Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
13-18,5-13MAC
Miami
16-14,10-8MAC
Volleyball Closes 2025 Season Strong, Tops Miami in Five Sets, 3-2
11/15/2025 7:50:00 PM | Volleyball
EMU had four players with double-digit kills and digs while three student-athletes recorded a double-double
OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team closed out the 2025 season on a high note, topping the Miami University RedHawks in five sets, 3-2, on the road inside Millett Hall Saturday, Nov. 15.
Hatteras Welker (Sunbury, Ohio/Sunbury) led the way for the final time in 2025 as she put down a team-high 17 kills off a .364 hitting percentage with six blocks for a team-high 20 points. She was aided by Ava Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy), who notched her second consecutive double-double, drilling 11 kills to go with 11 digs.
The setting pair of Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) and Ella Voorhees (Morgantown, W. Va./Morgantown/Southern Miss.) joined Siefke in recording consecutive double-doubles. Voorhees distributed a match-high 29 assists to go with 16 digs, while Belcher dished 20 dimes with 10 digs.
Both Bri Struck (Broadlands, Ill./Heritage/Parkland College) and AshleeKay Christensen (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) chipped in with 10+ kill games. Struck totaled 13 off a .310 clip with two blocks and two digs while Christensen recorded 11 with the same blocks and digs totals.
Freshman Layna Waselewsky (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern) ended her rookie campaign on a high note as she went down for a match-high 23 digs after posting a career-high 33 digs in Friday night's match against Miami (L, 3-1, Nov. 14).
How it Happened
SET ONE | The Eagles cruised to an early 1-0 match lead, winning the first set, 25-19. Eastern Michigan never trailed by more than five points and grabbed the advantage for good at 11-10 in a set that showcased three lead changes before the Eagles took over the lead.
SET TWO | Eastern lost the second set, 25-17, tying the match, 1-1. The Eagles lost the first point and fought from behind the rest of the way.
SET THREE | EMU fought back after the set-two loss to take set three and a 2-1 lead in the match. The Eagles led from the first point on in the set to earn a 25-20 victory. Eastern Michigan opened up as much as a nine-point lead at 12-3.
SET FOUR | Eastern Michigan couldn't finish off a four-set win as the RedHawks forced a fifth set with a 26-24 victory. The Eagles dropped a tight set, losing in a stanza that was tied five times and had one lead change.
SET FIVE | Eastern Michigan and Miami went back and forth all game, trading set wins until the Eagles took set five, 15-10, and the match, 3-2. The Eagles scored first and never trailed in the fifth set, securing the victory. Eastern Michigan ended on a high note, opening its biggest lead of the stanza, five points, to finish off the set. Eastern got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four RedHawks attacks in the stanza.
Match Notes
» Eastern's 2025 record is finalized at 13-18 (5-13 MAC) while Miami ended its regular season at 16-14 (10-8 MAC).
» Eastern and its opponent had the same number of kills (63) for the second time this season and third time in the Head Coach Kevin Foeman era (2023-present). The Eagles are 1-1 this season when kills are tied and 2-1 in the Foeman era.
» Eastern Michigan had four players in double figures in kills (Welker, Struck, Siefke, Christensen) for the second consecutive game as it also had multiple players record a double-double in consecutive games for the first time this season and first time since Oct, 5, Oct, 10, 2024.
» Eastern Michigan had four players in double figures in digs (Waselewsky, Voorhees, Belcher, Siefke) for the second consecutive game.
» Ashlynn Belcher had a team-high two aces in the win.
» Ava Siefke registered her 13th double-double of the season with 11 kills and 11 digs, bringing her career total to 20.
» Eastern Michigan never trailed on the way to winning the third and fifth sets, winning the third, 25-20, and the fifth, 15-10 .
» Hatteras Welker had a team-high 17 kills for Eastern Michigan.
» Eastern Michigan got a match-high 23 digs from Layna Waselewsky.
» Eastern Michigan attackers were helped by a match-high 29 assists from Ella Voorhees.
Historical Notes
» The match marked the 66th between the Eagles and RedHawks. Overall, EMU holds a 22-44 record against Miami and an 8-21 mark when facing it in Oxford.
» Hatteras Welker's six blocks brought her final season total to 138, three more than her freshman-season sum of 135. Welker's 138 blocks rank second in EMU single-season annals in the modern statistical era (2008-present). She now holds the second (138 - 2025) and third (135 – 2024) spots on the list.
Up Next
The game against the RedHawks concluded the 2025 season. Eastern will shift focus to the off-season in preparation for 2026.
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
