Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, September 4
Ypsilanti, Mich.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
3-2,0-0MAC
3
vs
0
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Purdue Fort Wayne
0-5,0-0Horizon
1
2
3
F
Purdue Fort Wayne
12
20
14
0
Eastern Mich.
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Volleyball Notches Program Top-10 Hitting Percentage, Sweeps PFW in Home Opener
9/4/2025 10:17:00 PM | Volleyball
Eastern hit .424 as a team, the highest in the Head Coach Kevin Foeman era and a figure that ranks 15th nationally this season.
Photo Gallery
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team recorded the sixth-best hitting percentage in program history, as it swept Purdue University-Fort Wayne in its home-opening match, 3-0, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center Thursday, Sept. 4, in the Eagles' first game of the EMU Tournament.
Eastern hit .424 as a team, the highest in the Head Coach Kevin Foeman era and a figure that ranks 15th nationally this season.
Ava Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula) paced the offense with 11 kills off 22 swings with just one error, while adding two aces, one block, and four digs, equaling a match-high 13.5 points. Hatteras Welker (Sunbury, Ohio/Sunbury) spearheaded the defense with six blocks while adding nine kills off a .533 clip offensively. She was aided by Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin-Jerome) with 13 digs as Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) controlled the setting, distributing 32 assists.
How it Happened
SET ONE | The Eagles came out firing, scoring five points before PFW made its first scratch in the score column. The Mastodons called a timeout after an Abby Stanford (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri Valley/Ashland) made the score 7-1 in favor of EMU. Eastern was the first team to 15 in the set as it reached the mark with a nine-point edge at 16-5 advantage. EMU went on to win the set, 25-12 as it hit .480 in the set while tallying eight blocks.
SET TWO | PFW rebounded in the second set as it got out to a four-point lead at 11-7 before the Eagles tied it at 12 apiece after consecutive blocks from Welker, Siefke, and Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead). Eastern would take a 15-14 lead into the media timeout. The Eagles kept the momentum rolling, increasing their lead to four at 19-15. The Eagles went on to win the set, 25-20, after recording match-highs with 14 kills, 15 digs, and 18 points.
SET THREE | Eastern was the first team to reach 10 as it led PFW 10-7 and again got out to a commanding eight-point lead, 20-12. EMU cruised to a set and match victory, winning by a comfortable 11-point margin, 25-14.
Match Notes
» Eastern's record improved to 3-2 (0-0 MAC) and PFW's dropped to 0-5 (0-0 Horizon)
» Eastern's best offensive set was the third, putting down 14 kills off 28 swings with just one error for a .464 attack percentage.
» Eastern's .424 attack percentage is the highest in a single match in the MAC this season and its 11 blocks are the second-most in the conference in a three-set match.
» Siefke led the team in kills for the fourth time this season. She has notched double-digit kills in every match this season. She is currently riding a career-best five-game streak of double-digit kills.
» Belcher led the team in assists for the fifth time this season and secured her fourth match of the season with 30+ assists, marking the 17th of her career.
» Welker's nine kills, six blocks, and 12.5 points are all season-highs while her .533 attack clip is a career-best when totaling at least 15 attacks.
» Welker (.533), Stanford (.667), and Christensen (.294) all recorded career-best hitting percentages.
» Stanford's .667 clip ranks third in the MAC this season in a single game as it holds the conference's top spot when it comes to three-set matches. It is ninth in the nation when recording 10-14 attacks.
» Belcher's 32 assists are tied for the most in the MAC in a three-set contest while Srinivasan's 13 digs tie for the third-most.
Historical Notes
» The Eagles .424 single-game hitting percentage is the sixth-best in program history and stands 15th in the nation.
» EMU's .424 clip is its best since it hit .430 in a 3-0 sweep over Norfolk State University, Sept. 7, 2018.
» Eastern and PFW met for the 23rd time. EMU now holds a 10-13 record against the Mastodons and a 6-4 mark when facing them in Ypsilanti.
» After the win, the Eagles hold a 27-21 record in home-opening contests.
» Eastern's win marks its 39th in a home tournament. Overall, it holds a 39-12 record when competing in home tournaments.
Up Next
Eastern faces Valparaiso University in its second game of the EMU Tournament tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 5, 6 p.m. Admission is free at the George Gervin GameAbove Center and fans can stream the action live on ESPN+.
