Volleyball Continues Homestand with Two Matches Against Ohio

Volleyball vs Ohio
Date	Friday, Oct. 25, 6 p.m. \| Saturday, Oct. 26, 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) -- Tied for the second-best conference winning percentage (.667) in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with nine conference matches remaining, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will welcome the Ohio Bobcats to Ypsilanti for two matches, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 25-26. Friday's contest will start at 6 p.m. while 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 here. 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 OHIO
The Eagles and Bobcats will meet for the 59th time in the all-time series on Friday. Overall, Eastern holds a 19-39 record when facing Ohio, and an 11-17 mark when facing it in Ypsilanti. The Eagles have not beaten Ohio since the 2021 season when they topped OU in five sets in Athens, Oct. 8. The last time Eastern triumphed over the Bobcats at home came in the COVID-adjusted 2020 campaign via the sweep, March 8, 2021. The Bobcats have controlled the series in recent years as they have won seven of the previous 10 matches. Head Coach Kevin Foeman is in search of his first win over the Bobcats at the helm of the Eastern program as his Eagles fell in both matches to the Bobcats last season, Nov. 3-4.

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: 2024 WIN TOTAL
Eastern's five-set win over Bowling Green, Oct. 10, marked its 11th win of the season. Eastern initially surpassed its win total from the 2023 season (five) with a sweep over Saint Francis (Pa.), Sept. 21. Additionally, 12 wins is two more wins than the program earned in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined (10). Furthermore, the Eagles are in search of their seventh and eighth conference wins of the season, which would mark the first time with eight or more wins in MAC play since the 2020 team notched eight. Overall, Eastern is looking to notch 14 regular season wins for the first time since the 2018 squad captured 21 victories.

STRONG START IN MAC PLAY
Eastern is off to a 6-3 start in MAC play for the first time since the 2011 season. It is seeking its first 8-3 start to conference play since the 1983 season. Prior to this season and after the 1983 campaign, Eastern's best start to MAC play came in 2010, when it went 9-2 in its first 11 MAC matches.

THREE STRAIGHT
Eastern won consecutive matches against Miami (Oct. 4-5), and Bowling Green (Oct. 10), marking the program's first three-match winning streak since the 2018 season, when it topped Buffalo, Bowling Green, and Miami on its way to winning the program's lone MAC Tournament Championship.

IMPROBABLE VICTORY
The Eagles win over the Falcons, Oct. 10 marked their first when posting less kills, aces, blocks, assists, and digs than its opponent since they did so in a four-set victory over Akron in the COVID-adjusted 2020 season, Feb. 19, 2021. The victory also went down as the first occurrence of consecutive five-set wins since the 2021 campaign, when they topped Northern Illinois, Oct. 2, and Ohio, Oct. 8.

HIGH IN THE NATIONAL STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top-50 in the national standings in six statistical categories, including standing second in the nation (first in the MAC) in total blocks with 232.5, and 19th in America in total digs (1,317).

Category                     Rank          Figure
Total Blocks                2nd            232.5
Total Attacks              13th           3,049
Total Digs                    19th           1,317
Team Assists              28th           968
Blocks Per Set            36th           2.58
Team Kills                    37th           1,025

HIGH IN THE MAC STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top four in the MAC standings in seven statistical categories, including slotting first in total blocks and second in three different categories.

Category                     Rank          Figure
Total Blocks                1st              232.5
Blocks Per Set            2nd            2.58
Total Digs                    2nd            1,317
Total Attacks              2nd            3,049
Opp. Hittting %         3rd             .192
Total Points                3rd             1,377.5
Digs Per Set                4th             14.63

REVERSE SWEEPS
After losing the first two sets to the Golden Flashes, Sept. 26, 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 in the final match of the 2021 College of Charleston Invitational, Aug. 28. Eastern pulled off its third reverse sweep of the season against NIU, Oct. 17, marking the first occurrence of three reverse sweeps in a season since the 2014 campaign, when it also accomplished the feat three times. That year, the Eagles completed a reverse sweep against Marshall, Aug. 29, UIC, Aug. 30, and Buffalo, Oct. 24. One more reverse sweep this season would mark the first time in the rally scoring era (2008-pres.) that the Eagles have recorded four reverse sweeps.

FIVE-SET FRENZY
Eastern has proven to be a tough team to beat this season as the Eagles have competed in nine five-set matches through 23 matches in 2024, marking the most the program has seen since the 2014 campaign, when it went five sets in 10 matches. The Eagles have won six of its nine five-set battles, the most from the team since the 2014 season when it also won six. Additionally, nine five-set contests through the first 23 matches of the season are the most for the program since the 1984 squad competed in 10 through the first 23 matches.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE x4
Four Eagles recorded a double-double in the match against Miami, Oct. 5. Abby Stanford drilled 14 kills with 10 total blocks, Ava Siefke posted 10 kills and 13 digs, Taylor Smith dished 21 assists and 12 digs, and Ella Voorhees distributed 26 dimes and grabbed 12 digs. This marked the first occurrence of four Eagles notching a double-double in a single match since 2017, when former Eagles Jordan Smith (12 kills, 22 digs), Franki Strefling (15 kills, 13 digs), Mallory Rajewski (28 assists, 32 digs), and Riley Taylor (26 assists, 10 digs) did so in a five-set match against Ohio, Oct. 7.

BLANEY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Eastern secured its second consecutive MAC Defensive Player of the Week award, Sept. 30, as Hannah Blaney earned the honor a week after Hatteras Welker did so, Sept. 23. 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. Her 27 digs that night elevated her over the 1,000 mark, as she currently totals 1,158 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.

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 (16th in the nation - 100), and blocks per set (25th in the nation - 1.37), 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 sixth-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.

