Volleyball Opens Conference Play at Kent State Thursday

Volleyball at Kent State
Date	Thursday - Friday \| Sept. 26-27 \| 6 p.m.
Venue	Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center \| Kent State University \| Kent, Ohio
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Watch	Thursday \| Friday
Live Stats	Thursday \| Friday
Social Media	X: @EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics \| IG: @emu_volleyball \| @emuathletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team, having already eclipsed its 2023 win total, is set to begin its 45th season of Mid-American Conference (MAC) play, as they are set to face the Golden Flashes of Kent State University, Thursday-Friday, Sept. 26-27. Both matches will begin at 6 p.m. at the Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center in Kent, Ohio.

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 KENT STATE
Eastern and Kent State will meet for the 64th time Thursday. Overall, the Eagles hold a 36-23-1 record when facing the Golden Flashes, and a 16-12 mark when facing them on the road. The two institutions first met on the volleyball court, Oct. 16, 1976, a match that saw the Eagles win in three sets, 2-1. Eastern has had the edge in the series as of late, as it holds a 6-4 record in the previous 10 matches. The Eagles swept the Golden Flashes last season, Nov. 10-11. Moreover, Head Coach Kevin Foeman holds a clean 2-0 record against KSU as the Eastern head coach. Along with Miami University, Kent State is one of two MAC schools Foeman holds a perfect record against. EMU last beat Kent in Kent in the COVID-altered 2020 season, edging out a five-set win, 3-2, Feb. 15, 2021.

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 147.5.

Category                     Rank          Figure
Total Blocks                2nd            147.5
Total Attacks              18th           1,780
Team Assists              21st            580
Total Digs 23rd           761
Blocks Per Set            26th           2.68
Team Kills                   27th           617

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

Category                     Rank          Figure
Points 1st              842.5
Total Attacks              1st              1,454
Total Blocks                1st              147.5
Blocks Per Set            1st              2.68
Total Kills                     2nd            617
Total Digs 2nd            761
Total Assists               3rd             580

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 (eighth 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 second-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.

RECORD IN MAC OPENERS
Eastern volleyball is entering its 45th year of MAC competition, Since the 1980 campaign, the Eagles posts a 22-22 record in MAC openers. EMU last won a MAC opener in the 2018 season, when it topped rivals Central Michigan University on the road, in four sets, 3-1, Sept. 20, 2018.

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: 2024 WIN TOTAL
Eastern's sweep over St. Francis (Pa.), Sept. 21, marked the sixth win of the season, already surpassing the team's win total from the 2023 season (five) just 14 matches into the 2024 campaign. The sweep also marked the first sweep of the season, and third sweep for Foeman at EMU.

TAELEY MAHLER: HOMECOMING WEEKEND
Ft. Wayne, Ind., native Taeley Mahler had a productive homecoming weekend at the Purdue Ft. Wayne Invitational, Sept. 20-21. Mahler recorded career-highs with eight kills and 10 points, marking her first time notching double-digit points while also leading the team in points and kills against Indiana State, Sept. 21. After the tournament, Mahler was named to the all-tournament team, the first time in her career earning such an accolade. She posted 18 kills on a .395 hitting percentage to go with 12 blocks, equaling out to 24 points in the three matches.

ABBY STANFORD: ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Along with Mahler, Abby Stanford also earned all-tournament recognition following the PFW Invite. She drilled 17 kills on a .410 clip with one assist, three digs, and 11 blocks for 22.5 points.

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.

MOST ACES UNDER FOEMAN
Eastern tabbed 10 aces against Duquesne, Sept. 14, marking the most under Foeman. Prior to the match against the Dukes, EMU last had 10 aces against Miami in the 2022 season, Oct. 14.

HIGH FLYING CAREER-HIGHS
Outside hitters Kaili Doctor and Anna Guard each notched a career-high in kills against Evansville, Sept. 13. Doctor drilled 23 kills while adding 10 digs for her first double-double as an Eagle and third in her career. Her 23 kills are also the most from an Eagle in a single-match this season and stand as the third-most in the MAC. Guard recorded 17 kills and six digs in the match, both of which mark career-highs.

NATIONALLY RANKED: HATTERAS WELKER BLOCKS
Leading the Eagles' defense up front is Hatteras Welker. Welker is ranked eighth 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 51st nationally and second 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 SERVICE ACES
Sophomore Ava Siefke has been lethal from behind the serve line this season. She has recorded 21 service aces this season, a figure that ranks her 33rd in the nation and second in the MAC. Siefke has led the Eagles in the category in 6-of-14 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 35th in the nation and fourth in the MAC in total digs with 208 on the season. Her 24 digs against IU-Indy, Aug. 30, stand as the second-most in the conference.

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.

HANNAH BLANEY: APPROACHING 1,000 DIGS
In her fourth season of collegiate volleyball, Hannah Blaney is nearing 1,000 digs. She most recently recorded seven against Purdue Ft. Wayne, bringing her career total to 987. Blaney needs 13 more digs to reach the 1,000 mark. She grabbed 779 with Rhode Island University (2021-23), and has notched 208 with Eastern this season.

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 four players that have already set season-long career-highs through 14 matches this season.

Name                            Stat            Figure       Prior Best
M. Stayer                     Assists      209             67 (2023)
E. Voorhees                 Digs           123             104 (2023)
A. Siefke                       SA               21               12 (2023)
A. Siefke                       TB               26               23 (2023)
K. Bonney Kills            114             34 (2023)
K. Bonney Digs           38               32 (2023)
K. Bonney TB               32               18 (2023)
K. Bonney Points        174.5          111 (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 nearly half of EMU's matches this season (6-of-14). Her six double-doubles lead the team.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DOCTOR
First-year Eagle Kaili Doctor paces 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 third-most in the MAC.

TOURNAMENT CHAMPS x2
The Eagles were recently 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 three Eagles to achieve a double-double this season, and she has led the team in 10-of-14 matches.

ALL-TOURNEY HONORS: HAMPTON INN INVITE
Joining Ella Voorhees as an all-tournament honoree at the Hampton Inn Invitational was another first-year Eagle, Hannah Blaney. Blaney notched three straight matches with double-digit digs, with her most coming against IU-Indy (24), Aug. 30. The Saline, Mich., native has the most digs on the team (208) and also leads in digs per set (3.85).

OUT-HITTING OPPONENTS
Eastern out-hit St. Francis (Pa.), .124 to .057. This instance marked the 14th time Eastern has done so under this season, it is now 6-2 in such games. Overall, the Eagles are 10-4 under Foeman when out-hitting their foe.

MORE DIGS + MORE BLOCKS = MORE DUBS
With a season-high 87 digs coming in the win over Evansville, Sept. 13, and a season-best 21 blocks over Valparaiso, Aug. 31. All six of Eastern's wins this season have come when out-digging and out-blocking its opponent.

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 Indiana State and St. Francis (Pa.), Sept. 20-21, Eastern has secured back-to-back victories for the third time this season and fourth time in the Foeman era.

UP NEXT
Eastern will travel north to face rivals Central Michigan in Mt. Pleasant Tuesday, Oct. 1. The match is slated for a 6 p.m. first serve.

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

Taeley Mahler

Emma McMahon

Ava Siefke

Abby Stanford

Ella Voorhees

Hatteras Welker

Eastern Michigan Athletics