Volleyball Returns Home for Two Matches Against Miami

Volleyball vs Miami
Date	Friday-Saturday \| Oct. 4-5 \| 6 p.m., 4 p.m.
Venue	George Gervin GameAbove Center \| Eastern Michigan University \| Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Watch	Friday Saturday
Live Stats	Friday Saturday
Social Media	X: @EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics \| IG: @emu_volleyball \| @emuathletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Off to a 2-1 start in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play since 2018, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team is set to return home to Ypsilanti to host the Miami University RedHawks for two matches Friday-Saturday, Oct. 4-5. Friday's match will start at 6 p.m. and Saturday's will begin at 4 p.m.

Fans can follow along with the action using the watch and live stats link that can be found on the EMU volleyball schedule page. Fans can also follow the team's social media accounts on X, Instagram, and Facebook @EMUVolleyball for live in-match updates. A post-match recap will also be posted to EMUEagles.com following Friday and Saturday's action.

ALL-TIME AGAINST MIAMI
Eastern and Miami will meet for the 63rd time on Friday, dating back to the institution's first meeting on the volleyball court, Oct. 5, 1979, a match won by Eastern, 2-1. Overall, the Eagles post a 19-43 record against the RedHawks, and a 11-22 mark when facing them in Ypsilanti. The Eagles have taken the last four matches in the series, their longest winning streak against. Additionally, they have lost just two sets to the RedHawks in the previous four matches (12-2). The Eagles are 5-5 in the last 10 contests in the series.

LAST TIME AGAINST MIAMI
The Eagles and RedHawks met just once last season, Oct. 27, in Ypsilanti. The match resulted in a 3-1 victory for the Eagles, marking their fourth consecutive win over Miami, the longest Eastern win streak of the series. Eastern won the first two sets, before dropping the third, and winning the fourth to secure the match win. EMU had two players post a double-double, including now sophomore Ava Siefke, who drilled a career-best 18 kills to go with 16 digs defensively.

DIG PINK MATCH
Eastern Michigan volleyball is joining forces with The-Side-Out Campaign's Dig Pink Initiative for Friday's match against Miami. Your support will fuel a ground-breaking research program focused on patients battling metastatic breast cancer - the most challenging form of the disease and, tragically, the area that receives the least research funding. Fans can donate to the Dig Pink Initiative here. Eastern Michigan athletics marketing will be giving away pink mini Eastern volleyballs to support the cause.
HIGH IN THE NATIONAL STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top-50 in the national standings in six statistical categories, including standing third in the nation (first in the MAC) in total blocks with 163.5, and ninth in America in total digs (949).

Category                     Rank          Figure
Total Blocks                3rd             163.5
Total Attacks              9th             2,172
Total Digs 9th             949
Team Assists              11th           699
Team Kills                  16th           742
Total Aces                   31st            98

HIGH IN THE MAC STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top four in the MAC standings in eight statistical categories, including slotting first in four of them.

Category                     Rank          Figure
Points                            1st              1,003.5
Total Attacks              1st              2,172
Total Blocks                1st              163.5
Blocks Per Set            1st              2.48
Total Digs                    2nd            949
Total Kills                     2nd            742
Total Assists               2nd            699
Total Aces                   3rd             98

BLANEY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Eastern secured its second consecutive MAC Defensive Player of the Week award, as Hannah Blaney earned the honor a week after Hatteras Welker did so. In a 2-0 week against Kent State, the senior registered 50 digs, averaging 6.25 per set. Blaney set a career-best with 27 digs against the Golden Flashes in Friday's reverse sweep, the second-most digs from a single player in an individual match in the conference this season. Her 27 digs that night elevated her over the 1,000 mark, as she currently totals 1,057 in her four-year tenure. She went on to grab 23 in the sweep over Kent State the next day, which stands as the most in a three-set match from an individual in the MAC in 2024.

BACK-TO-BACK PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
The Eagles have earned consecutive MAC Player of the Week awards with Hatteras Welker and Hannah Blaney earning the defensive accolade, Sept. 23, Sept. 30, respectively. This marks the programs first time earning consecutive player of the week awards since former Eagles Cassie Haut and Riley Taylor did so in the 2019 season, Oct. 14, Oct. 21.

OPENING MAC PLAY WITH A WIN
The Eagles opened MAC play with a five-set win over Kent State, Sept. 26, in reverse sweep fashion. Prior to the win over KSU, the Eagles last won a conference-opening match in the 2018 season, when they topped rivals Central Michigan on the road in four sets, 3-1, Sept. 20, 2018.

STRONG START IN MAC PLAY
The Eagles started 2-0 in MAC play for the first time since the 2018 season with two wins over Kent State, Sept. 26-27. Now with a 2-1 record in the MAC, the Eagles are seeking their first 3-1 start to conference play since they also started 3-1 in the 2018 campaign. Coincidentally, 2018 was the last time Eastern hoisted a MAC trophy, as the Eagles won the conference tournament that season and advanced to the NCAA First Round.

