Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, September 22
Convocation Center
3 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
8-9, 0-1MAC
1
vs
3
Ball State
9-5, 1-0MAC
1
2
3
4
F
Ball State
25
25
22
29
3
Eastern Michigan
21
19
25
27
1
EMU Falls to Ball State in MAC Opener, 3-1
9/22/2017 5:43:00 PM | Volleyball
Eastern was led by double-doubles from Jordan Smith and Franki Strefling
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team was handed a four-set defeat in its Mid-American Conference opener at the hands of Ball State University Friday afternoon, Sept. 22. Eastern hung tough with the preseason West Division favorites, but ultimately fell short, 3-1 (21-25, 19-25, 25-22, 27-29).
Offensively, the match was fairly even as the Eagles hit at a .189 clip, while the Cardinals finished with a .191 attack percentage. Leading the Green and White were junior Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa-Solon) and freshman Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Buchanan) who recorded 13 kills apiece, while also tallying 12 and 13 digs, respectively. Smith notched her fifth double-double of the season, and 17th of her career, while Strefling secured her fourth double-double of the season.
Eastern Michigan totaled 75 digs, led by junior Alyssa LaFace's (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) 18. The Green and White continued its dominance at the net, racking up 11 blocks compared to the Cardinals' eight. Senior Kelly Ferguson (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) paced the defensive effort, totaling six blocks. Redshirt sophomore Cassie Haut (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary's Catholic) and senior Samantha Falco (Antioch, Ill.-Antioch) chipped in five apiece.
The action in the first set came fast and furious, as there was no break in play until it was 15-14 EMU. The set began 6-3 in favor of the Cardinals but the Eagles battled back to tie it at 11 apiece. Both teams then traded points before a thunderous kill from Strefling forced the BSU timeout.
Each team went back and forth over the next few points to knot it at 17 each, before EMU rattled off three in a row, capped by a block from Haut and Ferguson to make it 20-17. Eastern couldn't put the Cardinals away though, as Ball State closed the set on an 8-1 run to take it, 25-21.
Set two began in a similar fashion as neither team gained more than a three-point advantage into the media timeout, where Ball State led it 15-13. Eastern came back to take its first lead since it was 2-1 at 18-17, but Ball State battled back to retake a 19-18 advantage. Much like the first set, EMU couldn't close the door, and Ball State took set two, 25-19.
The Eagles came out of the break on fire, racing out to a 7-3 lead to start set three, but Ball State kept things close, coming back to make it 13-9 at the timeout. The Cardinals kept chipping away, eventually tying the set at 16-all, and then taking a 17-16 lead, forcing an EMU timeout.
BSU looked like they were about to pull away for good, going up 21-18, but Eastern rattled off four straight to even the score at 21. Avenging the shortcomings in the first two sets, EMU rattled off four of the next five points to win set three, 25-22, and extend the match into set four.
In set four, it was another back-and-forth affair as the lead changed four times before EMU took a 15-14 lead into the media timeout. The see-saw set continued though, with Ball State leaping ahead 19-15 after a five-point run. Eastern didn't give in, battling back to tie the set at 22.
After trading points, match point hung in the balance 24-23, but Falco delivered a thunderous kill up the middle to send the set to extra points. The two teams would end up tying at 25, but EMU's late push fell short, 29-27, allowing BSU to take the match, 3-1.
Eastern Michigan returns to action tomorrow, Sept. 23, against the University of Toledo. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
Offensively, the match was fairly even as the Eagles hit at a .189 clip, while the Cardinals finished with a .191 attack percentage. Leading the Green and White were junior Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa-Solon) and freshman Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Buchanan) who recorded 13 kills apiece, while also tallying 12 and 13 digs, respectively. Smith notched her fifth double-double of the season, and 17th of her career, while Strefling secured her fourth double-double of the season.
Eastern Michigan totaled 75 digs, led by junior Alyssa LaFace's (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) 18. The Green and White continued its dominance at the net, racking up 11 blocks compared to the Cardinals' eight. Senior Kelly Ferguson (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) paced the defensive effort, totaling six blocks. Redshirt sophomore Cassie Haut (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary's Catholic) and senior Samantha Falco (Antioch, Ill.-Antioch) chipped in five apiece.
The action in the first set came fast and furious, as there was no break in play until it was 15-14 EMU. The set began 6-3 in favor of the Cardinals but the Eagles battled back to tie it at 11 apiece. Both teams then traded points before a thunderous kill from Strefling forced the BSU timeout.
Each team went back and forth over the next few points to knot it at 17 each, before EMU rattled off three in a row, capped by a block from Haut and Ferguson to make it 20-17. Eastern couldn't put the Cardinals away though, as Ball State closed the set on an 8-1 run to take it, 25-21.
Set two began in a similar fashion as neither team gained more than a three-point advantage into the media timeout, where Ball State led it 15-13. Eastern came back to take its first lead since it was 2-1 at 18-17, but Ball State battled back to retake a 19-18 advantage. Much like the first set, EMU couldn't close the door, and Ball State took set two, 25-19.
The Eagles came out of the break on fire, racing out to a 7-3 lead to start set three, but Ball State kept things close, coming back to make it 13-9 at the timeout. The Cardinals kept chipping away, eventually tying the set at 16-all, and then taking a 17-16 lead, forcing an EMU timeout.
BSU looked like they were about to pull away for good, going up 21-18, but Eastern rattled off four straight to even the score at 21. Avenging the shortcomings in the first two sets, EMU rattled off four of the next five points to win set three, 25-22, and extend the match into set four.
In set four, it was another back-and-forth affair as the lead changed four times before EMU took a 15-14 lead into the media timeout. The see-saw set continued though, with Ball State leaping ahead 19-15 after a five-point run. Eastern didn't give in, battling back to tie the set at 22.
After trading points, match point hung in the balance 24-23, but Falco delivered a thunderous kill up the middle to send the set to extra points. The two teams would end up tying at 25, but EMU's late push fell short, 29-27, allowing BSU to take the match, 3-1.
Eastern Michigan returns to action tomorrow, Sept. 23, against the University of Toledo. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
Team Stats
BSU
EMU
Kills
63
55
Errors
28
22
Attempts
183
175
Hitting %
.191
.189
Points
77.0
69.0
Assists
60
52
Aces
6
3
Blocks
8.0
11.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
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