Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, September 12
Rochester, Mich.
12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
5-3,0-0MAC
1
vs
3
Xavier
7-1,0-0Big East
1
2
3
4
F
Xavier
25
22
25
25
3
Eastern Mich.
12
25
18
15
1
Volleyball Splits First Day at Golden Grizzlies Invite, Bests Southern Illinois
9/12/2025 8:32:00 PM | Volleyball
Christensen led the team in kills in both games, including the most (20) from an EMU freshman since 2016
ROCHESTER, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team split the first day of the Golden Grizzlies Invitational, hosted by Oakland University. EMU bested Southern Illinois University, 3-1, after dropping its opening match to Xavier University, 3-1, inside the OU Credit Union O'Rena Friday, Sept. 12.
Freshman outside hitter AshleeKay Christensen (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) led the team in kills in both matches, featuring a career-best 20 in the win over the Salukis, the most from an Eastern freshman since 2016.
Ava Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) added a pair of double-digit kill matches highlighted by a 17-kills/14-digs double-double performance against SIU. Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) had 30+ assists in both contests.
How it Happened – vs. Xavier
SET ONE | The Eagles found themselves in an early hole, losing a tough first set, 25-12. Eastern Michigan trailed by as many as 14 points as Xavier grabbed the advantage for good at 2-1 in a set that was knotted up just once before the Musketeers took control.
SET TWO | Eastern Michigan tied the match at 1-1 with a 25-22 victory in the second set. The Eagles once trailed by five points and came back to grab the advantage for good at 16-15 in a set that showcased three lead changes before the Eagles took over in the second half of the stanza. The Eastern offense also got a boost from three aces in the set.
SET THREE | Xavier took a 2-1 match lead after defeating the Eagles in the third set, 25-18. Eastern Michigan trailed by as many as seven points as Xavier grabbed the advantage for good at 13-12 in a set that was tied up five times before the Musketeers took over.
SET FOUR| Eastern Michigan lost the fourth set, 25-15, to finish off the match in a 3-1 decision in favor of Xavier. The Eagles dropped the first point and fought from behind the rest of the way before losing the set.
How it Happened – vs. Southern Illinois
SET ONE | The Eagles couldn't hang on in a back-and-forth first set, losing, 27-25, in a frame that featured six lead changes and was tied 17 times. Neither team led by more than three points in the match.
SET TWO | Eastern Michigan fought back after dropping the first set to take the second set, 25-23, evening the match at one set apiece. The Eagles took the set with the help of a solid showing on the attacking side as they put together a .355 attack percentage with 16 kills in the set win. After the lead changed hands three times, Eastern took control for good at 20-19 and rode that advantage to victory. The EMU offense also got a boost from three aces in the stanza.
SET THREE | Eastern Michigan won again in set three to go up in the match, 2-1. The Eagles won the set, 25-19, propelled by another stand-out offensive performance with Eastern putting together a .438 attack percentage while landing 17 kills in the set win. The Eagles ended on a strong note, stretching their lead to its largest point (six) in the set to finish out the stanza.
SET FOUR | Eastern Michigan earned a match win with a 31-29 extra-points fourth-set victory, winning their third set in a row. Eastern notched its third consecutive set hitting over .300 with 19 kills in the set victory. The Eagles opened up a 16-9 lead in the stanza and coasted to victory from there. Eastern Michigan got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four Southern Illinois attacks in the stanza.
Match Notes vs. Xavier
» Eastern's record dropped to 5-3 (0-0 MAC) on the season while Xavier improved to 7-1 (0-0 BIG EAST).
» Eastern's best offensive set was the third, landing 14 kills off a .250 hitting percentage.
» Christensen led the team in kills for the second time this season with a match-high 14, marking her fourth double-digit kill game of the year.
» Belcher dished 31 assists, leading the team for the eighth time this year. She has recorded seven 30+ assist games in 2025 and 20 in her career as she leads the MAC in assists per set, averaging 10.50, a mark that ranks 19th nationally.
» Siefke landed 10 kills. She has recorded double-digit kills in all eight matches this season, marking the longest streak of her career.
» Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) put down 10 kills, matching her career-high for the second time in the previous three games as she also recorded 10 in the win over Niagara University, Sept. 6.
» Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) set a career best with three aces, the most in the match.
Match Notes vs. Southern Illinois
» Eastern's record improved to 6-3 (0-0 MAC) and Southern Illinois' dropped to 4-4 (0-0 MVC)
» Eastern had more kills (66-63), aces (7-4), assists (57-55), and digs (54-50) than its opponent.