REVERSE SWEEP
After losing the first two sets to the Golden Flashes, the Eagles went on to win the next three frames, marking the programs first reverse sweep under Head Coach Kevin Foeman, and first since it did so against Montana, 3-2, in the final match of the 2021 College of Charleston Invitational, Aug. 28.

ALL THE SWEEPS
After pulling off the reverse sweep against KSU Sept. 26, 3-2, and sweeping it in straight sets, Sept. 27, 3-0. The Eagles pulled off a reverse sweep, immediately followed by a sweep in straight sets for the first time since 2014. That season, the Eagles executed the reverse sweep against Buffalo, Oct. 24, before sweeping Akron the next day, Oct. 25.

BLANEY 1K DIGS
With 27 digs in the win over Kent State, Sept. 26, Hannah Blaney reached the 1,000 career digs mark. She currently has 1,057 digs in her four-year career.

BLANEY: MAC INDIVIDUAL MATCH-HIGH IN DIGS
Hannah Blaney recorded 27 digs against Kent State, Sept. 26, and 23 against the Golden Flashes the next day, Sept. 27. Her 23 digs against KSU, Sept. 27, stand as the most in a three-set match in the MAC this season, while her 27 the day prior are the second-most in a match in the conference.

BLANEY: 10+ DIGS IN 59% OF CAREER MATCHES
Hannah Blaney has notched double digit digs in 53-of-90 career matches (59%). This season, the libero has done so in 14-of-17 contests.

MOST ACES UNDER FOEMAN
Eastern tabbed 11 aces against Kent State, Sept. 26, marking the most under Foeman. Prior to the match against the Golden Flashes, EMU last had 11 or more aces against Ball State (12) in the 2021 season, Nov. 12.

WELKER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Freshman Hatteras Welker was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week, Sept. 23. Welker was a beast up front for the Eagles in three matches, Sept. 16-21. The conference's leader in total blocks (25th in the nation - 67), Welker notched 18 of them, averaging an even two per set, as Eastern posted a 2-1 record in matches she played in. The freshman also showcased efficient offense, smacking 14 kills off 25 swings for a .520 hitting percentage. She set a career-best with nine kills and a .692 percentage against Indiana State. Her .692 clip that day stands as the third-best in a single match in the conference this season. She also did work from behind the serve line, landing four aces. Overall, Welker scored 27.0 points for EMU, averaging three per set. The honor marked the first for the Eagles this season, as well as the first of Welker's career. Eastern last won the award when former Eagle Emma McMahon earned the nod, Nov. 13, 2023.

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: 2024 WIN TOTAL
Eastern's sweep over Kent State, Sept. 27, marked its eighth win of the season. Eastern initially surpassed its win total from the 2023 season (five) with a sweep over Saint Francis (Pa.), Sept. 21.

FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER FOEMAN
The Eagles tallied more kills, assists, digs, and blocks than Evansville, Sept. 13, marking the first time they have done so in the Foeman era and first time since the 2022 season. EMU would accomplish the feat again later that day against Morehead State, marking the first time the program has done so in consecutive games since it did it against Norfolk State University and Savannah State University, at the William & Mary Colonial Classic, Sept. 7-8, 2018.

RECENT CAREER-HIGHS
Taylor Smith posted career-highs in aces (three), and kills (three), against Kent State, Sept. 26, before recording a career-best 21 assists against the Golden Flashes, Sept. 27. Anna Guard and Hannah Blaney joined her with career-highs in the match. Guard landed four aces and grabbed seven digs, while Blaney went down for 27 digs. Guard recently bested her four-dig career-high, as she grabbed 10 against Central Michigan, Oct. 1.

SEASON-LONG CAREER-HIGHS
Eastern has seven players that have already set season-long career-highs through 16 matches this season.

Name                            Stat            Figure       Prior Best
M. Stayer                     Assists      212             67 (2023)
M. Stayer                     SA               8                  7 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 Digs           144             104 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 Assists      297             254 (2023)
A. Siefke                       SA               25               12 (2023)
A. Siefke                       TB               27               23 (2023)
K. Bonney Kills            134             34 (2023)
K. Bonney Digs           44               32 (2023)
K. Bonney TB               38               18 (2023)
K. Bonney Points        154.5          111 (2023)
K. Bonney Assists      3                  1 (2023)
H. Blaney                     Kills            3                  1 (2023)
E. Grasson                   SA               5                  4 (2023)
S. Srinivasan               SA               3                  1 (2023)

NATIONALLY RANKED: HATTERAS WELKER BLOCKS
Leading the Eagles' defense up front is Hatteras Welker. Welker is ranked 25th in the country in total blocks, and first in the MAC with 67 denials in 2024. Welker also ranks high in blocks per set, standing 43rd nationally and first in the MAC (1.31). She set a career-best with 11 rejections against IU-Indy, Aug. 30. Welker most recently swatted two against St. Francis, Sept. 21.

