ON THE SCHEDULE: Volleyball Travels to Athens, Ohio

Volleyball at OHIO
Date	Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. \| Saturday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m.
Venue	Convocation Center \| Athens, Ohio
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Watch	ESPN+
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics

ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will continue Mid-American Conference play as it travels to Athens, Ohio for two meetings with the Ohio University Bobcats, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 3-4, inside the Convocation Center.
      The Eagles (3-22, 1-12 MAC) picked up their first conference victory of the season after a 3-1 victory over the Miami University RedHawks, Oct. 27. The Bobcats (13-12, 8-5 MAC) enter the series after a split road weekend, taking a 3-1 win over the University of Toledo, Oct. 27, before falling in four to the Cardinals of Ball State University the next day, Oct. 28.
      Both Friday and Saturday's matches are scheduled to stream on ESPN+. Friday's contest will have a later start time as the match will begin at 7 p.m. with Saturday's starting at 4 p.m. Fans can also follow along for free via live stats at EMUEagles.com/livestats.

QUICK SERVES:
» The program's 48th season began with the announcing of a new coaching staff. Head coach Kevin Foeman joined the Eagles in March and added Lainey Stephenson as his assistant coach. Additionally, the program named Remy Foeman as the Director of Volleyball Operations.
» This season, the Eagles opened their nest to four "true" freshmen and five transfers to complete their "soar of eagles".
» Sept. 2, 2023, marked the day first-year head coach Kevin Foeman earned his first win as an Eastern Michigan Eagle as he and his team overcame Western Illinois University, 3-2, in the Popcorn Classic, for the first win of the 2023 season. Since then, the Eagles earned their second win of the season in a 3-0 sweep over the Cougars of Chicago State University, Sept. 8, marking Foeman's 250th career match. The third win of the campaign came against a MAC member as the Eagles topped the RedHawks, 3-1, Oct. 27.
» Callie Minshew has led the Eagles in kills in 21 of the 25 total matches of the 2023 campaign, recording double-figure kills in all but two. Additionally, she recorded a career-high double-double with a team-leading 25 kills and 21 digs, Sept. 26, against the Chippewas. The 25 kills tied for fifth-most in a single match in program history.
» Samantha Basham hit the 1,000 career kills milestone, Oct. 21, as the fifth year collected 12 total kills against the Broncos, Oct. 20-21.
» Callie Minshew needs just three more service aces to reach the 100 career serving aces milestone after recording a career-high four against Miami, Oct. 27.
» Eastern Michigan leads the MAC in terms of digs/set (15.98).

CALLIE'S CAREER MILESTONE: Callie Minshew sits just three service aces away from hitting her career milestone mark of 100 serving aces. The graduate student has registered a single service ace in 16-of-25 matches played this season and leads the team with 27 total aces.

GRAB A SHOVEL, WE'RE DIGGIN': As a team, the Green and White are averaging 15.98 digs per set, good for first in the MAC ahead of Toledo. Leading the Eagles in the category for the 2023 season is Hannah Howard with 331 total digs, with 312 of those coming against MAC opponents and ranking the freshman eighth with 3.89 digs/set. Howard has led EMU in digs in 15 matches and has recorded double-digit digs in all 15 as well.

SEEING DOUBLE: Two Eagles contributed double-double performances in Ava Siefke (18 kills, 16 digs) and Elle McLoughlin (41 assists, 11 digs) marking the fifth time EMU has recorded two Eagles with double-doubles in the same match this season. The last time two Eagles registered double-doubles in the same match was in the 3-2 loss to Central Michigan, Sept. 26, which also featured McLoughlin and Siefke.

BETTER THAN LAST YEAR: Last season, the double-double mark was reached a total of eight times by three different Eagles (Sabrina Gremm (4), Kendall Burk (3), Raeven Chase (1)). This season, the mark has been exceeded as four different Eagles (Ava Siefke (4), Hannah Kivett (1), Elle McLoughlin (6), Callie Minshew (8)) have combined for 19 double-double performances on the season.

SWIFTY SIEFKE: Ava Siefke's double-double performance against the RedHawks marked just the fourth of the rookie's career with her 18 kills topping her previous career-high 16, earned in the loss to CMU, Sept. 26, and her 16 digs short just two of her career-high 18 verse Ball State, Sept. 30.

MORE ON AVA: Ava Siefke's team-leading 18 kills against Miami marked just the fifth time in which the rookie has led the team. The Cincinnati native currently ranks second on the team with 150 kills. Additionally, Siefke's 18-for-35 hitting performance was good for a career-high .486 attacking percentage. It marked the second time the freshman has hit above .400 as she hit the mark against Northern Illinois University on a 7-for-15 hitting performance, Oct. 12.

SET WINS: EMU won the first two sets against the RedHawks, Oct. 27, with a score of 25-20 in both. It was just the fifth time this season in which the Eagles have come out victorious in the first set, the third time this season winning the first two, and the fourth recording consecutive set wins in any set number. In 2022, the Eagles won the first set nine times and the first two sets in a row just four times.

