Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, November 8
Ypsilanti, Mich.
6 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Akron
Photo by: Evan Higgins
Volleyball Hosts Akron in Final Two Home Games of 2024 Season
11/6/2024 4:49:00 PM | Volleyball
The Eagles and Zips will square off for the 46th and 47th respective times Friday-Saturday, Nov. 8-9
| Volleyball vs. Akron | |
| Date | Friday-Saturday, Nov. 8-9 | 6 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) -- Two spots out of Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament contention, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will play host to the Akron Zips in its final two home games of the 2024 season Friday-Saturday, Nov. 8-9. Both matches will start at 6 p.m., and Saturday's match will serve as the Eagles' senior day, where they will recognize the five seniors on the team prior to the start of the match.
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 AKRON
The Eagles and Zips will meet for the 46th time Friday. Overall, Eastern holds a 22-23 all-time record against Akron and a 11-11 mark when facing it in Ypsilanti. The Eagles lost in the only matchup last season in Akron, 3-0, Oct. 5. The last time the Eagles won a match against the Zips came in the 2022 campaign when they beat them in five sets in Akron, Oct. 29. EMU has not beat Akron at home since the 2021 season, winning a back-and-forth four-set match, Oct. 30. Head Coach Kevin Foeman is in search of his first win over the Zips at Eastern as the Eagles hold a 6-4 record in the series' last ten contests.
SENIOR NIGHT
The Eagles will honor the five seniors of the 2024 team with a pregame ceremony Saturday. EMU will be recognizing Angel Baylark, Hannah Blaney, Mackenzie Gross, Maddie Stayer, and Lauren Welch. This season, Baylark broke the program's four-set match blocks record with 12 against Valparaiso, Aug. 31; Blaney reached the 1,000 career digs mark against Kent State, Sept. 27, and was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week, Sept. 30.; Gross was named Academic All-MAC for both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, along with a CSC Academic All-District nod in 2022; Stayer has tabbed a season-long career-best with five double-doubles this season, earning consecutive double-doubles twice; and Welch landed a pivotal fifth-set ace to help lift the Eagles to a win over first place Bowling Green, Oct. 10.
POSTSEASON APPROACHING
The MAC Tournament is set to begin Friday, Nov. 22. As of right now, the tournament would be hosted by Bowling Green. With a 7-7 conference record, the Eagles stand eighth in the MAC, two spots out of MAC Tournament contention. Toledo, whom the Eagles lost to earlier in the season, Oct. 11, is currently tied with Ohio for the sixth and final tournament spot. Eastern split a two-match series with the Bobcats, Oct. 25-26. The Rockets have remaining games against fifth place Ball State, Nov. 8-9, and last place Kent State, Nov. 15-16. Ohio will matchup with fourth place Buffalo this weekend and end its season with two matches versus Bowling Green.
AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: 2024 WIN TOTAL
Eastern's five-set win over Ohio, Oct. 10, marked its 13th 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, 13 wins is three more wins than the program earned in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined (10). Furthermore, the Eagles are in search of their eighth and ninth 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, and the first time with nine or more since the 2018 team secured nine. Overall, Eastern is looking to notch 15 regular season wins for the first time since the 2018 squad captured 21 victories.
WELKER FRESHMAN BLOCKS RECORD
Standout freshman Hatteras Welker has 115 total blocks this season, a figure that stands as the most from a freshman all-time and the eighth most in program history during the rally scoring era (2008-pres.). Welker needs two blocks to take over the No. 7 spot and four to slot herself fifth. Former Eagle Sam Falco sits atop the single season total blocks leaderboards with her 148 rejections in the 2017 campaign.
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.
BIG BLOCKERS
The 2024 squad has proven to be one of the best blocking teams in Eastern history. With 270. 5 total blocks (47 solo, 447 assists), the 2024 team stands third in program history in the rally scoring era (2008-pres.). Eastern would need six TB to take over the No. 2 spot currently held by the 2013 team (276 TB), and 54 TB to dethrone the 2017 squad that totaled 320 denials. In terms of blocks per set, the 2024 squad is on pace to set the program record as they average 2.48 per set while the 2017 team posted 2.46 and the 2013 squad recorded 2.15.
FIVE-SET FRENZY
Eastern has proven to be a tough team to beat this season as the Eagles set a program record with seven five-set wins. Additionally, Eastern has competed in 10 five-set matches, marking the fifth time the Eagles have competed in 10 five-setters in a single season in program history. One more five-set match would set a single-season program record.
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.
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 ten matches. She has also dished double-digit assists in 14 of her 17 matches played in 2024. Smith recently dished out a career-high 24 assists against Central Michigan, Nov. 5. Additionally, Smith has the third-most assists (246) of all MAC freshmen. NIU's Ella Strausberger has the most with 529 followed by Ohio's Bryn Janke with 503.
'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 .300 in seven of her previous 10 matches. She stands fifth in the MAC with a .329 hitting percentage on the season.
