Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
6-2,0-0MAC
Montana
3-3,0-0Big Sky
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Mich. | 25 | 26 | 25 | 3 |
| Montana | 21 | 24 | 21 | 0 |
Mahler Leads Volleyball in Split at Golden Grizzly Invitational
9/11/2026 8:00:00 PM | Volleyball
Mahler had career-high 17 kills against Montana, 14 kills against UAB
ROCHESTER, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team swept the University of Montana, 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-21), at OU Credit Union O'Rena Friday, Sept. 11, powered by a nationally historic performance from Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) and a career-high effort from freshman setter Lina Govoni (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West).
Mahler was nothing short of dominant against the Grizzlies, recording a career-high 17 kills on just one attack error across 32 swings for a .500 hitting percentage, while adding four blocks and 19.0 total points. Mahler is the only player in the nation to record 17 or more kills, one attack error or fewer, a .500 hitting percentage or better, and four or more blocks in a three-set match this season. The performance surpassed her previous career high of 15 kills.
Govoni matched the moment from the setter position, distributing 31 assists while anchoring the back row with a career-high 15 digs — eclipsing her previous best of 14 set against Illinois State on Sept. 6. The double-double was her third of the 2026 season. Azra Eriç (Istanbul, Turkey/Kadir Has Anadolu lisesi/Robert Morris) added nine kills on .500 hitting with two service aces and three blocks, while Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) chipped in nine kills. Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) anchored the back row alongside Govoni with 14 digs and eight assists.
Eastern Michigan then dropped the evening match to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1-3 (21-25, 25-16, 20-25, 19-25), finishing the day 6-3 overall. Mahler led the Eagles again with 14 kills on .429 hitting and three blocks, while Govoni orchestrated the offense with 35 assists. Surabhi Srinivasan anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs, but UAB's 10 service aces — double EMU's five — and 23 Eagle attack errors proved decisive across the final three sets.
How It Happened
MATCH ONE — EMU 3, MONTANA 0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-21)
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan set the tone early, taking the opening set 25-21 behind Mahler's efficient attacking and a stifling net presence. The Eagles out-blocked Montana throughout the frame, establishing the physical advantage at the net that would define the match.
SET TWO | The second set was the match's most competitive, with Montana pushing EMU to a 26-24 finish. Eastern Michigan executed down the stretch to close out the tight set, putting the Grizzlies on the brink and preventing any momentum shift. Mahler and Maddie Herman (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) combined for eight of EMU's seven total team blocks across the match, with each finishing with four block assists.
SET THREE | Eastern Michigan closed out the sweep with a commanding 25-21 third set, mirroring the opening frame's margin. The Eagles' .238 team hitting percentage for the match was fueled by the .500 efficiency of both Mahler and Eriç, while Montana was held to a .136 clip. EMU out-blocked the Grizzlies 7.0 to 2.0 and finished with 40 team assists to Montana's 31, reflecting the superior ball distribution Govoni provided throughout.
MATCH TWO — UAB 3, EMU 1 (25-21, 25-16 EMU, 25-20, 25-19)
SET ONE | UAB came out with purpose in the evening match, taking the opening set 25-21. The Blazers applied immediate service pressure from the start — Kennedy Vaughn, who would finish with a match-high 17 kills, established herself as UAB's primary offensive weapon early, and the Blazers' service game created problems in EMU's passing system that would persist throughout the match.
SET TWO | Eastern Michigan responded with its most dominant set of the day, routing UAB 25-16 to even the match at one set apiece. The nine-point margin was the most lopsided set of either match on the day, with Mahler and Eriç continuing to attack efficiently and Govoni distributing the ball to all corners of the court. EMU's resilience was on full display, and for a moment the Eagles looked poised to take control of the match.
SET THREE | UAB steadied itself and retook control, winning the third set 25-20 to put EMU on the brink. The Blazers' service pressure proved relentless — Mia Reese and Annastiina Tarkkanen each finished with three aces, contributing to UAB's 10-5 advantage in service aces for the match — and EMU's 10 reception errors over the course of the evening made it difficult to sustain the attacking rhythm that had worked so well against Montana earlier in the day.
