Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, October 10
Buffalo, N.Y.
4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
8-10,2-4MAC
1
at
3
Buffalo
11-6,3-3MAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Mich. | 25 | 14 | 14 | 24 | 1 |
| Buffalo | 18 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 3 |
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
Volleyball Falls 3-1 at Buffalo in Hard-Fought Four-Set Battle
10/10/2026 7:08:00 PM | Volleyball
Nattie Slusher, Azra Eriç, and Kaylin Richter all recorded career highs
BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision (25-18, 14-25, 14-25, 24-26) to the University at Buffalo at Broadview Arena Saturday, Oct. 10, falling in the second match of a two-game road series, as the Eagles battled to a 12-tie fourth set before the Bulls edged out the final two points.
Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) paced the Eastern Michigan offense with a career-high 14 kills on 44 total attacks, matching the match-high and surpassing her previous best of 12 kills set three times earlier this season. Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) anchored the back row with a match-high-tying 20 digs, extending her active streak of matches with 10 or more digs to eight consecutive outings. Azra Eriç (Istanbul, Turkey/Kadir Has Anadolu lisesi/Robert Morris) was a force at the net, recording five solo blocks — a new career high — to lead all players in the match.
Kaylin Richter (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) posted a double-double with 17 assists and career-high 11 digs. Lily Spark (Christchurch, New Zealand/Christchurch Girls' School/Frontier C.C.) finished with nine kills and a season-high 18 digs. Eastern Michigan falls to 8-10 overall and 2-4 in Mid-American Conference play.
How It Happened
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan came out with its most efficient attacking performance of the night, hitting .233 on 11 kills in 30 attempts to take the opening set 25-18. Slusher was a driving force in the frame, finishing the match with 14 kills on 44 total attacks — the team's highest kill total — while Srinivasan's back-row work contributed to her match-high 20 digs across four sets. The Eagles closed out the set to take an early match lead.
SET TWO | Buffalo responded with a dominant 25-14 victory in the second set, seizing control of the match. Eastern Michigan's attack managed nine kills on 40 attempts, hitting -.025 as the Bulls capitalized with a balanced offensive effort to level the match at one set apiece.
SET THREE | Buffalo mirrored their second-set performance with another 25-14 decision, taking a 2-1 match lead. Eastern Michigan posted nine kills on 42 attempts in the frame. Eriç and Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) — who finished the match with three solo blocks and four kills — worked to keep Eastern Michigan competitive at the net, but the Bulls maintained their momentum throughout the frame.
SET FOUR | The fourth set was the most contested stretch of the match, featuring 12 tie scores and four lead changes as both teams traded points deep into the set. Eastern Michigan hit .115 on 13 kills in 52 attempts — the team's best attacking output since the opening set. Haley Trosky (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Allegheny) — who finished the match with seven kills on 28 total attacks — contributed offensively while Srinivasan and Spark, who totaled 20 and 18 digs respectively across the match, kept the Eagles alive from the back row. Eastern Michigan pushed the set to 24-24 before Buffalo scored the final two points to close out the match 26-24 and secure the 3-1 victory.
Match Notes
» Nattie Slusher recorded a career-high 14 kills Saturday, surpassing her previous best of 12 kills reached three times earlier this season (at Duquesne Sept. 4, vs. Illinois State Sept. 6, at Michigan Sept. 17). She now has 169 career kills at Eastern Michigan.
» Surabhi Srinivasan tied for the match high with 20 digs, extending her active streak of matches with 10 or more digs to eight consecutive outings dating to Sept. 17 at Michigan. She has now recorded double-digit digs in 17 of 18 matches this season.
» Kaylin Richter posted a double-double with 17 assists and 11 digs. The 11 digs are a new career high, surpassing her previous best of seven set against Central Michigan, Oct. 3, 2026.
» Lily Spark finished with a season-high 18 digs, eclipsing her previous best of 13 set against Buffalo, Oct. 9, 2026. She added nine kills and one solo block.
» Eastern Michigan registered 13 total blocks (11 solo, four assist), matching the team's output from Friday's match at Buffalo and ranking tied for third-most in a single match this season. The season high is 16 total blocks against Northern Illinois, Aug. 28.
» The Eagles recorded 77 digs on the night, the fourth-highest single-match total of the 2026 season. The season high of 84 was also set against Buffalo, Oct. 9.
» Mia Schaefer led Eastern Michigan with two service aces, bringing her season total to 19.
» Taeley Mahler recorded four kills, three solo blocks, one block assist and seven digs for 7.5 points, giving her 159 total blocks at Eastern Michigan across three seasons.
Historical Notes
» With the loss, Eastern Michigan falls to 23-14 all-time against Buffalo in 37 meetings dating to Aug. 31, 1996.
» EMU is now 10-8 all-time in road matches at Buffalo and has lost eight consecutive away meetings in the series. The Eagles' last road win in the series was a 3-2 decision Oct. 24, 2014.
