Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, August 28
Evansville, Ind.
10 a.m. CT (11 a.m. ET)
Eastern Michigan University
1-0,0-0MAC
3
vs
2
Northern Illinois
0-1,0-0Horizon
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NIU | 24 | 25 | 18 | 25 | 13 | 2 |
| Eastern Mich. | 26 | 16 | 25 | 23 | 15 | 3 |
Volleyball Opens 2026 Season With Doubleheader Sweep, Best Start Since 2018
8/28/2026 11:39:00 PM | Volleyball
Eagles sweep doubleheader at USI Invitational, move to 2-0 behind Salvador's double-double, Eriç's 18 blocks, and contributions from freshmen class
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team opened the 2026 season with a doubleheader sweep at the USI Invitational Friday, Aug. 28, at Liberty Arena. Eastern defeated Northern Illinois University, 3-2 (26-24, 16-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13), and the University of Southern Indiana, 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 25-23), to move to 2-0 on the year — the program's best start since 2018.
Game one belonged to Bianca Salvador (Caxias do Sul, Brazil/Campos Salles/Trinity Valley C.C.), who delivered the signature performance of the opener against Northern Illinois. The junior outside hitter posted a match-high 20 kills on a blistering .472 hitting percentage, adding 12 digs for a double-double and two aces — 22.5 total points. Anchoring the net alongside her was Azra Eriç (Istanbul, Turkey/Kadir Has Anadolu lisesi/Robert Morris), whose 11 blocks matched a career-high and rank highly in the EMU program records. Eriç added seven more block assists against Southern Indiana, compiling 18 across the doubleheader.
The freshman class announced itself immediately. Lina Govoni (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West) stepped into the primary setter role in her collegiate debut and orchestrated the five-set win over NIU with 26 assists, eight digs and an ace. Haley Trosky (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Allegheny) combined for 20 kills and 10 total blocks across both matches, capping the Southern Indiana win with the match-clinching kill in the fourth set. Maddie Herman (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) elevated from four kills and four blocks against NIU to eight kills (.294) and six block assists against Southern Indiana.
How It Happened
Match 1 — Eastern Michigan 3, Northern Illinois 2 (26-24, 16-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13)
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois traded blows in a tense opening set before the Eagles pulled away for a 26-24 win. Salvador and Eriç powered the attack while the EMU block began asserting itself at the net, setting the tone for the match.
SET TWO | Northern Illinois answered emphatically, controlling the second set from wire to wire and evening the match with a 25-16 victory. The Huskies' serving pressure created problems for the Eagles' passing unit.
SET THREE | Eastern Michigan responded with its most commanding set of the match. The Eagles dominated the third frame 25-18, with Salvador and Eriç leading the charge and the EMU block shutting down NIU's attack. The win gave EMU a 2-1 match lead and renewed momentum.
SET FOUR | Northern Illinois refused to fold. The Huskies battled back to claim the fourth set 25-23, forcing a decisive fifth.
SET FIVE | In a nail-biting fifth set, Eastern Michigan held its nerve. The Eagles built a lead and withstood a late NIU push to close out the match 15-13, with Salvador and Eriç delivering the decisive contributions. EMU out-blocked NIU 16 to nine for the match, a margin that proved decisive despite the Huskies recording two more kills (59 to 57).
Match Two — Eastern Michigan 3, Southern Indiana 1 (25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 25-23)
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan carried its momentum directly into the nightcap. The Eagles controlled the first set from the outset, with Herman's kill closing out a 25-20 win and establishing early command of the match.
SET TWO | EMU replicated the first-set margin exactly, winning 25-20 again to take a commanding 2-0 match lead. The Eagles' block wall — led by Eriç — began forcing Southern Indiana into attack errors, limiting the Screaming Eagles to a .139 team hitting percentage for the match.
SET THREE | Southern Indiana's Ashby Willis and Carley Wright kept the Screaming Eagles alive, combining for 37 kills across the match. USI took the third set 25-20 to stay in contention.
