Volleyball Concludes Regular Season with Ball State Friday

Volleyball vs. Ball State
Dates	Friday, March 26 at 6 p.m. \| Saturday, March 27 at 4 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Program
Television	ESPN+ (Fri.) \| ESPN3 (Sat.)
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team concludes the 2021 spring season with a two-match series with Ball State University Friday and Saturday, March 26-27. Friday's match is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside the Convocation Center, while first serve on Saturday is set to begin at 4 p.m. The EMU volleyball program will also honor senior Carissa Spalt for her dedication to the program on Saturday.
   Eastern Michigan (7-11, 7-11 MAC) fell to in-state rival Central Michigan, 3-1, March 23. The Eagles have lost five of the last six contests. Ball State (8-11, 8-11 MAC) dropped a league affair to Miami, 3-2, March 23.
   Fans can catch Friday's match on ESPN+ and Saturday's game on ESPN3. Ryan Wooley and Greg Steiner will provide play-by-play for game one and two, respectively, and Lauren Withrow will serve as the analyst. Kristy King will also contribute as a side reporter. As always, 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 18.6 digs per set, which ranks 16th in the NCAA. The Green and White averages 38.4 attacks per set, good for third in the league and 32nd among Division I programs.
   Individually, senior Franki Strefling ranks second in the MAC in kills per set (4.12), and third in points per set (4.43). Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase leads the MAC, averaging 1.38 blocks per set, which is good for 23rd in the NCAA. Additionally, freshman Bella Hommes is fourth with 5.03 digs per set, while sophomore Jayden Otto is fifth with 10.3 assists per set league play.

THANK YOU, CARISSA: Eastern Michigan would like to thank senior Carissa Spalt for her dedication to the EMU volleyball program for the last four years. Spalt has appeared in 13 matches for the Eagles and averages 0.77 kills per set. The Tucson, Ariz. native tallied a career-high 10 kills vs. Florida A&M, Sept. 6, 2019.
   Spalt will graduate from Eastern Michigan in the spring with a degree in Biochemistry and plans to attend grad school in Germany.

MOVING UP IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Senior Franki Strefling has made her way into the Eastern Michigan record books as she ranks eighth with 3,425 career attempts. She passed former EMU volleyball players Becky Baltare (2002-05 - 3,184), Erin Chase (1991-94 - 3,195), and Emily Busch (2001-04 - 3,307). Strefling needs 109 more attempts to move into seventh all-time.
   The senior is also on pace to crack the top-10 in two more categories: career kills and career digs. Strefling currently has 1,087 career kills and 1,242 digs. She needs 115 more kills and 47 more digs to break the top-10.

KILLS FOR BASHAM: Sophomore Samantha Basham recorded 10-plus kills in three of the last four matches (March 16-20). The outside hitter tallied 12 kills in EMU's 3-2 win over Central Michigan, March 16, then notched 11 and 12 at Miami, March 19-20.
   Basham has recorded double-figure kills in seven matches this season and ranks third on the team with 154 total kills (2.20 kps).

ACE OUT: Eastern Michigan posted a season-high 13 service aces against an opponents in a two-match series at Miami, March 19-20. The Eagles tied a season-best seven aces in the series opener against the RedHawks, then tallied six the following day.
   Sophomore Samantha Basham led the Green and White in the first match against MU with three aces, while senior Franki Strefling notched three in the series finale. Basham has led EMU in service aces nine times this season.

DOWN GO THE CHIPS: Eastern Michigan posted its first five-set win of the season with a victory over in-state rival Central Michigan, March 16. The Eagles held the Chippewas to a -.030 attack percentage (9-10-33) in the third set, while EMU posted a .333 clip (14-3-33).
   Senior Franki Strefling led the team with 18 kills, while classmate April Houston and sophomore Samantha Basham added 12 each.

MAKIN' HISTORE: Eastern Michigan marked a new milestone in it's 3-2 win over Central Michigan, March 16. The victory was EMU's 700th win in the program's 44-year history. The Eagles hold a 700-706-16 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 later 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.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: Eastern Michigan trailed Central Michigan 2-0 after the first two sets, March 16, but the Eagles were able to complete the comeback with a five-set victory. This was the first match during the 2021 spring season the Eagles recorded the win after losing the first two games. Additionally, it was the first time under Head Coach Darcy Dorton the Green and White posted the comeback after losing 2-0.

