Volleyball Set to Host Buffalo Thursday

Volleyball vs. Buffalo
Dates	Thursday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. \| Friday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Program
Television	ESPN+ (Thursday) \| ESPN+ (Friday)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team returns to Ypsilanti and will play host to the University at Buffalo for a two-match series starting Thursday, Feb. 25. Thursday's match will begin at 6 p.m., while Friday's contest is slated for 4 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
   Eastern Michigan (3-4, 3-4 MAC) split a two-match series at Akron, Feb. 18-19. The Eagles fell in the series opener, 3-1, but bounced back to take the four-set victory the following day. Buffalo (0-10, 0-10 MAC) has yet to win a match this season, dropping its last two matches against Central Michigan (3-1, 3-0), Feb. 18-19.
   Fans can catch both matches on ESPN+. Fans can also follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or on Twitter by following @EMUVolleyball.

AMONG THE LEADERS: Eastern Michigan leads the Mid-American Conference averaging 20.8 digs per set, which ranks second in the NCAA. The Green and White's 12.4 assists per set is good for fourth in the conference.
   Individually, redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase leads the MAC averaging 1.26 blocks per set, while senior Franki Strefling ranks second in kills per set (4.36). Additionally, sophomore Jayden Otto is fourth with 11.0 assists per set.

1,000-DIG CLUB: Senior Franki Strefling surpassed 1,000 career digs in EMU's 3-1 victory over Northern Illinois, Feb. 11. The outside hitter only needed 13 digs going into the match against the Huskies and ended the evening with a career-high 26 digs. Strefling is the 17th EMU volleyball player to accomplish this feat.
   The Niles, Mich. native has 1,080 career digs and is leading the team this season with 121 digs (4.32 dps).

CLOSING IN ON ANOTHER 1,000: Senior Franki Strefling is on pace to reach the 1,000 plateau in career kills. The outside hitter needs 75 more kills (925 total) to reach 1,000. Strefling would be the 13th Eagle to record 1000-career kills. The senior already surpassed 1,000 career digs in a 3-1 victory at Northern Illinois, Feb. 11. Reaching 1,000 career kills and digs would make Strefling the sixth EMU player to accomplish this feat and the first since Becky Baltarie (2002-05).
   The Niles, Mich. native leads EMU in kills (122) and ranks second in digs (121).

CAN YOU DIG IT?: Freshman Bella Hommes continues to prove herself as Eastern Michigan's libero. The freshman notched a career-high 32 digs in EMU's 3-1 loss at Akron, Feb. 18. In the second match against the Zips, Feb. 19, Hommes tallied another 30-plus dig performance finishing with 31 digs.
   The defensive specialist has recorded double-figure digs in six consecutive matches, including two matches with 30+. Hommes has led the team in digs five times this season and leads the team with 146 digs, averaging 5.21 dps. Her digs-per-set average is good for fifth in the conference.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A (GOOD) PROBLEM: Senior April Houston tied a career-best with 16 kills in a four-set win at Akron, Feb. 19. The middle blocker boasted a .316 hitting percentage (16-4-38) and added two digs to her statline.
   This was the first time Houston has led the team in kills this season. The senior ranks third on the team with 61 total kills (2.35 kps).

OTTO-MATIC: This season, sophomore Jayden Otto has taken over as the "quarterback" of the Eastern Michigan offense. The setter has tallied 40-plus assists in five of the last six matches, including three contests with 50-or-more assists. Most recently, Otto tallied 37 assists in EMU's 3-1 victory at Akron, Feb. 19.
   Otto leads the team averaging 11.0 assists per set, which ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference.

BLOCK PARTY: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase leads the Mid-American Conference averaging 1.26 blocks per set (24 total). The middle blocker tied a career-high seven block assists in a four-set loss at Akron, Feb. 18. Chase followed that performance with five blocks against the Zips, Feb. 19.
   The Toronto, Ontario native has led the Eagles in blocks five times this season. Chase has 55.5 career blocks (18-75).

MAKIN' HISTORE: Eastern Michigan is four victories away from reaching 700 wins in the program's 44-year history. The Eagles hold a 696-698-16 overall record.
   The 1990 squad holds the program wins record with 30 victories. That team became the first EMU volleyball squad to reach a postseason tournament, when the Green and White played in the Women's Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Green and White also claimed the MAC West Division title in 2005, while the Eagles notched their first Mid-American Conference Tournament title in 2018 to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

SCOUTING BUFFALO: Led by second-year head coach Scott Smith, Buffalo enters the week's series still searching for its first victory of the 2020-21 spring season. Most recently, the Bulls dropped both matches against Central Michigan (3-1, 3-0), Feb. 18-19. UB holds a 0-10 overall and Mid-American Conference record.
   Buffalo is paced offensively by Emma Gielas, who has a team-best 85 kills and averages 2.74 kills per set. Following Gielas is Abby Leigh and Courtney Okwara, who have 63 and 51 kills, respectively. Additionally, Lexi Nordmann is boasting a .348 hitting percentage (38-7-89), which ranks sixth in the MAC. Spearheading the Bulls' offense is Kyndal Bacon who is averaging 6.35 assists per set, while Emma Puzausky is adding 4.05. Defensively, Buffalo is paced by Jenna Sonnernberg with 2.81 digs per set, while Olivia DeBortoli is tallying 1.11 blocks per set.
   The Bulls average 11.4 kills per set and holds a .159 hitting percentage (352-182-1066). Defensively, UB is posting 12.0 digs per set and 1.5 blocks a game.

