Eastern Michigan Athletics
Monday, February 15
Kent, Ohio
5 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
2-3,2-3MAC
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Kent State
6-1,6-1MAC
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Eastern Michigan
25
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Kent St.
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Photo by: Steven King/Steve King Studios
Volleyball Tops Undefeated Kent State in Five-Set Thriller
2/15/2021 7:39:00 PM | Volleyball
Strefling sets career-high in kills (25), while Jansky recorded a personal-best 27 digs
KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team stunned undefeated Kent State University in a Mid-American Conference five-set showdown, 3-2 (25-11, 25-21, 21-25, 19-25, 15-8) tonight, Feb. 15, inside KSU's Development Center.
EMU (2-3, 2-3 MAC) posted a .209 hitting percentage (65-23-201) and held Kent (6-1, 6-1 MAC) to a .180 clip (61-24-205), which was a season-low for the Golden Flashes.
Senior Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Buchanan) paced the Eagles with her fourth-straight double-double with a career-high 25 kills and 25 digs. The outside hitter boasted a team-high .362 hitting percentage (25-4-58). The senior's 25-kill performance ties for fourth in program history for five-sets in the modern statistical era (2008-present).
Sophomore Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic) was the second Eagle to reach double-figure kills with a career-best 15 kills to go along with a team-high service aces and four block assists. Additionally, senior April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest) and junior Abbey Kearney (Las Vegas, Nev.-Palisades Charter) added nine kills each.
Quarterbacking the Eagle offense was sophomore setter Jayden Otto (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge), who collected her third-straight 50-plus assists match with 53 dimes. Her 53 assists ties for 10th for five sets in EMU history for the modern statistical era. Otto also added 17 digs and two block assists.
Defensively, sophomore Alayna Jansky (Mukwonago, Wis.-Mukwonago) tallied a career-high 27 digs to go along with six kills and two total blocks (1-2). Freshman Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern) also posted a personal-best in digs with 21.
The Eagles held the advantage in five categories: kills (65-61), hitting percentage (.209-.180), assists (61-57), service aces (51), and digs (106-102). Kent State won the block battle with 14.0 total blocks (2-18) compared to Eastern's 11.0 (2-16).
The scoring went back-and-forth to start the first set, but Eagles sparked an 11-1 scoring run to take the 15-6 lead. EMU's momentum continued through the game with its largest lead of 11 (20-9) after two-straight Basham aces. Eastern Michigan went on to win the first set, 25-11, and boasted a .738 hitting percentage (19-1-23).
Up by one in the match, 1-0, Kent State responded with a 4-1 scoring stint to start the second set. The back-and-forth affair highlighted by six ties before the Green and White went on a 3-0 run to take the three-point lead, 18-15. Eastern Michigan finished the second set on a 7-5 run, which was showcased by three Strefling kills and a Jansky block solo. The Eagles ultimately won, 25-21.
Eastern began the third set with the energy as the first two sets with an early 8-5 lead. However, the Golden Flashes answered with an 8-4 scoring run to take the 15-12 lead. Over the next few possessions, the Eagles were able to tie up the set at 19 apiece, thanks to a block assist from Otto and Kearney, and kills from Janksy and Strefling. Kent State went on a 6-2 run to win the third set, 25-21.
The Eagles took the early 5-2 advantage in the fourth set, but the Golden Flashes went on a 7-4 scoring stint to tie up the game at 9 apiece. Both teams exchanged points over the next few possessions before KSU posted a 13-8 run to win the set, 25-19, which tied the match up at 2-2.
With the match tied at 2-2, Eastern Michigan brought the heat with an 8-2 scoring run to start the fifth set. The stint was highlighted by five Strefling kills. Kent State attempted to complete the comeback, but the Green and White's momentum continued as the Eagles won the set, 15-8, and also took the match, 3-2.
Eastern will conclude its five-game road stint with a trip to the University of Akron for a two-match series starting Thursday, Feb. 18. The series opener is slated to start at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
For more information on Eastern Michigan volleyball, follow the team's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/EMUVolleyball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUVB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emu_volleyball.