ACE, ACE BABY: Sophomore Samantha Basham recorded a career high with four service aces in EMU's five-set win over in-state Central Michigan, March 16. The outside hitter has tallied at least one ace in 10 matches this season and has led the team in the category seven times.
   Basham ranks 10th in the Mid-American Conference, averaging 0.31 aces per set (22 total), and boasts a .874 serving percentage.

APRIL SHOWERS BRING EMU POINTS: Senior April Houston has been a force to be reckoned with in three of the last five matches. The middle blocker posted three-straight 10-plus kill performances with 10 at Bowling Green, March 12, 12 at Central Michigan, March 16, and 11 at Miami, March 19 At CMU, Houston also boasted a season-high .423 attack percentage (12-1-26).
   The senior has posted seven-or-more kills in seven of the last nine matches, and has posted double-figure kills in five contests this season.
   Houston ranks second on the team in both kills (155) and kills per set (2.28).

ELITE GROUP: Senior Franki Strefling joined an elite group in EMU's 3-0 win over Ohio, March 8. The outside hitter's first kill of the match was the 1,000th of her career. She also surpassed 1,000 career digs in a 3-1 victory at Northern Illinois, Feb. 11. Strefling is the sixth EMU volleyball player to reach both 1,000 digs and kills in her career, and the first since Becky Baltare (2002-05).

WELCOME TO THE CLUB: Senior Franki Strefling reached another milestone in EMU's three-set sweep against Ohio, March 8. Her first kill of the match resulted in the 1,000th of her career. The outside hitter is the 13th EMU volleyball player to accomplish this feat. The Niles, Mich. native currently has 1,087 career kills, and needs 115 more to break the top-10 in program history.
   Strefling leads the Green and White in total kills (284), and ranks second in the Mid-American Conference with a 4.12 kills-per-set average.

BLOCK PARTY: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase leads the Mid-American Conference averaging 1.38 blocks per set (84 total). Her 1.33 blocks-per-set average also ranks 32nd in the nation. The middle blocker notched a career-high nine blocks (1-8) in a five-set win over Buffalo, Feb. 26. Her nine-block performance ties for fourth in Convocation Center history.
   The Toronto, Ontario native has led the Eagles in blocks 15 times this season. Chase has 153 career blocks (23-122).

KILLS ON KILLS: Eastern Michigan posted 40 kills in its 3-0 win over Ohio, March 8. The 40 kills ties for the most in a three-set match this season. The Eagles also recorded 40 kills in a three-set sweep over Toledo, March 5.
   EMU is undefeated (5-0) this year when tallying more kills than their opponents. Under Head Coach Darcy Dorton, the Green and White are 16-4 when holding the kills advantage.

WINNING EARLY: When taking the first two sets, Eastern Michigan has better luck in the win column. The Eagles are currently 4-0 when they win the first two games of the match. In the Darcy Dorton era (2019-present), the Green and White is 13-0 when claiming the first two sets.

FIRST SWEEP: Eastern Michigan notched its first sweep of the 2021 spring season in the series opener against Toledo, March 5. The Eagles tallied 40 kills and boasted a .248 attack percentage (17-6-38) in the third set. EMU held the Rockets to 24 kills, which was a season low for a three-set match.
   Four Eagles posted six-or-more kills and were led by senior Franki Strefling, who recorded 10. Fellow senior April Houston and redshirt freshman Krista Blakely each added eight, while redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase tallied six.

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 three of the last four matches, and has 50-or-more assists in three contests. Most recently, she tallied 29 dimes in EMU's 3-1 loss to in-state rival Central Michigan, March 23.
   Otto leads the team averaging 10.3 assists per set, which ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference.

