Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
2-15,0-5MAC
Ball State
7-8,4-0MAC
Siefke Records Double-Double in Three-Set Loss to Ball State
9/30/2023 6:21:00 PM | Volleyball
Ava Siefke led the team with her third career double-double
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped the second match of a two-game series with Ball State University Saturday, Sept. 30, in three straight sets. The Mid-American Conference setback moves Eastern's overall record to 2-15 and 0-3 in MAC play.
The Eagles were led by a double-double from Ava Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio./Saint Ursuline Academy), who registered 12 kills and 18 digs on the day. Samantha Basham (Granville, Ohio/Newark Catholic) also added eight kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Hannah Howard (Toledo, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) chipped in with 17 digs to go with five blocks from Kendal Bonney (Pioneer, Ohio./North Central/Ashland).
How It Happened
SET 1 | The Eagles fell in a tight first set, losing 26-24 in a set that was tied six times and had three lead changes.
SET 2 | Eastern Michigan dropped the second set 25-18, digging a 2-0 hole in the match. The Green and White trailed by as many as 10 points as Ball State grabbed the advantage for good at 9-8 in a set that was knotted up just once before the Cardinals took over the lead.
SET 3 | Ball State finished off the sweep with a set-three win, while the Eagles lost the third set 25-23. Ball State grabbed the advantage for good at 23-22 in a set that was tied up 10 times before the Cardinals took over in the final moments of the stanza.
Match Notes
» Siefke recorded her third career double-double in the loss with a team-leading 12 kills and 18 digs. The effort marked the third time this season in which she has registered a double-digit effort in kills and tied for her second-highest total. Siefke recorded 16 kills in a match against Central Michigan on Sept. 26.
» 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 (3), Hannah Kivett (1), Elle McLoughlin (5), Callie Minshew (8)) have combined for 17 double-double performances on the season.
» Bonney earned a career-high in blocks recording five in the match topping her two set in matches against Chicago State, Sept. 8, and Morehead State, Sept. 16.
» Eastern Michigan displayed a better performance in digs than Ball State. Beating the Cardinals 72-66 in this category, it is the second time this season that Eastern Michigan has won the digs battle this season, having also done it August 25th against IUPUI.
» Callie Minshew (Brandon, Miss./Brandon) recorded one serving ace in the loss to the Cardinals. In the two seasons Minshew has donned the Green and White, today's service ace marked the 19th match in which the graduate student has recorded at least one ace in. Last season, Minshew recorded a single ace in seven contests compared to this season's 12.
» Siefke (18), Howard (17), and Minshew (17) all had 17-plus digs, marking the first time three Eagles had 17 or more digs in a match this season. EMU has had three matches with two players with 17-plus digs (Sept. 30 vs. Ball State, Sept. 26 at Central Michigan, and Sept. 21 at Toledo). With 18 digs, it is the most that Siefke has recorded in a game in her Eastern career. She previously had 16 digs on Sept. 26 against Central Michigan.
» Eastern Michigan's set up help was led by sophomore Elle McLoughlin (Zanesville, Ohio./Tri Valley/Ashland), who recorded 34 assists in the loss for Eastern Michigan. The 34 assists marks the 11th match in which the setter recorded 30 assists or more in a single match and her third consecutive, a streak she has done once already this season.
Historical Notes
» The contest marked the 88th all-time meeting between Eastern Michigan and Ball State. With tonight's result, the Eagles trail Ball State in the all-time series, 60-29, and winning nine of the last 11 meetings against Eastern Michigan.
Up Next
The Eagles are slated to face the Zips of the University of Akron for a Thursday, Oct. 5, match before traveling to play the Bulls of the University at Buffalo for a Friday, Oct. 6, match. Both matches begin at 6 p.m. and can be watched via ESPN+.
