Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
8-13,3-7MAC
Bowling Green
14-6,10-0MAC
Volleyball Falls at Bowling Green Friday
10/22/2021 8:03:00 PM | Volleyball
Samantha Basham collects her fifth double-double with 18 kills and 11 digs
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team took the first set, but couldn't hold on and lost in four set (25-21, 15-25, 10-25, 18-25) to the Bowling Green State University Falcons Friday, Oct. 22, on the road at Stroh Center.
The loss dropped Eastern Michigan's record to 8-13 overall and 3-7 in Mid-American Conference action. The Falcons remain undefeated in league play (9-0). However, the Eagles' first set victory halted a BGSU nine straight-set win streak. The last time the Falcons lost the first set of a match was at No. 4 Pittsburgh, when Bowling Green fell 3-0, Sept. 11.
The Eagles were led by a double-double from sophomore Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic), who registered 18 kills and 11 digs on the day. Freshman Madeline Timmerman (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Central) also added 10 kills to help the offense. On the defensive end, sophomore Kamryn Stilwell (Parma, Ohio-Padua Franciscan) and junior Mackenzie Garis (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge) each chipped in for EMU with 15 digs to go with three blocks from redshirt freshman Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy).
Game Notes
» Eastern Michigan had three players in double-digit digs in Garis (15), Stilwell (15), and Basham (11).
» Garis had a team-high two aces in the loss.
» Basham registered her fifth-career double-double with 18 kills and 11 digs
» Basham had a team-high 18 kills for Eastern Michigan.
» Eastern Michigan got a team-high 15 digs from Garis and Stilwell.
» Eastern Michigan attackers were helped by a team-high 36 assists from sophomore Jayden Otto.
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Eagles endured a back-and-forth first set to win 25-21 in a stanza that featured five lead changes and was tied 10 times. Neither team led by more than four points in the match. Eastern Michigan also supplemented their offense with three aces in the opening set. EMU got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four Bowling Green attacks in the stanza.
SET 2 | Eastern Michigan then fell in set two 25-15, evening things at a set each. The Eagles dropped the first point and never clawed back into the lead before dropping the set.
SET 3 | Eastern Michigan lost again in the third set to make it a 2-1 deficit. The Eagles fell behind on the first point and never clawed back into the lead before falling in the set 25-10.
SET 4 | Eastern Michigan lost the fourth set and the match, falling 25-18. The Eagles trailed by as many as 12 points as Bowling Green grabbed the advantage for good at 5-4 and Eastern Michigan wasn't able to recover in a set that was tied up four times before the Falcons took over.
Up Next
» Eastern Michigan will conclude the two-match series with Bowling Green Saturday, Oct. 23, at 5 p.m.