SET FOUR | Eastern Michigan and Southern Indiana were deadlocked at 22-22 in the fourth before the Eagles broke through. An opponent attack error gave EMU the edge, Julia Johnson (Champaign, Ill./St. Thomas More/High Point) followed with a clutch service ace, and Trosky delivered the match-winning kill two points later to seal the 25-23 victory and the 3-1 match win.
Doubleheader Notes
» Bianca Salvador recorded a match-high 20 kills on a .472 hitting percentage with 12 digs — a double-double — and two aces for 22.5 total points against Northern Illinois in her first career NCAA contest.
» Azra Eriç posted nine kills (.389) with 11 block assists and three aces against NIU, then added a match-high seven block assists against Southern Indiana — 18 combined across the doubleheader.
» Haley Trosky combined for 20 kills and 10 total blocks across both matches, including 11 kills (.417) and the match-clinching kill in set four against Southern Indiana in her collegiate debut. Trosky notched her first double-digit kill performance as an Eagle against USI, putting down 11 off an efficient .417 hitting percentage. She finished with a team-best 12.5 points as she has scored at least 10 in both matches this season.
» Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) posted 12 digs, five assists and one ace against NIU, then matched her career high with 27 digs against Southern Indiana. The showing marked the fifth time in her career and first time this season she's had 20+ in the category. She has led the Eagles in digs in both matches this season.
» Lina Govoni recorded 26 assists, eight digs and one ace in her collegiate debut against NIU, then added 11 assists, three digs and one ace against Southern Indiana.
» Julia Johnson contributed 16 assists, four digs and one ace against NIU, then paced all EMU setters with a career-best 18 assists and two aces against Southern Indiana, including a clutch ace late in set four. Her performances mark her first time with consecutive 10+ assists games in her collegiate career.
» Maddie Herman posted four kills (.333) and four total blocks against NIU in her collegiate debut, then elevated to eight kills (.294) and six block assists against Southern Indiana for 11.0 total points.
» Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) combined for 13 kills and 10 total blocks across the doubleheader, starting both matches.
» Mia Schaefer (Willoughby, Ohio/Niagara) contributed eight digs and one ace with a .909 reception percentage against NIU, then added 12 digs and two aces against Southern Indiana.
» Eastern Michigan out-blocked Northern Illinois 16 to nine in game one and out-blocked Southern Indiana 14 to three in game two, totaling 30 team blocks on the day. Eastern is 26-18 when out-blocking its foe under Head Coach Kevin Foeman after recording a 10-2 record when accomplishing the feat last season.
» EMU hit .221 against NIU's .205 in game one and forced Southern Indiana into 32 attack errors while limiting USI to a .139 hitting percentage in game two. EMU is 28-4 when out-hitting its opponent under Foeman.
» Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton), Herman, and Olivia Beaudrie (Monroe, Mich./St. Mary Catholic Central) each recorded career highs against USI. Slusher landed eight kills and two blocks, Herman drilled eight kills with six blocks, and Beaudrie posted eight kills, eight digs, and three blocks.
Doubleheader Historical Notes
» Eastern Michigan's 2-0 start is the program's best since 2018, when the Eagles opened with back-to-back 3-0 neutral-site wins over Fordham and Central Connecticut.
» Eastern Michigan has now started 1-0 in each of the past two seasons (2025, 2026), continuing a streak of opening-weekend wins.
» The matchup with Southern Indiana marked the first-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Southern Indiana volleyball. EMU is now 1-0 against the Screaming Eagles.
» Eastern and NIU met for the 70th time, first time as non-conference opponents, and just the third time at a neutral site. Eastern is 31-39 against NIU all-time and 1-2 when facing them at a neutral site.
» Azra Eriç's 11 blocks against NIU tie for the second-most in a five-set contest in the rally scoring era (2008-present). Additionally, her 11 block assists tie for the third-most by value in a match of any length since the programs' inception in 1976.