STREFLING ON FIRE: Senior Franki Strefling has been on fire offensively and defensively over the 18 matches played during the shortened 2020-21 spring season. The outside hitter has recorded 12 double-doubles with her most recent performance (13 kills, 12 digs) at Miami, March 20.
   Strefling tallied a career-high 26 kills versus the Bulls in the series opener, Feb. 25. Her 26-kill outing is tied for seventh in Convocation Center history. The senior has led the Eagles in kills 15 times this year, including four 20-plus kill performances.
   The Niles, Mich. native leads the team in kills (284) and ranks second in digs (283). Strefling's 4.12 kills-per-set average ranks second in the Mid-American Conference.

SCOUTING BALL STATE: Led by fifth-year Head Coach Kelli Miller Phillips, Ball State enters the weekend's series with a 8-11 Mid-American Conference record and has dropped two-straight matches. The Cardinals posted a 3-2 loss in a mid-week match at Miami, March 23.
   BSU is paced offensively by Kia Holder, who has a team-best 237 kills and a 3.29 kills-per-set average, while Cait Snyder follows with a 2.13 average. Marie Plitt is boasting a team-best .332 attack percentage (144-28-349). Guiding the Cardinal offense is Esther Grussing, who is dishing out 7.32 assists per set, while Kate Vinson is adding 3.19. Defensively, Ball State is led by Maggie Huber with 4.20 digs per set, and Lauren Gilliland is tallying 1.15 blocks per set.
   Ball State averages 12.3 kills per set and boasts a .207 attack percentage (883-341-2623). BSU's opponents are recording 13.5 kills per set and posting a .200 hitting percentage (972-418-2772). Ball State records 11.2 assists per game and 1.2 service aces a game. Defensively, the Cardinals are averaging 2.5 blocks per set and 16.5 digs per set.

ALL-TIME VERSUS BALL STATE: Friday and Saturday's matches will be the 79th and 80th meetings between the Eagles and Cardinals in program history. Eastern Michigan trails in the all-time series, 26-52. Ball State is on a two-match win streak with the most recent victory (3-1)coming on Nov. 15, 2019.
   The Cardinals hold the 7-3 advantage over the last 10 contests with the Eagles' last victory against BSU in 2018 (3-2), Nov. 3.

ALL-TIME VERSUS THE MAC: The Green and White holds a 275-345-1 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Western Michigan the most (93 times), while facing Central Michigan 91 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 a 12-21 MAC record.

DOUBLE MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Eastern Michigan posted two MAC West Player of the Week honors, the league announced, March 1. Senior Franki Strefling earned MAC West Offensive Player of the Week, while redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase received the Defensive Player of the Week honor. The award was Strefling's second in her career and a first for Chase.
   Strefling, an outside hitter, tallied 50 kills in two matches against Buffalo, Feb. 25-26, which included a career-high 26 kills in the series-opener against the Bulls. She boasted a .331 hitting percentage (50-11-118) in 10 sets and averaged 3.40 digs per set. The senior paced the Eagles with a career-high 26 kills and a .356 hitting percentage (26-5-59) in a 3-2 loss to UB, Feb. 25. Strefling also contributed 11 digs en route of her fifth double-double of the season. The following day, she continued her momentum by recording 24 kills and 23 digs in a five-set victory against the Bulls.
   Chase, a middle blocker, notched 16 total blocks (1-15) in 10 sets versus Buffalo, Feb. 25-26. The redshirt sophomore tied a then career-best seven blocks (0-7) and added eight kills in the series opener against UB. The following day, Chase tallied a personal-best nine blocks (1-8) and recorded nine kills in EMU's 3-2 win over Buffalo.

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.
   The defensive specialist has recorded double-figure digs in 15 of the last 16 matches, including two matches with 30+. Hommes has led the team in digs 12 times this season and leads the team with 325 digs total, averaging 5.03 dps. Her digs-per-set average ranks fourth in the conference.

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 1,242 career digs and ranks second on the team this season with 283 digs (4.06 dps).

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will begin a break and make plans to begin offseason workouts to prepare for the 2021 fall season.

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Players Mentioned

Samantha Basham

Krista Blakely

Raeven Chase

Bella Hommes

April Houston

Jayden Otto

Carissa Spalt

Franki Strefling

Eastern Michigan Athletics