Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, October 15
Ypsilanti, Mich.
6 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
8-11,2-5MAC
1
vs
3
Miami
13-5,5-2MAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami (OH) | 17 | 25 | 29 | 26 | 3 |
| Eastern Mich. | 25 | 23 | 27 | 24 | 1 |
Photo by: Joey Wolter
Volleyball Posts Season-High 18 Blocks in Hard-Fought 3-1 Loss to Miami
10/15/2026 9:24:00 PM | Volleyball
Career highs from Herman, Srinivasan, Slusher and Richter highlight a hard-fought four-set effort
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team fell to Miami University, 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 27-29, 24-26), at the George Gervin GameAbove Center Thursday, Oct. 15, in a grueling four-set MAC contest that featured record-setting blocking, extraordinary floor defense and career-best performances from multiple Eagles.
Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) paced Eastern Michigan offensively with a career-high 15 kills and 18.5 points, hitting .200 with two service aces and nine digs. Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) registered a kills-blocks double-double, posting 13 kills at a .297 clip alongside a career-high 10 total blocks. Maddie Herman (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) led all players in the match with 11 total blocks, also a career high, while contributing five kills.
Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) anchored the back row with a career-high 31 digs, adding two service aces and eight assists. Kaylin Richter (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) posted career highs in both assists (21) and digs (28) from the setter position, recording her third career double-double. Lina Govoni (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West) split setting duties and contributed 18 assists and 13 digs for an assists-digs double-double. AshleeKay Christensen (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) rounded out EMU's double-double performances with 11 kills and 10 digs.
How It Happened
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan came out with purpose in the opening frame, controlling the set from wire to wire to claim a 25-17 victory and a 1-0 match lead. The Eagles' 8-point margin of victory was the largest of the night and the most dominant set performance of the match, with Slusher and Mahler leading the offensive charge, and the EMU hitting .289 as a team. The blocking unit was active early with six total blocks, and EMU's net presence set the tone for what would become an 18-block night.
SET TWO | Miami answered with a tightly contested second set, edging Eastern Michigan 25-23 to level the match at 1-1. The RedHawks steadied their offense and capitalized on service pressure to shift momentum. EMU battled throughout, with Srinivasan and Richter combining for a combined 59 digs on the night — both on their way to career-high performances — keeping the Eagles in every rally. Both teams were held to a hitting percentage of less than .100, as the RedHawks (12) closed out the set with two more kills than the Eagles (10).
SET THREE | The match's third set unfolded into an extended thriller, with both teams trading points deep into extra scoring. Eastern Michigan pushed Miami to 27 points before the RedHawks pulled away 29-27, claiming a 2-1 match advantage. The Eagles' blocking wall — led by Herman's 11 total blocks and Mahler's 10 — kept EMU competitive throughout, and the Green and White out-blocked Miami 18-7 for the match.
SET FOUR | The Eagles forced another extra-points set in the fourth. Christensen's kills-digs double-double and Mahler's .297 hitting efficiency on the night gave EMU consistent offensive weapons as Eastern Michigan pushed Miami to 24 before the RedHawks closed it out 26-24 to clinch the match 3-1.
Match Notes
» Eastern Michigan falls to 8-11 overall and 2-5 in MAC play with the loss.
» The Eagles posted a 2026 season-high 18.0 total blocks against Miami, tied for the third-highest single-match block total in the box score era at EMU (since 2012).
» EMU's 102 digs against Miami represent a 2026 season high, topping the previous of 84 set at Buffalo, Oct. 9.
» Nattie Slusher recorded a career high in kills (15) and 18.5 points against Miami.
» Taeley Mahler set a career high at Eastern Michigan with 10 total blocks, surpassing her previous best of six set against Indiana State Sept. 20, 2024. She also recorded 13 kills (.297) for a kills-blocks double-double.
» Maddie Herman led all players in the match with 11 total blocks (all block assists), a career high at EMU. Her previous best was seven, set against Illinois State Sept. 6, 2026.
» Surabhi Srinivasan posted a career-high 31 digs, eclipsing her previous best of 27. The performance pushes her career dig total to 934.
» Kaylin Richter set career highs in assists (21) and digs (28), recording her third career double-double.
» Olivia Stewart (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) recorded a career-high seven total blocks, including EMU's only two solo blocks of the match.
» AshleeKay Christensen posted a kills-digs double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs over four sets.
» Lina Govoni notched an assists-digs double-double with 18 assists and 13 digs splitting setting duties.
» Four EMU players recorded double-doubles on the night: Richter, Mahler, Christensen and Govoni.
» EMU out-blocked Miami 18.0 to 7.0.
Historical Notes
» The all-time series between Eastern Michigan and Miami University now stands at 22-45 in favor of Miami. EMU is 13-23 all-time at home against the RedHawks.
» Eastern Michigan's 18.0 total blocks against Miami are tied for the third-highest single-match block total in the box score era at EMU (since 2012), trailing only 21 blocks (vs. Valparaiso, Aug. 31, 2024) and 19 blocks (vs. Miami, Oct. 5, 2024).