» With seven total blocks against NIU, Haley Trosky is the first Eagle to record seven or more blocks in her NCAA debut in the rally scoring era.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns to action Saturday, Aug. 29, facing Murray State at 11 a.m. CT (12 p.m. ET) in the final match of the USI Invitational in Evansville, Ind.
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.
Game one belonged to Bianca Salvador (Caxias do Sul, Brazil/Campos Salles/Trinity Valley C.C.), who delivered the signature performance of the opener against Northern Illinois. The junior outside hitter posted a match-high 20 kills on a blistering .472 hitting percentage, adding 12 digs for a double-double and two aces — 22.5 total points. Anchoring the net alongside her was Azra Eriç (Istanbul, Turkey/Kadir Has Anadolu lisesi/Robert Morris), whose 11 blocks matched a career-high and rank highly in the EMU program records. Eriç added seven more block assists against Southern Indiana, compiling 18 across the doubleheader.
The freshman class announced itself immediately. Lina Govoni (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West) stepped into the primary setter role in her collegiate debut and orchestrated the five-set win over NIU with 26 assists, eight digs and an ace. Haley Trosky (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Allegheny) combined for 20 kills and 10 total blocks across both matches, capping the Southern Indiana win with the match-clinching kill in the fourth set. Maddie Herman (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) elevated from four kills and four blocks against NIU to eight kills (.294) and six block assists against Southern Indiana.
How It Happened
Match 1 — Eastern Michigan 3, Northern Illinois 2 (26-24, 16-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13)
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois traded blows in a tense opening set before the Eagles pulled away for a 26-24 win. Salvador and Eriç powered the attack while the EMU block began asserting itself at the net, setting the tone for the match.
SET TWO | Northern Illinois answered emphatically, controlling the second set from wire to wire and evening the match with a 25-16 victory. The Huskies' serving pressure created problems for the Eagles' passing unit.
SET THREE | Eastern Michigan responded with its most commanding set of the match. The Eagles dominated the third frame 25-18, with Salvador and Eriç leading the charge and the EMU block shutting down NIU's attack. The win gave EMU a 2-1 match lead and renewed momentum.
SET FOUR | Northern Illinois refused to fold. The Huskies battled back to claim the fourth set 25-23, forcing a decisive fifth.
SET FIVE | In a nail-biting fifth set, Eastern Michigan held its nerve. The Eagles built a lead and withstood a late NIU push to close out the match 15-13, with Salvador and Eriç delivering the decisive contributions. EMU out-blocked NIU 16 to nine for the match, a margin that proved decisive despite the Huskies recording two more kills (59 to 57).
Match Two — Eastern Michigan 3, Southern Indiana 1 (25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 25-23)
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan carried its momentum directly into the nightcap. The Eagles controlled the first set from the outset, with Herman's kill closing out a 25-20 win and establishing early command of the match.
SET TWO | EMU replicated the first-set margin exactly, winning 25-20 again to take a commanding 2-0 match lead. The Eagles' block wall — led by Eriç — began forcing Southern Indiana into attack errors, limiting the Screaming Eagles to a .139 team hitting percentage for the match.
SET THREE | Southern Indiana's Ashby Willis and Carley Wright kept the Screaming Eagles alive, combining for 37 kills across the match. USI took the third set 25-20 to stay in contention.
SET FOUR | Eastern Michigan and Southern Indiana were deadlocked at 22-22 in the fourth before the Eagles broke through. An opponent attack error gave EMU the edge, Julia Johnson (Champaign, Ill./St. Thomas More/High Point) followed with a clutch service ace, and Trosky delivered the match-winning kill two points later to seal the 25-23 victory and the 3-1 match win.
Doubleheader Notes
» Bianca Salvador recorded a match-high 20 kills on a .472 hitting percentage with 12 digs — a double-double — and two aces for 22.5 total points against Northern Illinois in her first career NCAA contest.
» Azra Eriç posted nine kills (.389) with 11 block assists and three aces against NIU, then added a match-high seven block assists against Southern Indiana — 18 combined across the doubleheader.