EMU (2-3, 2-3 MAC) posted a .209 hitting percentage (65-23-201) and held Kent (6-1, 6-1 MAC) to a .180 clip (61-24-205), which was a season-low for the Golden Flashes.
Senior Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Buchanan) paced the Eagles with her fourth-straight double-double with a career-high 25 kills and 25 digs. The outside hitter boasted a team-high .362 hitting percentage (25-4-58). The senior's 25-kill performance ties for fourth in program history for five-sets in the modern statistical era (2008-present).
Sophomore Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic) was the second Eagle to reach double-figure kills with a career-best 15 kills to go along with a team-high service aces and four block assists. Additionally, senior April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest) and junior Abbey Kearney (Las Vegas, Nev.-Palisades Charter) added nine kills each.
Quarterbacking the Eagle offense was sophomore setter Jayden Otto (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge), who collected her third-straight 50-plus assists match with 53 dimes. Her 53 assists ties for 10th for five sets in EMU history for the modern statistical era. Otto also added 17 digs and two block assists.
Defensively, sophomore Alayna Jansky (Mukwonago, Wis.-Mukwonago) tallied a career-high 27 digs to go along with six kills and two total blocks (1-2). Freshman Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern) also posted a personal-best in digs with 21.
The Eagles held the advantage in five categories: kills (65-61), hitting percentage (.209-.180), assists (61-57), service aces (51), and digs (106-102). Kent State won the block battle with 14.0 total blocks (2-18) compared to Eastern's 11.0 (2-16).
The scoring went back-and-forth to start the first set, but Eagles sparked an 11-1 scoring run to take the 15-6 lead. EMU's momentum continued through the game with its largest lead of 11 (20-9) after two-straight Basham aces. Eastern Michigan went on to win the first set, 25-11, and boasted a .738 hitting percentage (19-1-23).
Up by one in the match, 1-0, Kent State responded with a 4-1 scoring stint to start the second set. The back-and-forth affair highlighted by six ties before the Green and White went on a 3-0 run to take the three-point lead, 18-15. Eastern Michigan finished the second set on a 7-5 run, which was showcased by three Strefling kills and a Jansky block solo. The Eagles ultimately won, 25-21.
Eastern began the third set with the energy as the first two sets with an early 8-5 lead. However, the Golden Flashes answered with an 8-4 scoring run to take the 15-12 lead. Over the next few possessions, the Eagles were able to tie up the set at 19 apiece, thanks to a block assist from Otto and Kearney, and kills from Janksy and Strefling. Kent State went on a 6-2 run to win the third set, 25-21.
The Eagles took the early 5-2 advantage in the fourth set, but the Golden Flashes went on a 7-4 scoring stint to tie up the game at 9 apiece. Both teams exchanged points over the next few possessions before KSU posted a 13-8 run to win the set, 25-19, which tied the match up at 2-2.
With the match tied at 2-2, Eastern Michigan brought the heat with an 8-2 scoring run to start the fifth set. The stint was highlighted by five Strefling kills. Kent State attempted to complete the comeback, but the Green and White's momentum continued as the Eagles won the set, 15-8, and also took the match, 3-2.
Eastern will conclude its five-game road stint with a trip to the University of Akron for a two-match series starting Thursday, Feb. 18. The series opener is slated to start at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
For more information on Eastern Michigan volleyball, follow the team's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/EMUVolleyball, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUVB, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/emu_volleyball.
Team Stats
EMU
KentSt
Kills
65
61
Errors
23
24
Attempts
201
205
Hitting %
.209
.180
Points
80.0
73.0
Assists
61
57
Aces
5
1
Blocks
10.0
11.0
Game Leaders
Kills
25
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
15
Aces
3
Blocks
4
Kills
9
Aces
2
Blocks
4
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
OH/RS
/ Volleyball
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/ VolleyballMB
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