Volleyball Set to Host Buffalo and Akron

Volleyball vs. Buffalo/Akron
Date	Friday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. \| Saturday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m.
Venue	Convocation Center - Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Match Promotions	Pride Night (Friday) \| Dig Pink/Volloween (Saturday)
Digital Programs	Buffalo \| Akron
Watch	ESPN+ (Friday) \| ESPN3 (Saturday)
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics
Mask Policy	All fans are required to wear a face mask regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team begins a two-match homestand when the Eagles welcome the University at Buffalo Friday, Oct. 29, and the University of Akron Saturday, Oct. 30, to the Convocation Center. Friday's match is set for a 6 p.m. start while Saturday's match will begin at 3 p.m.
   EMU (8-14, 3-8 MAC) looks to snap a three-match losing skid as the Green and White most recently fell to conference leader Bowling Green, 3-1, in both matches over last weekend, Oct. 22-23. Buffalo (10-13, 3-8 MAC) split a two-match series with Kent State, Oct. 22-23. The Bulls fell, 3-2, in the series finale. Akron (10-13, 4-7 MAC) snapped a three-match losing streak with a sweep over Ohio, Oct. 23
   Fans can catch Friday's match on ESPN+ and Saturday's contest on ESPN3. Ryan Wooley will provide play-by-play Friday, and Greg Steiner will have the call Saturday. Alex Jewell will be your analyst on Friday while Normandie Berl steps into the role on Saturday. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or Twitter by following @EMUVolleyball.

MATCH THEMES: Friday's match will be Pride Night, where EMU Volleyball is partnering with the LGBT Resource Center on Eastern's campus to help kick off National Transgender Awareness Week.
   Saturday's match is EMU's Dig Pink match in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Eagles will sport pink jerseys during the contest against the Zips and encourage fans to do the same. Additionally, EMU will be celebrating Volloween inside the Convo.

AMONG THE LEADERS: Eastern Michigan ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference averaging 2.30 blocks per set, and fifth in aces with 1.37.
   Individually, redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase leads the conference averaging 1.25 blocks per set (104 total) which is good for 47th in the NCAA. Additionally, her total blocks ranks 12th in the nation. Chase also ranks third in the league with a .350 hitting percentage (218-57-460). Sophomore Kamryn Stillwell is fifth averaging 4.55 digs per set. She has tallied 378 total digs this season, which is good for second in the MAC and 37th in the NCAA. Classmate Jayden Otto is averaging 9.83 assists per set, which is good for seventh in the conference, while sophomore Samantha Basham is ninth averaging 3.21 kills per set. Additionally, Basham and Chase are eighth and 10th averaging 3.60 and 3.46 points per set, respectively.

IF THE MAC TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY: If the Mid-American Conference Tournament started today, Eastern Michigan would miss the cut into the top-six spots. With a 3-8 conference record, the Eagles are tied for ninth place.
   Bowling Green would be the No. 1 seed in the tournament with a 11-0 league record, followed by Ball State (10-1) and Western Michigan (7-4). Toledo (6-4), Ohio (6-5), and Kent State (5-6) would round the last three spots.
   The regular-season champion will host the tournament which will be played Nov. 22-24.

BASH 'EM: Sophomore Samantha Basham has tallied 10-or-more kills in eight of the last nine matches. Most recently, she recorded a team-high 21 kills in a 3-1 loss to Bowling Green, Oct. 23.
   Over the last nine matches, the outside hitter is averaging 3.69 kills (144 total) and 2.08 digs (81 total) per set. Basham also has posted three matches with over 20 kills in that period, including a career-high 23 at Ohio, Oct. 8.
   Basham leads the team with a 3.21 kills-per-set average (260 total). She has recorded 13 matches with double-figure kills, including six with 15-or-more.

FOUR-STRAIGHT: Sophomore Samantha Basham has recorded four double-doubles in the last five matches. Most recently, she tallied 17 kills with 11 digs at Bowling Green, Oct. 22.
   In the series against Miami, Oct. 14-15, Basham tallied 19 kills and 16 digs in a 3-1 loss to the RedHawks, Oct. 14. The following day, the outside hitter recorded a career-high 17 digs and 15 kills in a four-set victory. Against the Chippewas, Basham notched 10 kills and 11 digs.
   Basham has five career double-doubles, all from the 2021 fall season.

