Volleyball Travels to Northern Illinois for a Two-Match Series

Volleyball at Northern Illinois
Date	Friday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. (EDT) \| Saturday, Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. (EDT)
Venue	Convocation Center - DeKalb, Ill.
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Watch	ESPN+ (Friday) \| NIU All-Access (Saturday)
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics

DeKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team hits the road for a two-match series with Northern Illinois University Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1-2, on Victor E. Court inside NIU's Convocation Center.
   EMU (5-8, 0-2 MAC) dropped two matches in the conference-opening weekend to in-state rival, Western Michigan, Sept. 23-24. The Eagles started strong in the first match of the series but ultimately fell, 3-1. The following day, EMU lost in straight sets to the Broncos. NIU (7-6, 1-2 MAC) is coming off a 3-1, mid-week, loss to Western, Sept. 28.
    Fans can catch Friday's match on ESPN+ with Andy Garcia and Lynnette Summins on the call. Saturday's match will be available on NIU All-Access. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or on Twitter by following @EMUVolleyball.

AMONG THE LEADERS: Eastern Michigan ranks third in the Mid-American Conference in both service aces (1.50 aps) and opponent blocks (1.91 bps). Additionally, the Eagles are fifth in blocks (1.97 bps) and opponent digs (14.2).
   Individually, redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase leads the conference averaging 1.07 blocks per set. Additionally, the middle blocker ranks seventh with a .322 hitting percentage (111-33-242). Freshman Madeline Timmerman is second in the MAC with 0.43 aces per set. Furthermore, sophomore Jayden Otto averages 10.0 assists per set, which ranks fourth in the MAC and is good for 64th in the NCAA. Classmate Kamryn Stilwell ranks fourth averaging 4.34 digs per set.

STILWELL EARNING POTW HONORS: Sophomore Kamryn Stilwell was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced, Sept. 27. It was Stilwell's first player of the week honor.
   The sophomore led the Eagles defensively in two matches in the conference opener against in-state rival Western Michigan, Sept. 23-24. The defensive specialist tallied 47 total digs for a 6.71 digs-per-set average. Stilwell recorded a career-high 30 digs and three assists in a 3-1 loss to the Broncos, Sept. 23. In the second match of the series, Stilwell led the team again with 17 digs and didn't commit an error on serve receptions.
   The sophomore ranks fourth in the MAC averaging 4.34 digs per set. Stilwell has also recorded 10-or-more digs in 10 matches this season.

DEFENSIVE POWER: Sophomore Kamryn Stilwell proved why she is EMU's primary libero in the Eagles' Mid-American Conference opener against Western Michigan, Sept. 23. Despite the 3-1 loss to the Broncos, the defensive specialist tallied a career-high 30 digs in the match.
   Stilwell has led the Eagles in digs 13 times this season and has recorded 10-plus digs in 10 matches.

SOARING HIGH: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase recorded a strong Mid-American Conference opening weekend against Western Michigan, Sept. 23-24. The middle blocker led the team with 20 total kills (2.86 kps) and nine total blocks (1.29 bps).
   Chase opened the two-match series with a weekend-best 12 kills, Sept. 23, then posted eight kills and five blocks for the following day.
   The Toronto, Ontario native boasts a team-best .322 hitting percentage (111-33-242), which ranks seventh in the MAC. Additionally, Chase has recorded 10-or-more kills in six matches.

CAN YOU DIG IT?: Sophomore Kamryn Stilwell has started as Eastern's primary libero in every match so far this season. The defensive specialist has tallied a team-high 191 digs, which doubles the next highest at 80. She's averaging 4.34 digs per set, which is good for fourth in the Mid-American Conference.
   Stilwell has recorded double-figure digs in seven of the last eight matches, with her most recent performance with 17 versus Western Michigan, Sept. 23.

BLOCK PARTY: Redshirt sophomore Raeven Chase continues to be a strong force at the net for Eastern Michigan. She leads the team with 74 total blocks (15-32) for a 1.07 blocks-per-set average. That average leads the Mid-American Conference.
   Chase posted a season-high six blocks (1-5) in a 3-1 loss to Indiana State, Aug. 28. Additionally, she has led the team in blocks in 10 matches this season.
   The middle blocker has tallied 216 career blocks (41-175). She needs 10 more block solos and 79 block assists to break into the top-10 of the EMU record book.

OTTO-MATIC: Quarterbacking the EMU offense again this season is sophomore Jayden Otto. Most recently, the setter notched 24 assists in a 3-0 loss to Western Michigan, Sept. 24.
   Otto etched her name in the EMU record book as she tallied 40 assists in a 3-0 victory over Boston College, Sept. 18. The 40 assists tied for seventh in program history for a three-set match in the modern statistical era (since 2008). Additionally, the sophomore tallied 41 assists in a three-set sweep over Belmont, Sept. 11. Her 41-assist performance is tied for fifth in program history for a three-set match in the modern statistical era (since 2008).
   Otto averages 10.02 assists per set, which is good for fifth in the Mid-American Conference. She has led the Eagles in assists every match so far this season and needs 547 more assists to break into the top-10 of the EMU record books.

LOCKED IN: Annie Lockett continues to start her Eastern Michigan career with a spark. The freshman has recorded six matches with 10-or-more kills.
   Lockett opened Mid-American Conference play with 17 kills (2.43 kps) in two matches, which ranked third on the team. She led the Eagles with 15 kills in the conference opener against Western Michigan, Sept. 23.
   The freshman posted a career-high 17 kills against Montana, Aug. 28, in her first weekend donning the Green and White.
   The Mason, Ohio native co-leads the team with 116 total kills on the season (2.64 kps) and has led the Eagles in the category five times this season.

