory Rajewski have been starting matches as of late, Taylor has become the Green and White's main setter since starting Mid-American Conference play. Taylor is posting 30.1 assists per match and 7.54 assists per set. For the entire season, Taylor leads EMU with 532 assists, good for a 6.26 per set average.

EMU CELEBRATES TWO SENIORS: The EMU volleyball program will see two of its own will graduate following this season as Devon Murray and Melva Smith will compete in the final two regular season matches of their careers.

Murray came to Eastern Michigan prior to the 2013 season and has been a fixture in the EMU rotation since her freshman year. In total, Murray has appeared in 102 matches, as the Shelby, Ohio native has recorded 557 career kills. Murray is also a two-time Academic All-MAC award winner. She has posted nine double digit kill performances this season, including a season-best 16 kills versus Western Michigan last Sunday, Nov. 5, where she hit .517.

Smith joined the EMU volleyball squad following her freshman year when she played at South Suburban College. After transferring to Eastern Michigan, Smith has appeared in 75 matches for the Eagles. In her career, she has racked up 127 kills, including 65 during her first season donning the Green and White.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Alyssa LaFace

Devon Murray

Mallory Rajewski

Melva Smith

Riley Taylor

Eastern Michigan Athletics