CHASE-IN RECORDS: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase tallied two solo blocks at Bowling Green, Oct. 23, to pass Bonnie Covey (1982-85) and Lisa Henderson (1985) for eighth place in the EMU record books with 56 career solo blocks. The middle blocker needs seven more to move into seventh place.
   Former all-region selection Roxanne Munch (1986-1989) holds the record at 140.

CAN YOU DIG IT?: Sophomore Kamryn Stilwell has started as Eastern's primary libero in every match so far this season. The defensive specialist has tallied a team-high 378 digs, which doubles the next highest at 164. She's averaging 4.55 digs per set, good for fifth in the Mid-American Conference.
   Stilwell has recorded double-figure digs in 12 straight matches, with her most recent performance with 27 at Bowling Green, Oct. 23. In MAC play, the defensive specialist ranks sixth averaging 5.09 digs per set.

BLOCK PARTY: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase continues to be a strong force at the net for Eastern Michigan. She leads the team with 104 total blocks (30-74) for a 1.25 blocks-per-set average which leads the Mid-American Conference. Additionally, her total blocks number ranks 12th in the NCAA. In league play, Chase averages 1.43 blocks, good to lead the MAC.
   Chase tied a season-high nine blocks (3-6) in a 3-1 loss against Miami, Oct. 14. Additionally, she has led the team in blocks in 18 matches this season.
   The middle blocker has tallied 273 career blocks (56-217). With her two solo block performance at Bowling Green, Oct. 23, Chase passed Bonnie Covey (1982-85) and Lisa Henderson (1985) for eighth place in the EMU record book with 56 career solo blocks. Additionally, she needs 37 block assists to break into the top-10 of the EMU record book.

OTTO-MATIC: Quarterbacking the EMU offense again this season is sophomore Jayden Otto. Most recently, the setter notched 44 assists and 12 digs in a 3-1 loss at Bowling Green, Oct. 23
   Otto etched her name in the EMU record book as she tallied 40 assists in a 3-0 victory over Boston College, Sept. 18. The 40 assists tied for seventh in program history for a three-set match in the modern statistical era (since 2008). Additionally, the sophomore tallied 41 assists in a three-set sweep over Belmont, Sept. 11. Her 41-assist performance is tied for fifth in program history for a three-set match in the modern statistical era (since 2008).
   Otto averages 9.84 assists per set, which is good for seventh in the Mid-American Conference. She has led the Eagles in assists every match so far this season and needs 171 more assists (1,793 total) to break into the top-10 of the EMU record books.

ACE, ACE BABY: Eastern Michigan has tallied 111 service aces this season. The Green and White average 1.3 aces per set, which ranks sixth in the Mid-American Conference. Last season, the Eagles tallied 1.0 aces per set.
   Six Eagles have recorded double-digit aces this season with sophomore Jayden Otto leading the way with 22. Freshman Madeline Timmerman and junior Mackenzie Garis follow Otto with 19 and 18, respectively. Sophomore Samantha Basham, freshman Annie Lockett, and freshman Bella Hommes have 17, 14, and 11, respectively.

SCOUTING BUFFALO: Led by third-year head coach Scott Smith, Buffalo enters Friday's match with a 10-13 overall record including a 3-8 mark in Mid-American Conference play. Most recently, the Bulls dropped a 3-2 conference affair at Kent State, Oct. 23).
   Buffalo is paced offensively by Milla Malik, who is averaging a team-best 3.51 kills per set. Her kills-per-set average ranks fourth in the MAC. Following Malik is Emma Gielas with a 2.98 kills-per-set average. Guiding the Bulls' offense is Mandy Leigh, who is adding 9.9 assists per set. Defensively, Olivia DeBortoli ranks fifth in the league with 1.05 blocks per set while Hannah Jacoby is tallying 3.29 digs per set.
   The Bulls average 12.6 kills per set and holds a .208 hitting percentage (1134-467-3212). Defensively, UB is posting 14.0 digs per set and 1.24 blocks a game.