BASHAM BREAKING THROUGH: Sophomore Samantha Basham continues to be a go-to attacker for the Eagles. The outside hitter ranked second on the team with 19 total kills (2.71 kps) in the Mid-American Conference opening series, Sept. 23-24. Basham tallied a weekend-best 13 kills against Western Michigan, Sept. 23.
   Additionally, the sophomore posted a strong performance at the UIC Invitational, Sept. 10-11. The outside hitter led the Eagles in back-to-back matches with a season-high 14 kills against both UIC, Sept. 10, and Belmont, Sept. 11. Furthermore, the Granville, Ohio native notched a season-best .600 hitting percentage (14-2-20) against the Bruins.
   Basham ranks first on the team averaging 2.76 kills per set (116 total) and has led EMU in kills five times this season.

ACE, ACE BABY: Eastern Michigan has tallied 66 service aces this season. The 66 aces equals to 81.5% of EMU's total from last spring when the Eagles tallied 81.
   The Green and White average 1.5 aces per set, which ranks third in the Mid-American Conference. EMU recorded a season-high 10 aces in a 3-2 win over Montana, Aug. 28.
   Leading the Eagles in aces is freshman Madeline Timmerman, who has 19 total aces. She ranks second in the MAC with a 0.43 aces-per-set average. Additionally, sophomore Jayden Otto and freshman Annie Lockett and have recorded 13 and 11, respectively.

SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Led by 20th-year head coach Ray Gooden, Northern Illinois enters this week's matches with a 7-6 overall record with a 1-2 Mid-American Conference mark. Most recently, the Huskies dropped a 1-3 league affair to Western Michigan, Sept. 28.
   NIU is led by Katie Jablonski, who is averaging 3.49 kills per set (164 total) and has a team-high 15 service aces. Her kills-per-set average ranks fifth in the conference. Additionally, Charli Atiemo is adding 2.86 kills per set, while Jasmine Kemp and Ella Mihacevich are recording 2.37, respectively. Grace Balensiefer is the leading NIU offense with 11.1 assists per set, which ranks second in the MAC. Anchoring the Huskie defense is Francesca Bertucci, who leads the team averaging 4.06 digs per set, which is good for sixth in the conference.
   Northern Illinois ranks second in the MAC averaging 1.57 service aces set, and averages 13.5 kills per set. The Huskies boast a .220 hitting percentage (663-263-1821) while holding their opponents to 11.7 kills per set. Defensively, NIU tallies 16.5 digs per set, which is good for fourth in the league. Additionally, the Cardinal and Black recorded 1.71 blocks per set.

ALL-TIME VERSUS NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Friday's and Saturday's matches will be the 64th and 65th meetings between the Eagles and the Huskies. Northern Illinois holds the all-time series advantage, 35-28.
   Eastern and Northern Illinois split the 2021 spring season series with EMU posting a 3-1 win over NIU in the first match of the series, Feb. 11, 2021. The Green and White have won six of the last eight meetings.

LAST TIME VERSUS THE HUSKIES: Eastern Michigan battled through four sets, but ultimately dropped a Mid-American Conference affair at Northern Illinois, 3-1 (22-25, 26-28, 31-29, 24-26), Feb. 12, 2021, inside NIU's Convocation Center. The back-and-forth match consisted of 14 lead changes and 41 ties.
    Despite the setback, Jayden Otto broke an EMU four-set record with a career-high 58 assists for the modern statistical era (2008-present). 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 ties for the second-most in the conference this season.
    Three Eagles recorded double-digit kill performances and was led by Franki Strefling who notched 19 kills. Alayna Jansky and April Houston added 15 and 13, respectively. Defensively, the Green and White were paced by Jansky with a career-high 19 digs, while Bella Hommes also tallied 19 digs. Strefling, Mackenzie Garis, and Otto recorded 17, 12, and 10 digs, respectively. Abbey Kearney notched a team-high 3.5 total blocks (1-5) to go along with seven kills.
    Eastern Michigan held the advantage in service aces (6-1), block solos (1-0), and digs (84-75). The Huskies posted the competitive edge in kills (70-66), hitting percentage (.254-.227), block assists (18-14), and total blocks (9.0-8.0). EMU and NIU were tied in two categories: points (80-80) and assists (61-61).

ALL-TIME VERSUS THE MAC: The Green and White holds a 276-350-1 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Western Michigan the most (95 times), while facing Central Michigan 91 times, and Ball State 80 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 14-24 MAC record.

BIG HITTING: Eastern Michigan tallied a three-set season-high in kills with 48 kills against Belmont, Sept. 11. Additionally, the Eagles boasted a season-best .352 hitting percentage (48-11-105) against the Bruins.
   The last time EMU hit .350-or-above was against Akron, Oct. 20, 2018, when the Green and White recorded a .354 percentage (45-10-99). In that match against the Zips, Eastern totaled 45 kills for a 3-0 win.
   The 1983 squad holds the EMU program record with a .641 clip against Ferris State, Sept. 10, 1983.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan continues a four-match road stint, Oct. 8-9. The Eagles will travel to Athens, Ohio to take on the Ohio Bobcats, Oct. 8. The following day, The Green and White will challenge Kent State in Kent, Ohio.

Volleyball Travels to Northern Illinois for a Two-Match Series

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Players Mentioned

Samantha Basham

Raeven Chase

Mackenzie Garis

Bella Hommes

April Houston

Alayna Jansky

Abbey Kearney

Annie Lockett

Jayden Otto

Kamryn Stilwell

Franki Strefling

Madeline Timmerman

Eastern Michigan Athletics