» Maddie Herman's 11-block night is tied for the third-highest individual single-match blocking performance in EMU's box score era (since 2012).
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns to action Friday, Oct. 16, hosting Miami University again at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Mich., at 6 p.m.
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 Eastern Michigan offensively with a career-high 15 kills and 18.5 points, hitting .200 with two service aces and nine digs. Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) registered a kills-blocks double-double, posting 13 kills at a .297 clip alongside a career-high 10 total blocks. Maddie Herman (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) led all players in the match with 11 total blocks, also a career high, while contributing five kills.
Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) anchored the back row with a career-high 31 digs, adding two service aces and eight assists. Kaylin Richter (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) posted career highs in both assists (21) and digs (28) from the setter position, recording her third career double-double. Lina Govoni (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West) split setting duties and contributed 18 assists and 13 digs for an assists-digs double-double. AshleeKay Christensen (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) rounded out EMU's double-double performances with 11 kills and 10 digs.
How It Happened
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan came out with purpose in the opening frame, controlling the set from wire to wire to claim a 25-17 victory and a 1-0 match lead. The Eagles' 8-point margin of victory was the largest of the night and the most dominant set performance of the match, with Slusher and Mahler leading the offensive charge, and the EMU hitting .289 as a team. The blocking unit was active early with six total blocks, and EMU's net presence set the tone for what would become an 18-block night.
SET TWO | Miami answered with a tightly contested second set, edging Eastern Michigan 25-23 to level the match at 1-1. The RedHawks steadied their offense and capitalized on service pressure to shift momentum. EMU battled throughout, with Srinivasan and Richter combining for a combined 59 digs on the night — both on their way to career-high performances — keeping the Eagles in every rally. Both teams were held to a hitting percentage of less than .100, as the RedHawks (12) closed out the set with two more kills than the Eagles (10).
SET THREE | The match's third set unfolded into an extended thriller, with both teams trading points deep into extra scoring. Eastern Michigan pushed Miami to 27 points before the RedHawks pulled away 29-27, claiming a 2-1 match advantage. The Eagles' blocking wall — led by Herman's 11 total blocks and Mahler's 10 — kept EMU competitive throughout, and the Green and White out-blocked Miami 18-7 for the match.
SET FOUR | The Eagles forced another extra-points set in the fourth. Christensen's kills-digs double-double and Mahler's .297 hitting efficiency on the night gave EMU consistent offensive weapons as Eastern Michigan pushed Miami to 24 before the RedHawks closed it out 26-24 to clinch the match 3-1.
Match Notes
» Eastern Michigan falls to 8-11 overall and 2-5 in MAC play with the loss.
» The Eagles posted a 2026 season-high 18.0 total blocks against Miami, tied for the third-highest single-match block total in the box score era at EMU (since 2012).
» EMU's 102 digs against Miami represent a 2026 season high, topping the previous of 84 set at Buffalo, Oct. 9.
» Nattie Slusher recorded a career high in kills (15) and 18.5 points against Miami.
» Taeley Mahler set a career high at Eastern Michigan with 10 total blocks, surpassing her previous best of six set against Indiana State Sept. 20, 2024. She also recorded 13 kills (.297) for a kills-blocks double-double.
» Maddie Herman led all players in the match with 11 total blocks (all block assists), a career high at EMU. Her previous best was seven, set against Illinois State Sept. 6, 2026.
» Surabhi Srinivasan posted a career-high 31 digs, eclipsing her previous best of 27. The performance pushes her career dig total to 934.
» Kaylin Richter set career highs in assists (21) and digs (28), recording her third career double-double.
» Olivia Stewart (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) recorded a career-high seven total blocks, including EMU's only two solo blocks of the match.
» AshleeKay Christensen posted a kills-digs double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs over four sets.
» Lina Govoni notched an assists-digs double-double with 18 assists and 13 digs splitting setting duties.
» Four EMU players recorded double-doubles on the night: Richter, Mahler, Christensen and Govoni.
» EMU out-blocked Miami 18.0 to 7.0.
Historical Notes
» The all-time series between Eastern Michigan and Miami University now stands at 22-45 in favor of Miami. EMU is 13-23 all-time at home against the RedHawks.
» Eastern Michigan's 18.0 total blocks against Miami are tied for the third-highest single-match block total in the box score era at EMU (since 2012), trailing only 21 blocks (vs. Valparaiso, Aug. 31, 2024) and 19 blocks (vs. Miami, Oct. 5, 2024).
» Maddie Herman's 11-block night is tied for the third-highest individual single-match blocking performance in EMU's box score era (since 2012).
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns to action Friday, Oct. 16, hosting Miami University again at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Mich., at 6 p.m.
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
OH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Volleyball
S/DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballTeam Stats
Miami
EMU
Kills
61
54
Errors
36
20
Attempts
211
187
Hitting %
.118
.182
Points
75.0
76.0
Assists
56
50
Aces
7
4
Blocks
7
18
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
2
Blocks
3
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
10
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Monday, September 07
Monday, September 07
Saturday, September 05
Thursday, September 03