NATIONALLY RANKED: AVA SIEFKE ACES
Sophomore Ava Siefke has been lethal from behind the serve line this season. She has recorded 25 service aces this season, a figure that ranks her 25th in the nation and second in the MAC. Siefke has led the Eagles in the category in 7-of-17 matches this season, and matched a career-best with four aces in the season-opener against SIU-Edwardsville, Aug. 30.

NATIONALLY RANKED: HANNAH BLANEY DIGS
Senior Hannah Blaney ranks seventh in the nation and second in the MAC in total digs with 278 on the season. She recently set a career-best with 27 against Kent State, Sept. 26. Furthermore, her 27 that match stand as the second-most from an individual in a single match in the conference this season. She posted 23 in the sweep over the Golden Flashes, Sept. 27, the most in a three-set contest in the MAC in 2024.

MAC SINGLE-MATCH HIGH IN BLOCKS
Eastern tabbed 21 total blocks to Valparaiso's five in the 3-1 victory, Aug. 31. The Eagles also hold the second and third-highest block totals in the league having recorded 17.5 against Indiana State, Sept. 20, and 17 versus IU-Indy Aug. 30.

BAYLARK: FOUR-SET MATCH BLOCKS RECORD
Angel Baylark excelled in front of the net defensively in the 3-1 win over Valparaiso, Aug. 31. The graduate student totaled 12 blocks (one solo, 11 assisted), setting an EMU four-set match record in the category while also marking a career-high.

VOORHEES' DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Ella Voorhees recorded consecutive double-doubles for the first time in her career with 29 assists and 14 digs against IU-Indy, Aug. 30, and 24 assists and 16 digs versus Valparaiso, Aug. 31. Voorhees has tabbed a double-double in one third of EMU's matches this season (6-of-17). Her six double-doubles in 2024 lead the team.

OUT-HITTING OPPONENTS
EMU out-hit KSU, .176 to .085. This instance marked the ninth time Eastern has done so this season, it is now 7-2 in such games. Overall, the Eagles are 11-4 under Foeman when out-hitting their foe.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DOCTOR
First-year Eagle Kaili Doctor stands third on the team in kills with 118 on the season. Doctor has reached double-digit figures in the category in eight of her 10 matches this season. She has the most games of double-digit kills of any Eagle thus far. Last season with North Carolina A&T, Doctor posted 11 games with 10+ kills on her way to winning CAA Rookie of the Year. Her 23-kill performance against Evansville, Sept. 13, stands as the fourth-most in the MAC.

TOURNAMENT CHAMPS x2
The Eagles were named Comfort Inn Invitational Co-Champions, Sept. 14, as they posted a 2-1 record at the tournament with wins over Evansville and host Morehead State, Sept. 13, before falling in five sets to Duquesne, Sept. 14. The tournament marks the second that the Eagles have won this season, as they previously won it all at the Hampton Inn Invitational, Aug. 31.

TOURNAMENT MVP: ELLA VOORHEES
After totaling double-digit assists in all three contests, including two matches with a assists/digs double-double, first-year Eagle Ella Voorhees was named the Hampton Inn Invitational MVP, Aug. 31. She was also named to the all-tournament team. Moreover, Voorhees is one of four Eagles to achieve a double-double this season, and she has led the team in assists in 11-of-16 matches.

MORE DIGS + MORE BLOCKS = MORE DUBS
Six of EMU'S eight wins this season have come when out-digging and out-blocking its opponent. Eastern recently went against the grain, as it recorded its first two wins of the season without both out-digging and out-blocking its opponent. EMU was out-dug in its win over Kent State, 70-66, Sept. 26, before it was out-blocked in a sweep over KSU, 10-6, Sept. 27. Prior, EMU out-dug and out-blocked its foe in its previous six victories.

FOUR-SET WINNERS
Eastern won a four-set match against Indiana State, Sept. 20, marking their third four-set win of the season, as they previously beat Morehead State in four sets, Sept. 13. EMU is 3-0 in four set matches this season.

BACK-TO-BACK WINS
With consecutive wins over Kent State, Sept. 26-27, Eastern has secured back-to-back victories for the fourth time this season and fifth time in the Foeman era. EMU's wins over Kent State marked its second occurrence of consecutive MAC wins under Foeman. Last season, the Eagles notched consecutive wins over a MAC foe for the first time in the Foeman era against the Golden Flashes, Nov. 10-11.

UP NEXT
Eastern will hit the road for matches against Bowling Green, Oct. 10, and Toledo, Oct. 11.

FOLLOW US
Stay connected with the Eagles all season long by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on X for all of the latest EMU volleyball updates. Be sure to also follow the Green and White on Instagram, @EMU_Volleyball and @emuathletics

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Players Mentioned

Angel Baylark

Hannah Blaney

Kaili Doctor

Anna Guard

Emma McMahon

Ava Siefke

Taylor Smith

Ella Voorhees

Hatteras Welker

Eastern Michigan Athletics