HUNGRY HOWIE: Hannah Howard led the team in digs with 24 against Miami, just one shy of her career-high 25 set at the University of Toledo, Sept. 21. Her 24 digs marked the freshman's 15th double-digit dig performance of the season.
      Howard's 3.89 digs per set ranks her in the top-10 in the conference. She is one of only two underclassmen to be listed in the top-10 rankings for digs/set joining the University of Akron's Vanessa Del Real.

A BLOCKING ANGEL: Angel Baylark had another impressive blocking performance for the Green and White, notching six total blocks against Miami. It was just the third time this season in which the senior has recorded at least six total blocks in single match. Baylark accomplished this feat four times while at UT Martin.

MINSHEW IS SERVING: Callie Minshew recorded four serving aces in the match against Miami. The total is the most the graduate student has recorded in a contest this season topping her three serving aces against Western Illinois University, Sept. 2, and at Toledo, Sept. 21. It also marked the seventh time that she has led the Eagles in service aces in 2023.

DOUBLE-TROUBLE: Eastern Michigan as a team had three players procure over 10 kills in the win against Miami. It was the third time this season in which the Eagles have had three or more players register double-digit kills in the same match with the performance against Miami ending in a win for the first time this season.

THE GREEN AND WHITE WALL: As a team, Eastern Michigan recorded nine total blocks in the victory over Miami. It was the seventh time this season in which the Eagles have tallied at least nine total blocks. Additionally, the nine stops topped Miami's six marking the team's eighth match out-blocking its opponent and the second consecutive after doing so against Bowling Green State University the night before.

ACE-ACE-BABY: Eastern Michigan defeated Miami in service aces as the Green and White recorded eight to the opposing five. It marked the sixth time (3-3) EMU has aced its opponent this season after doing so last against Morehead State University, Sept. 16. Last season, the Green and White aced its opponent in nine meetings, holding a 5-4 record in such games.

FOUR-SETTERS: The four-set victory over Miami marked just the sixth four-setter of the 2023 campaign for the Eagles and the first in favor of the Green and White as they hold a 1-5 record in such matches. The last time the Eagles competed in a match decided in four sets was the 1-3 loss to Morehead State, Sept. 16. Last season, the Eagles went 0-7 in four-set matches.
PUSHING OPP. 'S TO THE LIMIT: In the second set against Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan took the Falcons to extra points but ultimately dropped the set by a score of 27-25. It marked the 10th set this season that EMU and its opponent have prolonged a set.

AVA'S ACES: Ava Siefke recorded a team-leading and career-high four aces in the loss to BGSU. It was the second time in which the freshman has recorded multiple service aces in a match this season after posting her previous career-high two against Western Michigan University, Oct. 20. The last time an Eagle recorded four aces in a single match prior to the BG contest was when Hannah Howard accomplished the feat at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Sept. 15. Callie Minshew followed suit with four serving aces the following day against Miami.

EAGLES IN THE MAC: Callie Minshew's 3.66 kills per set ranks her fourth in the MAC while her 4.30 points per set is also good for fourth. Additionally, Elle McLoughlin leads EMU with 582 helpers on the season, which is good for 8.24 assists per set, ranking her seventh in the conference. Lastly, Hannah Howard ranks eighth in the league in terms of digs per set with 3.80, while Angel Baylark ranks ninth for her 0.86 blocks/set.

ALL-TIME VS. THE BOBCATS: Eastern trails Ohio 19-37, dating back to their first meeting in 1980. The Eagles took a 2-1 victory over the Bobcats at home, Oct. 17, 1980 to begin the all-time series. Over the years, the Green and White of Eastern Michigan have swept the Green and White of Ohio a total of nine times. Three of the last five matches have been in favor of the Eagles as their 2019 victory broke a 17-year win streak for OU which started in 2002.

LAST TIME AGAINST OHIO: In their last match up, the Eagles fell in four sets, despite rallying to win the third set, Oct. 7, 2022. Raeven Chase led Eastern's attack with 20 kills on 32 attempts, followed by Samantha Basham who tallied 19 kills. Kendall Burk facilitated the Eagle offense with a career-high 44 assists. Defensively, Emma McMahon recorded a game-high 24 digs for EMU.

ON THE HORIZON: Following the road series with at Ohio, the Green and White will return home for its final homestand as it welcomes Kent State University to Ypsilanti, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 10-11. The contest's will be played inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center with Friday's match beginning at 6 p.m. and Saturday's starting at 4 p.m.

FOLLOW THE ACTION ALL SEASON LONG: Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on Twitter for all of the latest EMU volleyball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMU_Volleyball.

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Players Mentioned

Samantha Basham

Angel Baylark

Kendall Burk

Raeven Chase

Sabrina Gremm

Hannah Howard

Hannah Kivett

Elle McLoughlin

Emma McMahon

Callie Minshew

Ava Siefke

Eastern Michigan Athletics