» Haley Trosky combined for 20 kills and 10 total blocks across both matches, including 11 kills (.417) and the match-clinching kill in set four against Southern Indiana in her collegiate debut. Trosky notched her first double-digit kill performance as an Eagle against USI, putting down 11 off an efficient .417 hitting percentage. She finished with a team-best 12.5 points as she has scored at least 10 in both matches this season.
» Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) posted 12 digs, five assists and one ace against NIU, then matched her career high with 27 digs against Southern Indiana. The showing marked the fifth time in her career and first time this season she's had 20+ in the category. She has led the Eagles in digs in both matches this season.
» Lina Govoni recorded 26 assists, eight digs and one ace in her collegiate debut against NIU, then added 11 assists, three digs and one ace against Southern Indiana.
» Julia Johnson contributed 16 assists, four digs and one ace against NIU, then paced all EMU setters with a career-best 18 assists and two aces against Southern Indiana, including a clutch ace late in set four. Her performances mark her first time with consecutive 10+ assists games in her collegiate career.
» Maddie Herman posted four kills (.333) and four total blocks against NIU in her collegiate debut, then elevated to eight kills (.294) and six block assists against Southern Indiana for 11.0 total points.
» Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) combined for 13 kills and 10 total blocks across the doubleheader, starting both matches.
» Mia Schaefer (Willoughby, Ohio/Niagara) contributed eight digs and one ace with a .909 reception percentage against NIU, then added 12 digs and two aces against Southern Indiana.
» Eastern Michigan out-blocked Northern Illinois 16 to nine in game one and out-blocked Southern Indiana 14 to three in game two, totaling 30 team blocks on the day. Eastern is 26-18 when out-blocking its foe under Head Coach Kevin Foeman after recording a 10-2 record when accomplishing the feat last season.
» EMU hit .221 against NIU's .205 in game one and forced Southern Indiana into 32 attack errors while limiting USI to a .139 hitting percentage in game two. EMU is 28-4 when out-hitting its opponent under Foeman.
» Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton), Herman, and Olivia Beaudrie (Monroe, Mich./St. Mary Catholic Central) each recorded career highs against USI. Slusher landed eight kills and two blocks, Herman drilled eight kills with six blocks, and Beaudrie posted eight kills, eight digs, and three blocks.
Doubleheader Historical Notes
» Eastern Michigan's 2-0 start is the program's best since 2018, when the Eagles opened with back-to-back 3-0 neutral-site wins over Fordham and Central Connecticut.
» Eastern Michigan has now started 1-0 in each of the past two seasons (2025, 2026), continuing a streak of opening-weekend wins.
» The matchup with Southern Indiana marked the first-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Southern Indiana volleyball. EMU is now 1-0 against the Screaming Eagles.
» Eastern and NIU met for the 70th time, first time as non-conference opponents, and just the third time at a neutral site. Eastern is 31-39 against NIU all-time and 1-2 when facing them at a neutral site.
» Azra Eriç's 11 blocks against NIU tie for the second-most in a five-set contest in the rally scoring era (2008-present). Additionally, her 11 block assists tie for the third-most by value in a match of any length since the programs' inception in 1976.
» With seven total blocks against NIU, Haley Trosky is the first Eagle to record seven or more blocks in her NCAA debut in the rally scoring era.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns to action Saturday, Aug. 29, facing Murray State at 11 a.m. CT (12 p.m. ET) in the final match of the USI Invitational in Evansville, Ind.
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.
Players Mentioned
OH/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
OH/OPP
/ VolleyballTeam Stats
NIU
EMU
Kills
59
57
Errors
27
25
Attempts
156
145
Hitting %
.205
.221
Points
78.0
82.0
Assists
53
54
Aces
10
9
Blocks
9
16
Game Leaders
Kills
20
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
3
Blocks
11
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Wednesday, August 26
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Tuesday, August 25
Sunday, August 23