Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
7-7,1-1MAC
Ohio
8-4,1-0MAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 3 |
| Eastern Mich. | 16 | 19 | 26 | 22 | 1 |
Volleyball Takes Third Set, Falls to Ohio
9/25/2026 7:30:00 PM | Volleyball
Herman records eight kills on 17 swings
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team fell to Ohio University, 1-3 (16-25, 19-25, 26-24, 22-25), Friday, Sept. 25, at Gervin GameAbove Center, dropping to 7-7 overall and 1-1 in MAC play.
Eastern showed resilience after a difficult two-set start, rallying in the third set to extend the match before Ohio closed out the fourth. Nattie Slusher (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) paced the offense with a team-high 11 kills and 11.5 points, while Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) added 10 kills on an efficient .308 hitting percentage. Maddie Herman (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community) was the team's most efficient attacker, posting eight kills on zero errors in 17 swings for a .471 hitting percentage. Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) anchored the defense with a match-high 21 digs and the team's only service ace, while Lina Govoni (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West) distributed 35 assists to coordinate the EMU attack. Azra Eriç (Istanbul, Turkey/Kadir Has Anadolu lisesi/Robert Morris) chipped in eight kills and two block assists for nine points.
How It Happened
SET ONE | Ohio controlled the opening set from the start, outhitting Eastern Michigan .207 to .062. The Eagles managed eight kills in the frame, and Srinivasan's back-row defense kept EMU in system throughout, helping the Green and White score 16 points despite heavy serving pressure from Ohio. The Bobcats built a comfortable advantage and closed out the set, 25-16.
SET TWO | The second set proved even more difficult offensively for EMU, as the Green and White hit .000 on six kills and six errors — the first time in the 2026 season Eastern hit at or below .000 in a set. Even so, Govoni kept the offense moving by distributing 35 assists across the match, and Srinivasan provided the team's only service ace of the night. EMU still managed 19 points in the frame before Ohio won 25-19 to take a 2-0 match lead.
SET THREE | Down two sets, Eastern found its rhythm and delivered its best offensive performance of the night. The Eagles posted 15 kills on just four errors for a .289 hitting percentage, matching Ohio's kill total in the set. Mahler's efficient attack at .308 and Herman's errorless swings powered the surge, as EMU fought off Ohio's attempts to close it out and captured the set 26-24, forcing a fourth frame and showing the offensive capability the team carries when playing clean volleyball.
SET FOUR | Eastern carried its offensive momentum into the fourth set, hitting .277 with 17 kills and four errors — the second-best offensive set of the match. Slusher's team-high 11 kills for the match and Eriç's eight kills provided consistent offense, while Herman led the team with three block assists at the net. Ohio, however, responded with 18 kills on a .304 clip and closed out the match 25-22, ending EMU's bid to extend to a fifth set. Ohio's serving pressure — nine aces on the night to EMU's one — proved too much to overcome.
Match Notes
» Maddie Herman posted eight kills on zero errors in 17 swings for a .471 hitting percentage, a career high at Eastern Michigan. She also led the team with three block assists and finished with 9.5 points.
» Surabhi Srinivasan led all players in the match with 21 digs, extending her active streak of matches with 10 or more digs to four consecutive contests. She also provided the team's only service ace.
» Nattie Slusher paced the EMU offense with 11 kills and 11.5 points. Her 11 kills were one shy of her 2026 season high of 12.
» Taeley Mahler recorded 10 kills on a .308 hitting percentage with two block assists and four digs, finishing with 11 points.
» Azra Eriç contributed eight kills, two block assists and three assists for nine points. She now has 84 kills and 62 blocks in her first season at Eastern Michigan.
» Lina Govoni distributed 35 assists — matching her second-highest single-match total of the 2026 season — along with seven digs and a block assist.
» EMU's 65 digs tied the second-highest single-match total of the 2026 season, also recorded against Southern Indiana on Aug. 28.
» Eastern Michigan hit .289 in set three and .277 in set four after hitting .062 and .000 in the first two sets.
» The match was played in front of 229 fans at Gervin GameAbove Center and lasted two hours and one minute.
» EMU recorded just one service ace, a 2026 season low. Ohio recorded nine service aces in the match.
Historical Notes
» The all-time series between Eastern Michigan and Ohio University now stands at 20-43 in favor of Ohio across 63 meetings since 1980.
» The loss prevented EMU from opening MAC play 2-0 for the first time since 2018, when the Eagles won at Central Michigan and at home against Kent State to begin conference play.
» Eastern Michigan is 1-4 in the 2026 season when the opponent records nine or more service aces.
» Surabhi Srinivasan's 21-dig effort is her fourth-highest single-match total in her career at Eastern Michigan. Her career dig total at EMU now stands at 831.
Up Next
Eastern hits the road for its next MAC contest, traveling to face Western Michigan University Friday, Oct. 2, in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Follow Us
Follow Eastern Michigan volleyball on social media at @EMUVolleyball and follow all Eagles athletics at @EMUAthletics. For the latest news, schedules and information, visit (EMUEagles.com).
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