» Eastern out-hit its foe (.336 - .271) for the sixth time this season, producing a 6-0 record when doing so. EMU is 20-4 overall under Head Coach Kevin Foeman when out-hitting its opponent.
» Every EMU attacker with three or more attacks hit over .250, including six that went over .300.
» The win marked just the second in the Foeman era where the Eagles' opponent has hit over .250 as the Salukis hit .271. EMU is 2-21 when its opponent hits over .250 under Foeman.
» EMU set season-highs in kills (66), tying for the second-most under Foeman, the second most in the MAC, and most in a four-set match in the conference. EMU's kill total also stands tied for ninth in the country in a four-set contest.
» EMU tallied more kills than its opponent for the seventh time, resulting in a 6-1 record in 2025, and 16-3 mark under Foeman.
» Christensen recorded a career-best 20 kills for her fifth double-digit outing of the season. The performance marked her first time recording double-digit kills in consecutive games. She also set a career-best mark with a .326 hitting percentage.
» Siefke notched her fourth double-double of the season with 17 kills and 14 digs. Eastern is 3-1 this season when she records a double-double. The performance continued her nine-game double-digit kill streak, the longest in her career. Her 14 digs are her fourth time surpassing 10 in a match this season.
» Belcher dished 36 assists, leading the team for the ninth time this year. She has recorded eight 30+ assist games in 2025 and 21 in her career as she leads the MAC in assists per set, averaging 10.00.
Historical Notes vs. Xavier
» The match marked the ninth all-time between Eastern Michigan and Xavier. Eastern now holds a 4-5 record against the Musketeers and a 3-2 mark when facing them at a neutral site.
» Siefke is four kills away from reaching the 500 mark in her collegiate career and Belcher needs 24 more digs to reach the same total.
Historical Notes vs. Southern Illinois
» Siefke eclipsed the 500-kill mark as her 17 in the match brings her career total to 513.
» Christensen's 20 kills are the most from an EMU freshman since Rachel Irbe landed 21 against the University at Buffalo, Oct. 22, 2016.
» EMU's .336 hitting percentage is the second-highest under Foeman and the 2025 season marks the first time the team has hit over .330 in multipole matches since 2018.
» Belcher is 18 digs away from reaching 500 in her NCAA tenure.
» The matchup marked the sixth between EMU and SIU. The series is now tied, 3-3.
Up Next
The Eagles conclude the invitational tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 13, with a 3 p.m. match against the host Golden Grizzlies.
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
Freshman outside hitter AshleeKay Christensen (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) led the team in kills in both matches, featuring a career-best 20 in the win over the Salukis, the most from an Eastern freshman since 2016.
Ava Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula Academy) added a pair of double-digit kill matches highlighted by a 17-kills/14-digs double-double performance against SIU. Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) had 30+ assists in both contests.
How it Happened – vs. Xavier
SET ONE | The Eagles found themselves in an early hole, losing a tough first set, 25-12. Eastern Michigan trailed by as many as 14 points as Xavier grabbed the advantage for good at 2-1 in a set that was knotted up just once before the Musketeers took control.
SET TWO | Eastern Michigan tied the match at 1-1 with a 25-22 victory in the second set. The Eagles once trailed by five points and came back to grab the advantage for good at 16-15 in a set that showcased three lead changes before the Eagles took over in the second half of the stanza. The Eastern offense also got a boost from three aces in the set.
SET THREE | Xavier took a 2-1 match lead after defeating the Eagles in the third set, 25-18. Eastern Michigan trailed by as many as seven points as Xavier grabbed the advantage for good at 13-12 in a set that was tied up five times before the Musketeers took over.
SET FOUR| Eastern Michigan lost the fourth set, 25-15, to finish off the match in a 3-1 decision in favor of Xavier. The Eagles dropped the first point and fought from behind the rest of the way before losing the set.
How it Happened – vs. Southern Illinois
SET ONE | The Eagles couldn't hang on in a back-and-forth first set, losing, 27-25, in a frame that featured six lead changes and was tied 17 times. Neither team led by more than three points in the match.
SET TWO | Eastern Michigan fought back after dropping the first set to take the second set, 25-23, evening the match at one set apiece. The Eagles took the set with the help of a solid showing on the attacking side as they put together a .355 attack percentage with 16 kills in the set win. After the lead changed hands three times, Eastern took control for good at 20-19 and rode that advantage to victory. The EMU offense also got a boost from three aces in the stanza.