ALL-TIME VERSUS BUFFALO: Thursday and Friday's matches between the Eagles and Bulls will be the 27th and 28th meetings in program history. Eastern Michigan leads in the all-time series, 21-5. The Eagles are on a two-match win streak against UB, and posted the sweep last season, Oct. 24, 2019. Buffalo has won four of the last seven matches, but EMU holds the 6-4 mark over the last 10 meetings.

ALL-TIME VERSUS THE MAC: The Green and White holds a 271-340-1 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Western Michigan the most (93 times), while facing Central Michigan 89 times, and Ball State 78 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 an 8-14 MAC record.

SHUTTING DOWN THE GOLDEN FLASHES: The Eagles posted a five-set thriller victory against previously undefeated Kent State, Feb. 15. Eastern Michigan recorded a .209 hitting percentage (65-23-201) and held the Golden Flashes to a .180 clip (61-24-205), which was a season-low for KSU.

CAREER DAY FOR JANSKY: Sophomore Alayna Jansky led Eastern Michigan defensively in its 3-2 win at Kent State, Feb. 15. The outside hitter tallied a career-high 27 digs to go along with six kills and two total blocks (1-2).
   Jansky has recorded six-straight matches with double-figure digs and has led the team in digs two times this season. The Mukwonago, Wis. native ranks third on the team averaging 4.26 digs per set (120 total).

CAREER DAY FOR BASHAM: Sophomore Samantha Basham recorded a career-best 15 kills in a 3-2 win at Kent State, Feb. 15. The outside hitter also added four block assists and a personal-high three service aces to her statline.
   Basham has recorded double-figure kills in three matches this season. The Granville, Ohio native ranks second on the team with 69 kills, averaging 2.46 per set.

STREFLING EARNS MAC WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior Franki Strefling was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced, Feb. 15. The honor is the first for Strefling in her career.
   Strefling, an outside hitter, tallied 42 kills in two matches at Northern Illinois, Feb. 11-12, which included a career-high 23 kills in the series opener against the Huskies. She boasted a .327 hitting percentage (42-9-101) in eight sets and averaged 5.75 points and 5.38 digs per set.

STREFLING ON FIRE: Senior Franki Strefling has been on fire offensively and defensively over the first seven matches for the shortened 2020-21 spring season. The outside hitter has recorded five double-doubles with her most recent performance (25 kills, 25 digs) at Kent State, Feb. 15.
   Strefling tallied a career-high 25 kills against the Golden Flashes. Her 25-kill performance ties for fourth in program history for five-sets in the modern statistical era (2008-present).
   The Niles, Mich. native leads the team in kills (122) and ranks second in digs (121). Strefling's 4.36 kills-per-set average is good for second in the Mid-American Conference.

SET OR BE SET: Sophomore Jayden Otto posted a dominant performance in a 3-1 loss at Northern Illinois, Feb. 12. The setter notched a career-high 58 assists to go along with six digs and two kills. Her 58-assist performance broke an EMU four-set record in the modern statistical era (since 2008). The previous record was held by Kim Hildreth and Mallory Rajewski, who both tallied 56 assists. Hildreth etched her name in the record book at Ball State, Oct. 6, 2012, then Rajewski tied the mark at Northern Illinois, Nov. 10, 2018.
   Otto's 58 assists against NIU also ties for the second-most in the conference this season. The sophomore ranks fourth in the MAC averaging 11.0 assists per set.

FIRST SEASON VICTORY: Eastern Michigan earned its first victory of the shortened 2020-21 spring season with a 3-1 win over Northern Illinois, Feb. 11. The Green and White posted a season-high 67 kills against the Huskies, and recorded a .271 attacking percentage (67-21-170). Additionally, the EMU defense tallied 83 digs and held NIU to 58 kills.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan continues a four-match homestand by hosting the University of Toledo, March 5-6, inside the Convocation Center. The series opener is slated for a 6 p.m. start and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
   Friday's match will be the first meeting between the Eagles and Rockets during the shortened 2020-21 season. EMU leads the all-time series, 60-15, and are on a four-match win streak against UT.

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Players Mentioned

Samantha Basham

Raeven Chase

Bella Hommes

April Houston

Alayna Jansky

Jayden Otto

Franki Strefling

Eastern Michigan Athletics