Volleyball Falls to Cornell 3-1 in Hard-Fought Home Contest

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Cornell	24	25	26	25	3
Eastern Mich.	26	15	24	18	1

Cornell

Eastern Mich.

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to Cornell University at the George Gervin GameAbove Center Friday, Sept. 18.

Azra Eriç (Istanbul, Turkey/Kadir Has Anadolu lisesi/Robert Morris) was the Eagles' most efficient weapon, posting eight kills on 16 attempts with zero errors for a .500 hitting percentage while leading the match with eight total blocks, and 14.5 total points. Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) anchored the back row with a match-high 23 digs, adding four assists and 21 receptions. Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) paced the offense with 11 kills on 35 attempts, while Lina Govoni (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West) recorded a double-double with 23 assists and 13 digs.

How It Happened
SET ONE | Eastern Michigan seized the early advantage in a hard-fought opener, edging Cornell 26-24. The Eagles were down by as much as five points in the second half of the set before coming back and forcing extra points. Eastern was led by Eriç's dominating net presence with four blocks in the first set alone.

SET TWO | Cornell responded with authority, dominating the second set 25-15. The Big Red's service pressure interrupted EMU's offensive rhythm and forced reception errors, as the last time the set was tied was at 11-11.

SET THREE | The pivotal third set went to Cornell 26-24 in a tightly contested battle. Like the first set, Eriç continued to be EMU's most efficient attacker while Srinivasan and Schaefer worked to keep the Eagles in system defensively. Eastern pushed the set to extra points, coming back from being down 24-21, but the Big Red eventually closed out the set.

SET FOUR | Cornell closed out the match with a 25-18 victory in the fourth set to secure the 3-1 win. Trosky and Slusher continued to swing for Eastern, combining for 18 kills on the night, but the seven-point margin reflected a set in which Cornell controlled the net and the service line. With the match lead in hand, Cornell controlled the tempo from the opening exchanges of the set to eventually close out the match.

Game Notes
» Eastern Michigan falls to 6-6 overall with the loss, its fourth consecutive defeat.
» The Eagles' team hitting percentage of .089 (39 kills, 25 errors on 157 attempts) is a 2026 season low, eclipsing the previous low of .092 set at Duquesne Sept. 4.
» Azra Eriç led the match in total blocks with eight (three solo, five assists) and hit .500 on eight kills with zero errors — a bright spot on a night when the team struggled offensively.
» Surabhi Srinivasan recorded 23 digs to lead all players in the match, her third 20-plus dig match of the 2026 season. She now sits at 795 career digs at Eastern Michigan.
» Lina Govoni posted 23 assists and 13 digs for a double-double — her fourth double-double of the 2026 season.
» Nattie Slusher paced the offense with 11 kills, her sixth match with double-digit kills.
» Mia Schaefer (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic/Niagara) contributed 13 digs and a team-high two service aces.
» Eastern Michigan finished with 12 total blocks, tying the program's third-highest single-match total in 2026. The season high remains 16 blocks against Northern Illinois Aug. 28.

Historical Notes
» Friday's match was the first meeting in program history between Eastern Michigan and Cornell volleyball. The all-time series now stands 1-0 in favor of Cornell.
» Eastern Michigan's all-time home record stands at 370-323-13 through 706 home matches after this loss.

Up Next
Eastern opens MAC conference play Tuesday, Sept. 22, when the Eagles travel to face Central Michigan at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

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Follow Eastern Michigan volleyball on social media at @EMUVolleyball and follow EMU Athletics at @EMUAthletics for the latest news, updates and highlights throughout the 2026 season.

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Players Mentioned

Azra Eriç

Lina Govoni

Mia Schaefer

Nattie Slusher

Surabhi Srinivasan

Slusher Nattie

Eriç Azra

Trosky Haley