» Surabhi Srinivasan now has 903 career digs at Eastern Michigan, 97 digs from reaching 1,000.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns home Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. to open a two-match series against Miami in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Follow Us
Stay up to date with Eastern Michigan volleyball by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on social media, and visit EMUEagles.com for the latest news, stats and schedules.
Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) paced the Eastern Michigan offense with a career-high 14 kills on 44 total attacks, matching the match-high and surpassing her previous best of 12 kills set three times earlier this season. Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) anchored the back row with a match-high-tying 20 digs, extending her active streak of matches with 10 or more digs to eight consecutive outings. Azra Eriç (Istanbul, Turkey/Kadir Has Anadolu lisesi/Robert Morris) was a force at the net, recording five solo blocks — a new career high — to lead all players in the match.
Kaylin Richter (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) posted a double-double with 17 assists and career-high 11 digs. Lily Spark (Christchurch, New Zealand/Christchurch Girls' School/Frontier C.C.) finished with nine kills and a season-high 18 digs. Eastern Michigan falls to 8-10 overall and 2-4 in Mid-American Conference play.
How It Happened
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan came out with its most efficient attacking performance of the night, hitting .233 on 11 kills in 30 attempts to take the opening set 25-18. Slusher was a driving force in the frame, finishing the match with 14 kills on 44 total attacks — the team's highest kill total — while Srinivasan's back-row work contributed to her match-high 20 digs across four sets. The Eagles closed out the set to take an early match lead.
SET TWO | Buffalo responded with a dominant 25-14 victory in the second set, seizing control of the match. Eastern Michigan's attack managed nine kills on 40 attempts, hitting -.025 as the Bulls capitalized with a balanced offensive effort to level the match at one set apiece.
SET THREE | Buffalo mirrored their second-set performance with another 25-14 decision, taking a 2-1 match lead. Eastern Michigan posted nine kills on 42 attempts in the frame. Eriç and Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) — who finished the match with three solo blocks and four kills — worked to keep Eastern Michigan competitive at the net, but the Bulls maintained their momentum throughout the frame.
SET FOUR | The fourth set was the most contested stretch of the match, featuring 12 tie scores and four lead changes as both teams traded points deep into the set. Eastern Michigan hit .115 on 13 kills in 52 attempts — the team's best attacking output since the opening set. Haley Trosky (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Allegheny) — who finished the match with seven kills on 28 total attacks — contributed offensively while Srinivasan and Spark, who totaled 20 and 18 digs respectively across the match, kept the Eagles alive from the back row. Eastern Michigan pushed the set to 24-24 before Buffalo scored the final two points to close out the match 26-24 and secure the 3-1 victory.
Match Notes
» Nattie Slusher recorded a career-high 14 kills Saturday, surpassing her previous best of 12 kills reached three times earlier this season (at Duquesne Sept. 4, vs. Illinois State Sept. 6, at Michigan Sept. 17). She now has 169 career kills at Eastern Michigan.
» Surabhi Srinivasan tied for the match high with 20 digs, extending her active streak of matches with 10 or more digs to eight consecutive outings dating to Sept. 17 at Michigan. She has now recorded double-digit digs in 17 of 18 matches this season.
» Kaylin Richter posted a double-double with 17 assists and 11 digs. The 11 digs are a new career high, surpassing her previous best of seven set against Central Michigan, Oct. 3, 2026.
» Lily Spark finished with a season-high 18 digs, eclipsing her previous best of 13 set against Buffalo, Oct. 9, 2026. She added nine kills and one solo block.
» Eastern Michigan registered 13 total blocks (11 solo, four assist), matching the team's output from Friday's match at Buffalo and ranking tied for third-most in a single match this season. The season high is 16 total blocks against Northern Illinois, Aug. 28.
» The Eagles recorded 77 digs on the night, the fourth-highest single-match total of the 2026 season. The season high of 84 was also set against Buffalo, Oct. 9.
» Mia Schaefer led Eastern Michigan with two service aces, bringing her season total to 19.
» Taeley Mahler recorded four kills, three solo blocks, one block assist and seven digs for 7.5 points, giving her 159 total blocks at Eastern Michigan across three seasons.
Historical Notes
» With the loss, Eastern Michigan falls to 23-14 all-time against Buffalo in 37 meetings dating to Aug. 31, 1996.
» EMU is now 10-8 all-time in road matches at Buffalo and has lost eight consecutive away meetings in the series. The Eagles' last road win in the series was a 3-2 decision Oct. 24, 2014.
» Surabhi Srinivasan now has 903 career digs at Eastern Michigan, 97 digs from reaching 1,000.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns home Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. to open a two-match series against Miami in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Follow Us
Stay up to date with Eastern Michigan volleyball by following @EMUVolleyball and @EMUAthletics on social media, and visit EMUEagles.com for the latest news, stats and schedules.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Volleyball
S/DS
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ VolleyballTeam Stats
EMU
UB
Kills
42
48
Errors
29
24
Attempts
164
160
Hitting %
.079
.150
Points
58.0
67.0
Assists
37
46
Aces
3
7
Blocks
13
12
Game Leaders
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Monday, September 07
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Thursday, September 03