EMU Volleyball Travels to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State

Volleyball at Ball State
Date	Friday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. \| Saturday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m.
Venue	Worthen Arena \| Muncie, Ind.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Watch	Friday's Match will be on ESPN+
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics

MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team continues Mid-American Conference play at Ball State University, Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 1, inside the Worthen Arena located in Muncie, Ind. Both matches are set to begin at 6 p.m.
Friday's contest will be streamed on ESPN+ with Noah Reed (play-by-play) and former Ball State University setter Amber Seaman (analyst) on the call. Of course, you can follow the action for free all season long via live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats.

WAM-BAM, THANK YOU SAM: Against the University of Toledo, senior Samantha Basham registered a team-high 10 kills for Eastern Michigan University, Sept. 22. It was the fifth time this season that the Ohio native has recorded double-digit kills for the Green and White and 30th in her career. Her 10 kills moved her career total to 706. A total of 119 of the 706 Kills (16.8%) have come in the 2022 campaign. Then, in the second match against the Rockets, Sept. 23, the senior contributed seven kills for the team which marked the 13th time in 14 matches that the senior had at least seven kills.

BASHFUL BASHAM: Samantha Basham registered a team-high three aces against the University of Toledo, Sept. 22. The three aces surpassed her season-high two aces set against the University of Louisiana, Aug. 26. Basham's three aces was short just one of her career-high four aces set over Central Michigan University, March 16, 2021. Additionally, Basham led the Eagles in service aces once more, earning two the following day, Sept. 23. It is the fifth time this season she has led the Green and White in aces.

THE GREEN AND WHITE WALL: Senior Raeven Chase collected four total blocks against the University of Toledo, Sept. 22-23, adding to her total of 49 on the season. The senior who was previously ranked third in the league, dropped to fourth in total blocks. Moreover, the middle blocker's 49 stops lead the Eagles, with sophomore Madeline Timmerman trailing by 14 with a total 35 blocks. In the first contest against the Rockets, Sept. 22, both Chase and Timmerman led the Eagles with three total blocks each. It was Chase's eighth time in the 2022 season leading in blocks and Timmerman's third. Then, in the second match, Sept. 23, the sophomore registered two more block assists for a match-high and her fourth time leading the Eagles in blocks.
Additionally, Samantha Basham's three total block assists against the Rockets, Sept. 22-23 were good for a total of 102, surpassing her milestone of 100 career block assists.

BURKEY BURK: In her first contest against the Rockets, Sept. 22, sophomore Kendall Burk registered a team-high six digs for the Eagles. It was the fourth time this season that the setter has tallied at least six digs in a match. Burk also led the Green and White attackers with a team-high 15 assists for her sixth match of the 2022 season with double-digit helpers. In the second match, Sept. 23, Burk tallied 14 assists on seven digs for the contest. The seven digs tied a season-high for the sophomore setter, having previously done it against Liberty University, Sept. 17. Burk also had her 10th overall match of the season with double-digit helpers and sixth consecutive match with this feat.

ONE MORE, ON YOUR OWN: Senior Raeven Chase collected the lone block solo for EMU, the 76th of her career as an Eagle, Sept. 23. The middle blocker is one block solo away from obtaining sole possession of the number six position in all-time block solos in program history. Currently, Lindsay Piccolini (2003-06) holds the number six spot with 77 block solos.

OUT-BLOCKING OPPONENTS: In the second contest of the 2022 series against Toledo, Sept. 23, Eastern bested the Rockets in the total blocks battle, earning five, with the lone block-solo of the match giving the Eagles the edge. Moreover, EMU recorded a perfect blocking percentage, while Toledo registered two errors in the match. The team is currently ranked eight in the league for total blocks per set (1.78).

HITTING ABOVE .250: Eastern Michigan tallied a hitting percentage of .265 over the University of Toledo, Sept. 23. The effort was just the third time this season that Eastern had a hitting percentage of over .200, doing so Sept. 9, and Sept 16, against Radford University and Virginia Tech University, respectively. Additionally, the .265 kill percentage overpowers the team's season-high .223, set against Radford, Sept. 9, and goes down as the first match in the 2022 campaign with a hitting percentage above .250.

EAGLES IN THE MAC: Five Eagles are currently ranked in the Top 50 in various statistical categories throughout the Mid-American Conference. With the highest ranking, Raeven Chase is fourth in the league in total blocks (49), and sixth in blocks per set (0.94). The fifth-year senior also holds the 34^th position in kills per set (2.21). Also, in the kills per set category is senior Samantha Basham (2.25) ranking 31st, freshman Sabrina Gremm (2.02) following at 39^th and senior Krista Blakely (1.98) ranking 40^th. On the defensive end, freshman Emma McMahon currently ranks sixth in the league for total digs (198).

LAST TIME VS. BALL STATE: The last meeting between the two MAC institutions came Nov. 13, 2021, when the Eagles pushed the eventual MAC tournament champions to the limit before dropping the match, 3-2 inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Eagles were led by a double-double from senior Samantha Basham, who registered 19 kills and 13 digs on the day. In addition, fellow senior Raeven Chase added 16 kills to help the offense. On the defensive end, senior Kamryn Stilwell chipped in for EMU with 26 digs.

ALL-TIME VS. BALL STATE: The two-match series between the Eagles and Cardinals will be the 85th and 86th meetings in the program history. Dating back to 1978, the Eagles trail Ball State 28-56, with their last victory over the Cardinals coming in the spring of 2021---due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 fall season was played in the spring of 2021. Eastern claimed their revenge on the Cardinals in five sets, March 27, 2021 after losing in three the night before. November of last season saw the Eagles drop both matches to Ball State with the last matchup reaching five.

ON THE HORIZON: Following the matches against Ball State, the Eagles will continue the #MACtion by hosting Ohio University, Friday, October 7, and Kent State University, Saturday, October 8 inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. The match against Ohio is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. with the Kent State match starting at 4 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN 3 and can be followed via live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats.

EMU Volleyball Travels to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State

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Players Mentioned

Samantha Basham

Krista Blakely

Raeven Chase

Sabrina Gremm

Emma McMahon

Kamryn Stilwell

Madeline Timmerman

Eastern Michigan Athletics