BACK-TO-BACK PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
The Eagles earned consecutive MAC Player of the Week awards with Hatteras Welker and Hannah Blaney earning the defensive accolade, Sept. 23, Sept. 30, respectively. This marked 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.

NATIONALLY RANKED: HATTERAS WELKER BLOCKS
Leading the Eagles' defense up front is Hatteras Welker. Welker is ranked 16th in the country in total blocks and first in the MAC with 100 denials in 2024. Welker also ranks high in blocks per set, standing 25th nationally and first in the MAC (1.37). She set a career-best with 11 rejections against IU-Indy, Aug. 30. Welker recently swatted eight against NIU, Oct. 17, and five against Western Michigan, Oct. 18.

NATIONALLY RANKED: HANNAH BLANEY DIGS
Senior Hannah Blaney ranks 15th in the nation and first in the MAC in total digs with 379 on the season. She set a career-best with 27 against Kent State, Sept. 26, and posted 23 in the sweep over the Golden Flashes, Sept. 27, the most in a three-set contest in the MAC in 2024. Blaney recently totaled 18 digs against NIU, Oct. 17, and 12 versus Western Michigan, Oct. 18.

CONSISTENT FRESHMAN
Freshman setter and reigning Michigan Miss Volleyball Taylor Smith is off to a strong start in her collegiate career. Smith is the only freshman on the roster with a double-double, as she has posted three in her previous five matches. She has also dished double-digit assists in 10 of her 12 matches played in 2024.

'SLAMMIN STANFORD
Junior middle blocker Abby Stanford has been on a tear as of late. She recently notched 10+ kills in three straight matches for the first time in her career, Oct. 4-10. She set what was a then-career-high 14 kills and 10 total blocks for her first career double-double against Miami, Oct. 5. Stanford went on to top her 14-kill PR by drilling 15 in the next match against Bowling Green, Oct. 10. That PR didn't hold for long, as Stanford led the team with a career-best 18 kills against NIU, Oct. 17, becoming the third Eagle this season to eclipse the 15-kill mark. Stanford has done this efficiently, as she has hit north of .400 in four of her previous six matches. She stands fifth in the MAC with a .337 hitting percentage on the season.

ALL THE SWEEPS
After sweeping Miami, Oct. 4, and pulling off the reverse sweep against the RedHawks the next day, Oct. 5, Eastern swept an opponent immediately followed by completing a reverse sweep for the first time since the 2017 campaign, when it swept Northern Illinois, Nov. 4, before completing the reverse sweep over Central Michigan, Nov. 9. The Eagles did the inverse earlier this season, reverse sweeping Kent State before sweeping it in straight sets in the next match, Sept. 26-27.

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 1,158 digs in her four-year career, and stands 15th in the country and first in the conference with 379 digs this season.

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

BLANEY: 10+ DIGS IN 59% OF CAREER MATCHES
Hannah Blaney has notched double digit digs in 58-of-96 career matches (60.4%). This season, the libero has done so in 20-of-23 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.

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.

COMPLETE GAMES
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. Eastern did so yet again in consecutive matches against Miami, Oct. 4-5. Overall, Eastern has dominated its opponent in the stats book with more kills, assists, blocks and digs four times this season, it is 4-0 in such games.

RECENT CAREER-HIGHS
Abby Stanford drilled a career-best 18 kills against the Huskies, Oct. 17, while Hannah Blaney rejected the first block of her four-year career as well.

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 highest block total in the league having recorded 19 against Miami, Oct. 5.

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.

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

Name                            Stat            Figure       Prior Best
M. Stayer                     Assists      228             67 (2023)
M. Stayer                     SA               8                  7 (2023)
M. Stayer                     Digs           110             104 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 Digs           189             104 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 Assists      416             254 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 SA               10               9 (2023)
A. Siefke                       SA               27               12 (2023)
A. Siefke                       TB               40               23 (2023)
A. Siefke                       Digs           187             144 (2023)
A. Siefke                       Assists      19               13 (2023)
A. Siefke                       Points        221.5          204 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Kills            141             34 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Digs           51               32 (2023)
K. Bonney                     TB               41               18 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Points        163             111 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Assists      3                  1 (2023)
H. Blaney                     Kills            4                  1 (2023)
H. Blaney                     TB               1                  0 (2022-24)
E. Grasson                   SA               5                  4 (2023)
E. Grasson                   Points        5                  4 (2023)
S. Srinivasan               SA               6                  1 (2023)
S. Srinivasan               Assists      15               11 (2023)
S. Srinivasan               Points        10               7.5 (2023)
S. Srinivasan               Digs           90               88 (2023)
A. Oswald                    TB               15               11 (2023)
A. Stanford                 Kills            136             114 (2023)

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 7-of-23 matches this season. Her seven double-doubles in 2024 and nine in her career lead the team. She most recently notched her seventh of the season with 30 assists (individual team high in 2024), and 10 digs against NIU, Oct. 17.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DOCTOR
First-year Eagle Kaili Doctor stands second on the team in kills with 154 on the season. Doctor has reached double-digit figures in the category in 10 of her 14 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. She killed a career-best 23 against Evansville, Sept. 13,

MORE DIGS + MORE BLOCKS = MORE DUBS
Eight of EMU'S 12 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 and out-blocked in its win over Bowling Green, Oct. 10.

UP NEXT
The Eagles will hit the road for two matches against the Ball State Cardinals, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 1-2. Friday's match will start at 4 p.m. while Saturday's will begin at 6 p.m.

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

Volleyball Continues Homestand with Two Matches Against Ohio

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Players Mentioned

Angel Baylark

Hannah Blaney

Kaili Doctor

Emma McMahon

Ava Siefke

Taylor Smith

Abby Stanford

Ella Voorhees

Hatteras Welker

Eastern Michigan Athletics