Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, August 30
Radford, Va.
11 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
2-1,0-0MAC
3
vs
2
Kansas City
0-3,0-0Summit League
1
2
3
4
5
F
Kansas City
25
25
16
18
7
2
Eastern Mich.
19
23
25
25
15
3
Photo by: Evan Higgins
Siefke Tallies Career-Best Kills, Volleyball Reverse Sweeps UMKC
8/30/2025 3:17:00 PM | Volleyball
The Eagles are off a 2-1 start in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2015-16
RADFORD, Va. (EMUEagles.com) – Junior outside hitter Ava Siefke landed a career-high 22 kills while adding 16 digs as the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team topped the University of Missouri-Kansas City in reverse sweep fashion to complete the Highlander Invitational, hosted by Radford University, at the Dedmon Center Saturday, Aug.30.
Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) grabbed her second double-double of the season. She was aided by Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) (48 assist), Abby Stanford (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri Valley/Ashland) (10 kills, four blocks), and Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) (15 digs).
How it Happened
SET ONE | Eastern started the set strong, getting out to a 12-8 lead after a Layna Waselewsky (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern) service ace, followed by a UMKC attack error and Stanford kill to force a Roos' timeout with a 13-8 edge. The Eagles increased their lead to four, 16-12, before UMKC flipped the script, taking a 19-18 lead before winning the set, 25-20.
SET TWO | UMKC continued its strong play, opening a six-point edge at 11-6 into the media timeout. Eastern battled back to within three, 12-9, forcing a UMKC timeout after a three-point run with Kills from Siefke and Anna Guard (Burlington, Ky./St. Henry District). Eastern matched UMKC's total at 15-15 via a block from Siefke and Hatteras Welker (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut), erasing what was a six-point hole. The Eagles made it close, closing a four-point gap (24-20) to within one point (24-23), but UMKC went on to take the set, 25-23.
SET THREE | After falling behind, 3-0, EMU fought back to take a 7-5 lead, forcing a UMKC timeout after an Ella Grasson (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) service ace. The Eagles kept the ball rolling, upping its lead to seven (13-6) after scoring three straight featuring one kill and one ace from Siefke. Eastern dominated the rest of the set, winning, 25-13 after landing 17 kills off a .278 clip with three aces.
SET FOUR | Stanford heated up as the match continued, landing two kills in Eastern's first 10 points to force a UMKC timeout with a 10-8 advantage. EMU got up by as much as eight (22-14) in the set before forcing a fifth frame, winning the set, 25-18. Wrigley Takats (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) was a bright spot in the set with two kills and three blocks.
SET FIVE | Eastern was the first team to eight, leading 8-3 as team's switched sides. The Eagles controlled a majority of the final set, as the match ended on a Roos' attack error, concluding the set in a 15-7 decision and the match 3-2.
Match Notes
» Eastern's best set was the third, landing 17 kills off 36 attacks with seven errors, equaling a .278 attack percentage
» Eastern had more kills (60-49), aces (12-7), blocks (8-6), and assists (55-46) than UMKC.
» Eastern's 12 aces are the most in the MAC in the season's early going. It's the most for the program in a single game since it tallied 15 at the University at Buffalo, Oct. 27, 2006.
» Eastern had a season-high 60 kills, 66 digs, eight blocks, and 80 points. It also had its most efficient offensive performance, hitting .194 as a team.
» Belcher tied her season-best with 48 assists, matching her conference lead in a single game originally set in a 3-1 win against Radford University, Aug. 29.
» Belcher currently leads the conference in both total assists (136) and assists per set (10.64).
» Siefke led the Eagles with a career-best 22 kills and 26 points while adding 16 digs, a season-high, for her second double-double of the season and ninth of her career. She aided at the net with four blocks, tying for the team lead.
» Siefke went over 50 attacks (54) for the first time in her career and handled the load efficiently as she hit .241 on the day.
» Grasson tied a career high with four aces. She leads the MAC with nine this season.
» Srinivasan posted her third straight game with 10 or more digs for the first time in her career.
» Stanford had her best performance of the year with a season-best 10 kills off a .217 attack percentage while adding a season-high four blocks. She now has 10 10+ kill games in her collegiate tenure.
» Takats set a career-high with five kills and matched her career-best total with three blocks.
» AshleeKay Christensen (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) recorded her second double-digit kill game of the season as she landed 10.
Historical Notes
» Head Coach Kevin Foeman has the Eagles off to a 2-1 start in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2015-16.
» Eastern's 12 aces are the most in the Foeman era (2023-present).
» Eastern and UMKC met for the third time, It was the series' first time going to five sets as Eastern now holds the 2-1 lead.
