Volleyball Concludes Homestand Against Ohio Monday

Volleyball vs. Ohio
Dates	Monday, March 8 at 2 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Program
Television	ESPN3
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team concludes a five-game home stand by hosting Ohio University Monday, March 8. The match is slated for 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center and is a makeup match from its originally scheduled series, Jan. 28-29.
   Eastern Michigan (5-6, 5-6 MAC) split a two-match series with rival Toledo, March 5-6. The Eagles posted a three-set sweep in the series opener, but fell 3-0 to the Rockets the following day. Ohio (5-4, 5-4 MAC) also split a two-match series against Ball State, March 4-5. The Bobcats fell in five sets the first day, but recorded a 3-0 sweep the following day.
   Fans can catch both matches on ESPN3 with Ryan Wooley providing the call, and Lauren Withrow serving as the analyst. 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 18.8 digs per set, which ranks seventh in the NCAA. The Green and White are averaging 38.8 attacks per set, good for second in the league and 15th among Division I programs.
   Individually, senior Franki Strefling leads the MAC in kills per set (4.55) and ranks second in points per set (4.80). Her 4.55 kills-per-set average also ranks 16th in the nation. Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase also leads the MAC averaging 1.4 blocks per set, which is good for 31st in the NCAA. Additionally, sophomore Jayden Otto is fourth with 10.6 assists per set while, freshman Bella Hommes is tied for sixth averaging 4.97 digs per set.

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 one more kill (999 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 (196) and ranks second in digs (175).

KILLIN' IT: Redshirt freshman Krista Blakely posted a career-high eight kills against Toledo, March 5. Along with her personal-best in kills, Blakely posted a .357 hitting percentage and four blocks. She followed that performance up with another strong outing against the Rockets the following afternoon, adding another seven kills.
   Blakely ranks fifth on the team averaging 1.53 kills per set and second with 0.88 bocks per set.

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 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 seven of the last 10 matches, and has 50-or-more assists in three contests. Most recently, she tallied 35 assists in EMU's 3-0 loss to Toledo, March 6.
   Otto leads the team averaging 10.6 assists per set, which ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference.

BLOCK PARTY: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase leads the Mid-American Conference averaging 1.34 blocks per set (47 total). 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 eight times this season. Chase has 116 career blocks (19-97).

STREFLING ON FIRE: Senior Franki Strefling has been on fire offensively and defensively over the first 11 matches for the shortened 2020-21 spring season. The outside hitter has recorded seven double-doubles with her most recent performance (14 kills, 14 digs) against Toledo, March 6.
   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 eight times this year, including four 20-plus kill performances.
   The Niles, Mich. native leads the team in kills (196) and ranks second in digs (175). Strefling's 4.55 kills-per-set average leads the Mid-American Conference, and her 4.75 points-per-set average is good for second.

MAKIN' HISTORE: Eastern Michigan is two victories away from reaching 700 wins in the program's 44-year history. The Eagles hold a 698-701-16 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.

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 nine of the last 10 matches, including two matches with 30+. Hommes has led the team in digs seven times this season and leads the team with 215 digs total, averaging 4.89 dps. Her digs-per-set average is tied for sixth 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 1,134 career digs and ranks second on the team this season with 175 digs (4.07 dps).

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.

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.
   The game against the Zips was the first time Houston has led the team in kills this season. The senior ranks third on the team with 95 total kills (2.26 kps).

SCOUTING OHIO: Led by seventh-year Head Coach Deane Webb, Ohio enters Monday's match with a 5-4 overall and Mid-American Conference record. The Bobcats split a two-match series with Ball State, March 4-5. OU fell in five sets on the first day, but bounced back to claim the three-set sweep the following day.
   Ohio is paced offensively by Lauren Park, who is averaging 3.63 kills per set and has a team-best 127 kills. She is followed by 2019 All-American Tia Jimerson, who has recorded 88 kills for a 3.14 kills-per-set average. Caitlin O'Farrell is also adding 2.71 kills per set and boasts a team-high .399 attack percentage (92-23-173). Spearheading the Bobcats' offense is Vera Giacomazzi who is averaging 10.4 assists per set, which ranks sixth in the MAC. Defensively, Ohio is led by Sam Steele with 5.8 digs per set, which is good for third in the league. Jimerson is also tallying 1.1 blocks per set.
   OU averages 13.8 kills per set and boasts a .229 attack percentage (484-194-1266). Ohio's 13.8 kills per set ranks third in MAC. The Bobcats are giving up 12.0 kills per set, which is good for second in the league.

ALL-TIME VERSUS OHIO: Monday's match will be the 59th meeting between the Eagles and Bobcats in program history. Eastern Michigan trails in the all-time series, 17-40-1. EMU snapped a 17-match win streak for OU in 2019, when the Green and White posted the 3-1 victory, Oct. 5.

ALL-TIME VERSUS THE MAC: The Green and White holds a 273-342-1 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 10-16 MAC record.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will hit the road with a trip to Bowling Green State University for a two-match series starting Thursday, March 11. The series opener is slated for 1 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.

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Players Mentioned

Krista Blakely

Raeven Chase

Bella Hommes

April Houston

Jayden Otto

Franki Strefling

Eastern Michigan Athletics