HIGH IN THE NATIONAL STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top-50 in the national standings in six statistical categories, including standing fifth in the nation (first in the MAC) in total blocks with 270.5.
Category Rank Figure
Total Blocks 5th 270.5
Total Attacks 14th 3,712
Team Assists 25th 1,170
Team Digs 26th 1,570
Team Kills 30th 1,243
Blocks Per Set 50th 2.48
HIGH IN THE MAC STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top four in the MAC standings in six statistical categories, including slotting first in total blocks (270.5) and second in blocks per set (2.48).
Category Rank Figure
Total Blocks 1st 270.5
Blocks Per Set 2nd 2.48
Team Digs 2nd 1,570
Total Attacks 3rd 3,712
Opp. Blocks Per Set 4th 1.96
Total Points 4th 1,652.5
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 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.
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.
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.
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 1,222 in her four-year tenure. She went on to grab 23 in the sweep over Kent State the next day, which stands as the third 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. Welker stands second in the conference in total blocks (27th in the nation - 115), and blocks per set (52nd in the nation - 1.25), 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 notched nine kills and a career-best .692 percentage against Indiana State. 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.
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 27th in the country in total blocks and second in the MAC with 115 denials in 2024. Welker also ranks high in blocks per set, standing 52nd nationally and second in the MAC (1.28). She set a career-best with 11 rejections against IU-Indy, Aug. 30. Welker recently swatted one against Central Michigan, Nov. 5.
NATIONALLY RANKED: HANNAH BLANEY DIGS
Senior Hannah Blaney ranks 21st in the nation and first in the MAC in total digs with 443 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 third most in a three-set contest in the MAC in 2024. Blaney recently totaled 21 against Central Michigan, Nov. 5.
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 1,222 digs in her four-year career, and stands 21st in the country and third in the conference with 443 digs this season.
BLANEY: 10+ DIGS IN 60% OF CAREER MATCHES
Hannah Blaney has notched double digit digs in 61-of-101 career matches (60%). This season, the libero has done so in 23-of-28 contests.
MAC SINGLE-MATCH HIGH IN BLOCKS
Eastern tabbed 21 total blocks to Valparaiso's five in the 3-1 victory, Aug. 31, the most in a single game in the MAC this season and the fourth-most in program history. The Eagles also hold the second highest block total in the league having recorded 19 against Miami, Oct. 5.
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.
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. The Eagles have reached 10+ aces three times this season, marking the most matches with double figures in the stat since the 2012 squad also did it three times. One more match with 10+ aces will mark the first time the Eagle have accomplished the feat in four separate matches since it did so five times in the 2002 season.
RECENT CAREER-HIGHS
Hatteras Welker set two career-bests against the Chippewas, Nov. 5. She tallied 11 kills and five digs. She was joined by fellow freshmen Taeley Mahler and Taylor Smith with career-best performances as Mahler grabbed four digs and Smith distributed 24 assists.
SEASON-LONG CAREER-HIGHS
Eastern has nine players that have already set season-long career-highs through 27 matches this season.
Name Stat Figure Prior Best
M. Stayer Assists 332 67 (2023)
M. Stayer SA 12 7 (2023)
M. Stayer Digs 145 104 (2023)
M. Stayer TB 51 42 (2023)
E. Voorhees Digs 189 104 (2023)
E. Voorhees Assists 416 254 (2023)
E. Voorhees SA 10 9 (2023)
A. Siefke SA 30 12 (2023)
A. Siefke TB 44 23 (2023)
A. Siefke Digs 227 144 (2023)
A. Siefke Assists 21 13 (2023)
A. Siefke Points 244.0 204 (2023)
A. Siefke Kills 189 180 (2023)
K. Bonney Kills 152 34 (2023)
K. Bonney Digs 52 32 (2023)
K. Bonney TB 45 18 (2023)
K. Bonney Points 176.5 111 (2023)
K. Bonney Assists 3 1 (2023)
H. Blaney Kills 6 1 (2023)
H. Blaney TB 1 0 (2022-24)
H. Blaney Assists 101 90 (2023)
H. Blaney Digs 443 319 (2023)
E. Grasson SA 5 4 (2023)
E. Grasson Points 5 4 (2023)
S. Srinivasan SA 9 1 (2023)
S. Srinivasan Assists 19 11 (2023)
S. Srinivasan Points 13.0 7.5 (2023)
S. Srinivasan Digs 115 88 (2023)
A. Oswald TB 15 11 (2023)
A. Stanford Kills 158 114 (2023)
A. Stanford Points 203.5 189 (2022)
K. Doctor TB 37 30 (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 seven of her 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 first on the team in kills with 207 on the season. Doctor has reached double-digit figures in the category in 13 of her 19 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 13 wins this season have come when out-digging and out-blocking its opponent. Eastern 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 their final two regular season matches as they will face the Buffalo Bulls Friday-Saturday, Nov. 15-16. Friday's match will start at 6 p.m. and Saturday's will begin at 4 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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