Up Next
The Eagles are up next against the Wolverines of the University of Michigan, Sept. 2, 7 p.m. The game can be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
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.
Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) grabbed her second double-double of the season. She was aided by Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) (48 assist), Abby Stanford (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri Valley/Ashland) (10 kills, four blocks), and Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) (15 digs).
How it Happened
SET ONE | Eastern started the set strong, getting out to a 12-8 lead after a Layna Waselewsky (Ada, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern) service ace, followed by a UMKC attack error and Stanford kill to force a Roos' timeout with a 13-8 edge. The Eagles increased their lead to four, 16-12, before UMKC flipped the script, taking a 19-18 lead before winning the set, 25-20.
SET TWO | UMKC continued its strong play, opening a six-point edge at 11-6 into the media timeout. Eastern battled back to within three, 12-9, forcing a UMKC timeout after a three-point run with Kills from Siefke and Anna Guard (Burlington, Ky./St. Henry District). Eastern matched UMKC's total at 15-15 via a block from Siefke and Hatteras Welker (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut), erasing what was a six-point hole. The Eagles made it close, closing a four-point gap (24-20) to within one point (24-23), but UMKC went on to take the set, 25-23.
SET THREE | After falling behind, 3-0, EMU fought back to take a 7-5 lead, forcing a UMKC timeout after an Ella Grasson (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) service ace. The Eagles kept the ball rolling, upping its lead to seven (13-6) after scoring three straight featuring one kill and one ace from Siefke. Eastern dominated the rest of the set, winning, 25-13 after landing 17 kills off a .278 clip with three aces.
SET FOUR | Stanford heated up as the match continued, landing two kills in Eastern's first 10 points to force a UMKC timeout with a 10-8 advantage. EMU got up by as much as eight (22-14) in the set before forcing a fifth frame, winning the set, 25-18. Wrigley Takats (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) was a bright spot in the set with two kills and three blocks.
SET FIVE | Eastern was the first team to eight, leading 8-3 as team's switched sides. The Eagles controlled a majority of the final set, as the match ended on a Roos' attack error, concluding the set in a 15-7 decision and the match 3-2.
Match Notes
» Eastern's best set was the third, landing 17 kills off 36 attacks with seven errors, equaling a .278 attack percentage
» Eastern had more kills (60-49), aces (12-7), blocks (8-6), and assists (55-46) than UMKC.
» Eastern's 12 aces are the most in the MAC in the season's early going. It's the most for the program in a single game since it tallied 15 at the University at Buffalo, Oct. 27, 2006.
» Eastern had a season-high 60 kills, 66 digs, eight blocks, and 80 points. It also had its most efficient offensive performance, hitting .194 as a team.
» Belcher tied her season-best with 48 assists, matching her conference lead in a single game originally set in a 3-1 win against Radford University, Aug. 29.
» Belcher currently leads the conference in both total assists (136) and assists per set (10.64).
» Siefke led the Eagles with a career-best 22 kills and 26 points while adding 16 digs, a season-high, for her second double-double of the season and ninth of her career. She aided at the net with four blocks, tying for the team lead.
» Siefke went over 50 attacks (54) for the first time in her career and handled the load efficiently as she hit .241 on the day.
» Grasson tied a career high with four aces. She leads the MAC with nine this season.
» Srinivasan posted her third straight game with 10 or more digs for the first time in her career.
» Stanford had her best performance of the year with a season-best 10 kills off a .217 attack percentage while adding a season-high four blocks. She now has 10 10+ kill games in her collegiate tenure.
» Takats set a career-high with five kills and matched her career-best total with three blocks.
» AshleeKay Christensen (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) recorded her second double-digit kill game of the season as she landed 10.
Historical Notes
» Head Coach Kevin Foeman has the Eagles off to a 2-1 start in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2015-16.
» Eastern's 12 aces are the most in the Foeman era (2023-present).
» Eastern and UMKC met for the third time, It was the series' first time going to five sets as Eastern now holds the 2-1 lead.
Up Next
The Eagles are up next against the Wolverines of the University of Michigan, Sept. 2, 7 p.m. The game can be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
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.
Team Stats
KC
EMU
Kills
49
60
Errors
28
27
Attempts
154
170
Hitting %
.136
.194
Points
62.0
80.0
Assists
46
55
Aces
7
12
Blocks
6
8
Game Leaders
Kills
22
Aces
2
Blocks
4
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
MB/PH
/ VolleyballOH/OPP
/ Volleyball
DS/OH
/ VolleyballMB/OPP
/ Volleyball
MB/PH
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
MB
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