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.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team recorded the sixth-best hitting percentage in program history, as it swept Purdue University-Fort Wayne in its home-opening match, 3-0, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center Thursday, Sept. 4, in the Eagles' first game of the EMU Tournament.
Eastern hit .424 as a team, the highest in the Head Coach Kevin Foeman era and a figure that ranks 15th nationally this season.
Ava Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Saint Ursula) paced the offense with 11 kills off 22 swings with just one error, while adding two aces, one block, and four digs, equaling a match-high 13.5 points. Hatteras Welker (Sunbury, Ohio/Sunbury) spearheaded the defense with six blocks while adding nine kills off a .533 clip offensively. She was aided by Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin-Jerome) with 13 digs as Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) controlled the setting, distributing 32 assists.
How it Happened
SET ONE | The Eagles came out firing, scoring five points before PFW made its first scratch in the score column. The Mastodons called a timeout after an Abby Stanford (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri Valley/Ashland) made the score 7-1 in favor of EMU. Eastern was the first team to 15 in the set as it reached the mark with a nine-point edge at 16-5 advantage. EMU went on to win the set, 25-12 as it hit .480 in the set while tallying eight blocks.
SET TWO | PFW rebounded in the second set as it got out to a four-point lead at 11-7 before the Eagles tied it at 12 apiece after consecutive blocks from Welker, Siefke, and Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead). Eastern would take a 15-14 lead into the media timeout. The Eagles kept the momentum rolling, increasing their lead to four at 19-15. The Eagles went on to win the set, 25-20, after recording match-highs with 14 kills, 15 digs, and 18 points.
SET THREE | Eastern was the first team to reach 10 as it led PFW 10-7 and again got out to a commanding eight-point lead, 20-12. EMU cruised to a set and match victory, winning by a comfortable 11-point margin, 25-14.
Match Notes
» Eastern's record improved to 3-2 (0-0 MAC) and PFW's dropped to 0-5 (0-0 Horizon)
» Eastern's best offensive set was the third, putting down 14 kills off 28 swings with just one error for a .464 attack percentage.
» Eastern's .424 attack percentage is the highest in a single match in the MAC this season and its 11 blocks are the second-most in the conference in a three-set match.
» Siefke led the team in kills for the fourth time this season. She has notched double-digit kills in every match this season. She is currently riding a career-best five-game streak of double-digit kills.
» Belcher led the team in assists for the fifth time this season and secured her fourth match of the season with 30+ assists, marking the 17th of her career.
» Welker's nine kills, six blocks, and 12.5 points are all season-highs while her .533 attack clip is a career-best when totaling at least 15 attacks.
» Welker (.533), Stanford (.667), and Christensen (.294) all recorded career-best hitting percentages.
» Stanford's .667 clip ranks third in the MAC this season in a single game as it holds the conference's top spot when it comes to three-set matches. It is ninth in the nation when recording 10-14 attacks.
» Belcher's 32 assists are tied for the most in the MAC in a three-set contest while Srinivasan's 13 digs tie for the third-most.
Historical Notes
» The Eagles .424 single-game hitting percentage is the sixth-best in program history and stands 15th in the nation.
» EMU's .424 clip is its best since it hit .430 in a 3-0 sweep over Norfolk State University, Sept. 7, 2018.
» Eastern and PFW met for the 23rd time. EMU now holds a 10-13 record against the Mastodons and a 6-4 mark when facing them in Ypsilanti.
» After the win, the Eagles hold a 27-21 record in home-opening contests.
» Eastern's win marks its 39th in a home tournament. Overall, it holds a 39-12 record when competing in home tournaments.
Up Next
Eastern faces Valparaiso University in its second game of the EMU Tournament tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 5, 6 p.m. Admission is free at the George Gervin GameAbove Center and fans can stream the action live on ESPN+.
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
Pur-FW
EMU
Kills
31
41
Errors
23
5
Attempts
97
85
Hitting %
.082
.424
Points
34.0
55.0
Assists
31
36
Aces
2
3
Blocks
1
11
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
11
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
S
/ VolleyballOH/OPP
/ VolleyballOH/OPP
/ Volleyball
DS/OH
/ VolleyballMB/OPP
/ VolleyballMB
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