Volleyball Preps to Face MAC Leader Bowling Green, Toledo

Volleyball at Bowling Green, Toledo
Date	Thursday, Oct. 10, 6 p.m. \| Friday, Oct. 11, 6 p.m.
Venue	Stroh Center \| Bowling Green State University \| Bowling Green, Ohio \| Savage Area \| the University of Toledo \| Toledo, Ohio
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Watch	vs BGSU \| vs Toledo
Live Stats	vs BGSU \| vs Toledo
Social Media	X: @EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics \| IG: @emu_volleyball \| @emuathletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Winners in six of its last eight contests, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will travel to the state of Ohio to face current Mid-American Conference (MAC) leader, Bowling Green State University for a 6 p.m. first serve Thursday, Oct. 10, before it crosses interstate 75 to battle the University of Toledo the following day, Friday, Oct. 11, 6 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 BOWLING GREEN
The Eagles and Falcons will meet for the 67th time in the all-time series Thursday. The two institutions first met on the volleyball court in the 1977 season, a match that resulted in a win for the Falcons. Overall, Eastern holds a 26-40 record against BGSU, and a 11-18 mark when facing it on the road. The Eagles last earned a victory over the Falcons in Bowling Green in the 2015 season, when they took BGSU to five-sets to grab the win, Oct. 17. Eastern last won against Bowling Green in the 2022 season in Ypsilanti, as they bested the Falcons in a five-set match, a contests that at the time was the biggest upset in NCAA Divison I, as the Falcons had an rating percentage index (RPI) of 29, while EMU was slotted at 291.

ALL-TIME AGAINST TOLEDO
Eastern and Toledo will face off for the 84th time on Friday. Eastern has a firm lead in the all-time series with a 61-23 record against the Rockets, a 22-16 mark when facing it in Toledo, and a 52-23 mark when facing it in MAC play. Eastern last earned a win over the Rockets in Toledo in the 2019 season, as they bested the Rockets in straight sets, Nov. 16. The last time EMU won a match over Toledo came in the COVID-adjusted 2020 season, when they swept UT inside the then Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, March 5.

GOING FOR THREE STRAIGHT
Eastern is looking to win three-straight matches for the first time since the 2018 season, when it topped Buffalo, Bowling Green, and Miami in consecutive matches on its way to winning the MAC Tournament.

HIGH IN THE NATIONAL STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top-50 in the national standings in seven statistical categories, including standing second in the nation (first in the MAC) in total blocks with 193.5, and 12th in America in total digs (1,084).

Category                     Rank          Figure
Total Blocks                2nd            193.5
Total Attacks              6th             2,470
Total Digs                    12th           1,084
Team Assists              13th           792
Team Kills                    18th           837
Blocks Per Set            34th           2.61
Total Aces                   44th           105

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 blocks per set.

Category                     Rank          Figure
Total Blocks                1st              193.5
Blocks Per Set            1st              2.61
Points                            2nd            1,135.5
Total Attacks              2nd            2,470
Total Digs                    2nd            1,084
Total Kills                     3rd             837
Total Assists               3rd             792

STRONG START IN MAC PLAY
The Eagles are off to a 4-1 start in MAC play for the first time since the 2018 season. Now with a 4-1 record in the MAC, the Eagles are seeking their first 6-1 start to conference play since they got off to a 6-1 start in the 2005 season.

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, 3-2, in the final match of the 2021 College of Charleston Invitational, Aug. 28. Eastern pulled off another reverse sweep against Miami, Oct. 5, marking their first occurrence of multiple reverse sweeps in a season since the 2014 campaign, when they accomplished the feat three times. That year, the Eagles completed a reverse sweep against Marshall University, Aug. 29, UIC, Aug. 30, and the University at Buffalo, Oct. 24.

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: 2024 WIN TOTAL
Eastern's reverse sweep over Miami, Oct. 5 marked its 10th 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, 10 wins is the same amount of wins the program earned in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined. Furthermore, the Eagles are in search of their fifth conference win of the season, which would mark the first time with five or more wins in MAC play since the 2020 team notched eight.

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, while 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 University, 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, the fifth-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 1,094 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 (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.

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.

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 1,094 digs in her four-year career, and stands seventh in the country and first in the conference with 315 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 fifth-most in a match in the conference.

BLANEY: 10+ DIGS IN 59% OF CAREER MATCHES
Hannah Blaney has notched double digit digs in 54-of-92 career matches (59%). This season, the libero has done so in 16-of-19 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
Aubriegh Oswald rejected a career-best six blocks against Miami, Oct. 4. Taylor Smith posted a career-high with 12 digs against the RedHawks, Oct. 5. Abby Stanford tallied two career-highs against Miami, Oct. 5, as she recorded 14 kills with 10 total blocks, also marking her first career double-double.

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      214             67 (2023)
M. Stayer                     SA               8                  7 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 Digs           164             104 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 Assists      344             254 (2023)
A. Siefke                       SA               26               12 (2023)
A. Siefke                       TB               33               23 (2023)
A. Siefke                       Digs           152             144 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Kills            140             34 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Digs           49               32 (2023)
K. Bonney                     TB               41               18 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Points        162             111 (2023)
K. Bonney                     Assists      3                  1 (2023)
H. Blaney                     Kills            4                  1 (2023)
E. Grasson                   SA               5                  4 (2023)
E. Grasson                   Points        5                  4 (2023)
S. Srinivasan               SA               3                  1 (2023)
A. Oswald                    TB               15               11 (2023)

NATIONALLY RANKED: HATTERAS WELKER BLOCKS
Leading the Eagles' defense up front is Hatteras Welker. Welker is ranked 23rd in the country in total blocks, and first in the MAC with 76 denials in 2024. Welker also ranks high in blocks per set, standing 32nd nationally and second in the MAC (1.33). She set a career-best with 11 rejections against IU-Indy, Aug. 30. Welker most recently swatted nine against Miami, Oct. 5.

NATIONALLY RANKED: AVA SIEFKE ACES
Sophomore Ava Siefke has been lethal from behind the serve line this season. She has recorded 26 service aces this season, a figure that ranks her 46th in the nation and third in the MAC. Siefke has led the Eagles in the category in 7-of-19 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 first in the MAC in total digs with 315 on the season. She recently set a career-best with 27 against Kent State, Sept. 26. 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 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.

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-19 matches this season. Her seven double-doubles in 2024 lead the team.

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.

MORE DIGS + MORE BLOCKS = MORE DUBS
Eight of EMU'S 10 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.

BACK-TO-BACK WINS
With consecutive wins over Miami, Oct. 4-5, Eastern has secured back-to-back victories for the fifth time this season and sixth time in the Foeman era. EMU's wins over Miami marked its third 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. Eastern is looking to win three-straight matches for the first time since the 2018 season, when it topped Buffalo, Bowling Green, and Miami in consecutive matches on its way to winning the MAC Tournament.

UP NEXT
Eastern will return home to Ypsilanti for a season-long four-match home stand. It will first face Northern Illinois, Oct. 17, 6 p.m., before facing Western Michigan the next day, Oct. 18, 7:30 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

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Players Mentioned

Angel Baylark

Hannah Blaney

Kaili Doctor

Emma McMahon

Aubriegh Oswald

Ava Siefke

Taylor Smith

Abby Stanford

Ella Voorhees

Hatteras Welker

Eastern Michigan Athletics