ALL-TIME VERSUS BUFFALO: Friday's match between the Eagles and Bulls will be the 29th meeting in program history. Eastern Michigan leads in the all-time series, 22-6. The Eagles split with the Bulls during the 2021 spring season. UB claimed the first match of the series, 3-2, Feb. 25, 2021. However, the Eagles bounced back the following day to take the five-set victory. EMU has won three of the last four matches.

LAST TIME VERSUS THE BULLS: Eastern Michigan came from behind in impressive fashion to defeat the Buffalo in five sets (25-17, 27-29, 20-25, 25,-12, 15-11), Mid-American Conference thriller, Feb. 26, 2021.
   Franki Strefling was strong in both aspects of the game as she finished the match with 24 kills and 23 digs, respectively, to pace all players in both categories. Raeven Chase added nine kills and led all players with nine blocks (one solo, eight assisted). Jayden Otto registered 47 assists on the afternoon.
   On the defensive end, Bella Hommes dug out 21 balls, while Mackenzie Garis and Kamryn Stilwell were able to add 12 and 11 digs, respectively.

SCOUTING AKRON: Led by sixth-year Head Coach Tom Hanna, Akron enters the weekend's match with a 10-13 overall record and a 4-7 Mid-American Conference mark. Most recently, the Zips posted a sweep at Ohio, Oct. 23.
   Akron is paced offensively by Logan Harlock, who is averaging 4.25 kills per set, while Noelle Foster is adding 4.00. Leading the Zips' offensive is setter Cadence Gronski who is averaging 11.75 assists per set. Shari Stenglein is tallying a team-high 5.50 digs per set while Isa Lamus is recording 1.00 blocks a game.
   The Zips average 12.1 kills per set and holds a .195 hitting percentage (1079-476-3094). Defensively, UA is posting 13.5 digs per set and 1.8 blocks a game.

ALL-TIME VERSUS AKRON: Saturday's match between the Eagles and Zips will be the 43rd meeting in program history. Eastern Michigan trails in the all-time series, 20-22. The Eagles split with the Zips during the 2021 spring season. UA took the first match with a 3-1 victory, Feb. 18, 2021, while EMU bounced back and claimed a four-set win, Feb. 19, 2021. The Eagles have won four of the last six matches.

LAST TIME VERSUS THE ZIPS: Eastern Michigan posted a four-set victory (25-20, 25-18, 15-25, 25-19) over Akron, Feb. 19, 2021.
     April Houston led the Eagles and tied a career-high with 16 kills. The middle blocker also boasted a .316 hitting percentage (16-4-38). Franki Strefling and Samantha Basham added nine and seven kills, respectively. Leading the offense was Jayden Otto, who tallied 37 assists to go along with 10 digs and three kills.
    Defensively, Bella Hommes recorded her second-straight 30-plus dig performance with 31. Hommes also added four assists to her statline. Alayna Jansky and Strefling contributed 19 and 16 digs, respectively. Additionally, Raeven Chase recorded 2.5 total blocks (0-5).

ALL-TIME VERSUS THE MAC: The Green and White hold a 279-356-1 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Western Michigan the most (95 times) while facing Central Michigan 92 times, and Ball State 80 times. Since the 1980 season when EMU started competing in the MAC, EMU has won one MAC Tournament title (2018) and one MAC West title (2005). Under Darcy Dorton, the Eagles hold a 17-30 MAC record.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will travel to the Glass City to challenge the Toledo Rockets in a two-march series Friday-Saturday, Nov. 5-6. Friday's match is set for 6 p.m. while Saturday will begin at 3 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Samantha Basham

Raeven Chase

Mackenzie Garis

Bella Hommes

April Houston

Alayna Jansky

Annie Lockett

Jayden Otto

Kamryn Stilwell

Franki Strefling

Madeline Timmerman

Eastern Michigan Athletics