SET THREE | Eastern Michigan won again in set three to go up in the match, 2-1. The Eagles won the set, 25-19, propelled by another stand-out offensive performance with Eastern putting together a .438 attack percentage while landing 17 kills in the set win. The Eagles ended on a strong note, stretching their lead to its largest point (six) in the set to finish out the stanza.
SET FOUR | Eastern Michigan earned a match win with a 31-29 extra-points fourth-set victory, winning their third set in a row. Eastern notched its third consecutive set hitting over .300 with 19 kills in the set victory. The Eagles opened up a 16-9 lead in the stanza and coasted to victory from there. Eastern Michigan got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four Southern Illinois attacks in the stanza.
Match Notes vs. Xavier
» Eastern's record dropped to 5-3 (0-0 MAC) on the season while Xavier improved to 7-1 (0-0 BIG EAST).
» Eastern's best offensive set was the third, landing 14 kills off a .250 hitting percentage.
» Christensen led the team in kills for the second time this season with a match-high 14, marking her fourth double-digit kill game of the year.
» Belcher dished 31 assists, leading the team for the eighth time this year. She has recorded seven 30+ assist games in 2025 and 20 in her career as she leads the MAC in assists per set, averaging 10.50, a mark that ranks 19th nationally.
» Siefke landed 10 kills. She has recorded double-digit kills in all eight matches this season, marking the longest streak of her career.
» Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) put down 10 kills, matching her career-high for the second time in the previous three games as she also recorded 10 in the win over Niagara University, Sept. 6.
» Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) set a career best with three aces, the most in the match.
Match Notes vs. Southern Illinois
» Eastern's record improved to 6-3 (0-0 MAC) and Southern Illinois' dropped to 4-4 (0-0 MVC)
» Eastern had more kills (66-63), aces (7-4), assists (57-55), and digs (54-50) than its opponent.
» Eastern out-hit its foe (.336 - .271) for the sixth time this season, producing a 6-0 record when doing so. EMU is 20-4 overall under Head Coach Kevin Foeman when out-hitting its opponent.
» Every EMU attacker with three or more attacks hit over .250, including six that went over .300.
» The win marked just the second in the Foeman era where the Eagles' opponent has hit over .250 as the Salukis hit .271. EMU is 2-21 when its opponent hits over .250 under Foeman.
» EMU set season-highs in kills (66), tying for the second-most under Foeman, the second most in the MAC, and most in a four-set match in the conference. EMU's kill total also stands tied for ninth in the country in a four-set contest.
» EMU tallied more kills than its opponent for the seventh time, resulting in a 6-1 record in 2025, and 16-3 mark under Foeman.
» Christensen recorded a career-best 20 kills for her fifth double-digit outing of the season. The performance marked her first time recording double-digit kills in consecutive games. She also set a career-best mark with a .326 hitting percentage.
» Siefke notched her fourth double-double of the season with 17 kills and 14 digs. Eastern is 3-1 this season when she records a double-double. The performance continued her nine-game double-digit kill streak, the longest in her career. Her 14 digs are her fourth time surpassing 10 in a match this season.
» Belcher dished 36 assists, leading the team for the ninth time this year. She has recorded eight 30+ assist games in 2025 and 21 in her career as she leads the MAC in assists per set, averaging 10.00.
Historical Notes vs. Xavier
» The match marked the ninth all-time between Eastern Michigan and Xavier. Eastern now holds a 4-5 record against the Musketeers and a 3-2 mark when facing them at a neutral site.
» Siefke is four kills away from reaching the 500 mark in her collegiate career and Belcher needs 24 more digs to reach the same total.
Historical Notes vs. Southern Illinois
» Siefke eclipsed the 500-kill mark as her 17 in the match brings her career total to 513.
» Christensen's 20 kills are the most from an EMU freshman since Rachel Irbe landed 21 against the University at Buffalo, Oct. 22, 2016.
» EMU's .336 hitting percentage is the second-highest under Foeman and the 2025 season marks the first time the team has hit over .330 in multipole matches since 2018.
» Belcher is 18 digs away from reaching 500 in her NCAA tenure.
» The matchup marked the sixth between EMU and SIU. The series is now tied, 3-3.
Up Next
The Eagles conclude the invitational tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 13, with a 3 p.m. match against the host Golden Grizzlies.
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
XU
EMU
Kills
53
41
Errors
15
27
Attempts
112
122
Hitting %
.339
.115
Points
65.0
51.0
Assists
42
37
Aces
3
7
Blocks
9
3
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
4
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
S
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