SET FOUR | UAB closed out the match 25-19 in the fourth set to secure a 3-1 victory. Despite out-killing UAB 47 to 44 for the match, Eastern Michigan's 23 attack errors dragged the team's hitting percentage to .183 against UAB's .211, and Makayla Meister's match-high four blocks helped UAB suppress EMU's most dangerous attackers when it mattered most. The Blazers' service advantage — 10 aces to EMU's five — proved the decisive factor across the final two sets, handing the Eagles their first loss since Sept. 6.
Match Notes
» Taeley Mahler recorded a career-high 17 kills against Montana, surpassing her previous best of 15 kills set against Kent State on Oct. 10, 2025.
» Taeley Mahler is the only player in the nation to record 17 or more kills, one attack error or fewer, a .500 hitting percentage or better, and four or more blocks in a three-set match this season.
» Taeley Mahler has now recorded 12 or more kills in three consecutive matches — the first time she has accomplished that feat in her career.
» Taeley Mahler followed her career-high performance against Montana with 14 kills on .429 hitting against UAB — the second-highest single-match kill total of her career — finishing the doubleheader with 31 combined kills.
» Lina Govoni posted a career-high 15 digs against Montana, eclipsing her previous best of 14 set against Illinois State on Sept. 6, 2026.
» Lina Govoni's 31 assists and 15 digs against Montana gave her her third double-double of the 2026 season.
» Lina Govoni distributed 35 assists against UAB — the second-highest single-match total of her 2026 season — while adding two kills, two aces and two blocks.
» Azra Eriç and Taeley Mahler each hit .500 in the Montana match — Eriç on nine kills and one error across 16 swings, Mahler on 17 kills and one error across 32 swings.
» Azra Eriç added 10 kills on .304 hitting and three blocks against UAB, combining for 19 kills across the doubleheader.
» Maddie Herman tied Taeley Mahler for the team lead with four block assists against Montana.
» Surabhi Srinivasan recorded 14 digs and eight assists against Montana, then led all players with 17 digs against UAB, combining for 31 digs across the doubleheader.
» Nattie Slusher contributed nine kills against Montana and 10 kills against UAB, combining for 19 kills on the day.
» Mia Schaefer (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic/Niagara) handled 17 serve receptions against UAB without an error, posting a perfect 1.000 reception percentage.
» Eastern Michigan out-blocked Montana 7.0 to 2.0 and out-hit the Grizzlies .238 to .136 in the sweep.
» EMU out-killed UAB 47 to 44 in the second match but committed 23 attack errors, holding the Eagles to a .183 hitting percentage against UAB's .211.
» UAB held a 10-5 advantage in service aces against EMU, with Mia Reese and Annastiina Tarkkanen each recording three.
» EMU entered the Golden Grizzlies Invitational ranked No. 24 nationally in blocks per set (2.77) and sixth nationally in team total blocks (72.0).
» Eastern Michigan stands at 6-3 overall and 0-0 in MAC play entering Saturday, Sept. 12.
Historical Notes
» Eastern Michigan leads the all-time series against Montana 3-0, with the three meetings spanning 1997, 2021 and 2026.
» Taeley Mahler has recorded 12 or more kills in three consecutive matches for the first time in her career.
» EMU's all-time neutral-site record stands at 176-145-3 across 324 games over 51 seasons (1976-2026).
» Eastern Michigan's all-time series against UAB now stands at 2-1-0 following Friday's loss — the first meeting between the programs since Sept. 16, 2000, a gap of 26 years. Both of EMU's previous wins over UAB were 3-0 sweeps, in Knoxville, Tenn. (Sept. 19, 1987) and Portland, Ore. (Sept. 16, 2000).
Up Next
Eastern Michigan concludes the Golden Grizzlies Invitational Saturday, Sept. 12, facing the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at 3 p.m. at OU Credit Union O'Rena in Rochester, Mich.
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