Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, February 18
Akron, Ohio
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
2-4,2-4MAC
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Akron
3-6,3-6MAC
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Eastern Mich.
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Akron
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Photo by: Steven King/Steve King Studios
Volleyball Falls in Series Opener at Akron
2/18/2021 9:22:00 PM | Volleyball
Bella Hommes recorded a career-high 32 digs
AKRON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped a Mid-American Conference affair in four sets, 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 22-25, 21-25), at the University of Akron tonight, Feb. 18, inside UA's James A. Rhodes Arena.
Senior Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Buchanan) led the Eagles with 18 kills to go along with nine digs, two block assists, and a service ace. Classmate April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest) tallied eight kills with a .316 hitting percentage (8-2-19), while sophomore Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic) added seven. Additionally, redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase (Toronto, Ont.-Michael Power St. Joseph Catholic) and redshirt freshman Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy) recorded five kills each.
Sophomore Jayden Otto (Crystal Lake, Ill-Prairie Ridge) posted her fifth double-double of the season with 44 assists and 13 digs.
Defensively, the Green and White was paced by freshman Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern), who tallied a career-high 32 digs. She is the first Eagle to reach the 30-dig plateau this season. Sophomore Alayna Jansky (Mukwonago, Wis.-Mukwonago) was the second Eagle to reach double-figure digs with 20, while Chase also added 3.5 total blocks (0-7).
Eastern (2-4, 2-4 MAC) held the block advantage (12.0-11.0), but the Akron (3-6, 3-6 MAC) led in every other statistical category: kills (60-48), hitting percentage (.202-.121), assists (50-45), service aces (6-4), and digs (96-94).
Eastern Michigan struggled to get its offense going as Akron started the first set on an 11-6 scoring run. However, the Eagles answered with a 7-6 offensive stint to cut the Zips' lead to four, 17-13. Over the next few possessions, EMU found its momentum with 6-3 run highlighted by a Basham service ace, and kills from Houston and Strefling and trailed by one, 19-18. The Eagles continued their spark and completed the comeback to win the first set, 25-23.
In the second set, the scoring went back-and-forth with the Eagles taking the early 4-3 lead. Akron answered with a 7-4 run to take the 10-6 advantage. A kill from Strefling and a block from Houston and Otto put the Eagles on a 4-0 scoring run to cut UA's lead to two, 13-11. However, the Zips gained momentum as they went on a 12-3 run to claim the second set, 25-14, tying the match at 1-all.
Tied at one set apiece, Akron elevated its level of play. Despite first points from Eastern, it was unable to outpace the Zips, who took the next two sets by scores of 25-22, and 25-21, to claim the match, three sets to one.
Eastern Michigan will continue its two-match series with Akron Friday, Feb. 19. The match is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
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.
Senior Franki Strefling (Niles, Mich.-Buchanan) led the Eagles with 18 kills to go along with nine digs, two block assists, and a service ace. Classmate April Houston (Minneapolis, Minn.-Southwest) tallied eight kills with a .316 hitting percentage (8-2-19), while sophomore Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio-Newark Catholic) added seven. Additionally, redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase (Toronto, Ont.-Michael Power St. Joseph Catholic) and redshirt freshman Krista Blakely (Detroit, Mich.-University High School Academy) recorded five kills each.
Sophomore Jayden Otto (Crystal Lake, Ill-Prairie Ridge) posted her fifth double-double of the season with 44 assists and 13 digs.
Defensively, the Green and White was paced by freshman Bella Hommes (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Forest Hills Northern), who tallied a career-high 32 digs. She is the first Eagle to reach the 30-dig plateau this season. Sophomore Alayna Jansky (Mukwonago, Wis.-Mukwonago) was the second Eagle to reach double-figure digs with 20, while Chase also added 3.5 total blocks (0-7).
Eastern (2-4, 2-4 MAC) held the block advantage (12.0-11.0), but the Akron (3-6, 3-6 MAC) led in every other statistical category: kills (60-48), hitting percentage (.202-.121), assists (50-45), service aces (6-4), and digs (96-94).
Eastern Michigan struggled to get its offense going as Akron started the first set on an 11-6 scoring run. However, the Eagles answered with a 7-6 offensive stint to cut the Zips' lead to four, 17-13. Over the next few possessions, EMU found its momentum with 6-3 run highlighted by a Basham service ace, and kills from Houston and Strefling and trailed by one, 19-18. The Eagles continued their spark and completed the comeback to win the first set, 25-23.
In the second set, the scoring went back-and-forth with the Eagles taking the early 4-3 lead. Akron answered with a 7-4 run to take the 10-6 advantage. A kill from Strefling and a block from Houston and Otto put the Eagles on a 4-0 scoring run to cut UA's lead to two, 13-11. However, the Zips gained momentum as they went on a 12-3 run to claim the second set, 25-14, tying the match at 1-all.
Tied at one set apiece, Akron elevated its level of play. Despite first points from Eastern, it was unable to outpace the Zips, who took the next two sets by scores of 25-22, and 25-21, to claim the match, three sets to one.
Eastern Michigan will continue its two-match series with Akron Friday, Feb. 19. The match is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.
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
UA
Kills
48
60
Errors
26
22
Attempts
182
188
Hitting %
.121
.202
Points
64
77
Assists
45
50
Aces
4
6
Blocks
12
11
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
18
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Players Mentioned
OH/RS
/ Volleyball
OH/RS
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
DS
/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
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