Mario Bautista
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Off to its first 2-0 start in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play since 2018, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will travel north to face rival Central Michigan University, at McGurik Arena, in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. Tuesday, Oct. 1, 6 p.m.
Fans can follow along with the action using the watch and live stats link that can be found on the EMU volleyball schedule page. Fans can also follow the team’s social media accounts on X, Instagram, and Facebook @EMUVolleyball for live in-match updates. A post-match recap will also be posted to EMUEagles.com following Friday and Saturday’s action.
ALL-TIME AGAINST CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Eastern and Central will meet for the 100th time on Tuesday. Overall, the Eagles hold a 31-68 all-time record against the Chippewas, and a 15-28 record when facing them in Mt. Pleasant. Central has controlled the series as of late, as Eastern has lost eight of the last 10 matches, including seven consecutive. The Eagles have not beaten the Chippewas since the COVID-adjusted 2020 season, when they bested CMU in five sets in Mt. Pleasant, March 16, 2021. Additionally, Eastern has not swept Central since the 2019 season, Nov. 7.
LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Eastern fell in five sets in both matches to Central Michigan last season, Sept. 26, Nov. 13. Ava Siefke recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 16 digs in the first match of the season, while former Eagles Callie Minshew and Elle McLoughlin also posted double-doubles, Sept. 26. Later in the season, Nov. 13, Minshew tabbed the 1,000th kill of her career, as she drilled 31 in the match, a figure that ranks tied for ninth in program history for a single match.
HIGH IN THE NATIONAL STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top-50 in the national standings in six statistical categories, including standing second in the nation (first in the MAC) in total blocks with 160.5, and ninth in America in team assists (665).
Category Rank Figure
Total Blocks 2nd 160.5
Team Assists 9th 665
Team Kills 12th 708
Total Attacks 13th 2,052
Total Digs 15th 892
Blocks Per Set 39th 2.5
HIGH IN THE MAC STANDINGS
Eastern ranks in the top four in the MAC standings in eight statistical categories, including slotting first in four of them.
Category Rank Figure
Points 1st 964.5
Total Attacks 1st 2,052
Total Blocks 1st 160.5
Blocks Per Set 1st 2.58
Total Digs 2nd 892
Total Kills 3rd 708
Total Assists 3rd 665
Total Aces 4th 96
OPENING MAC PLAY WITH A WIN
The Eagles opened MAC play with a five-set win over Kent State, Sept. 26, in reverse sweep fashion. Prior to the win over KSU, the Eagles last won a conference-opening match in the 2018 season, when they topped rivals Central Michigan on the road in four sets, 3-1, Sept. 20, 2018.
OFF TO A HOT START
Friday’s win over the Golden Flashes improved the Eagles’ record to 2-0 in MAC play. The program had not started 2-0 in conference play since 2018, when it bested Central Michigan, Sept. 20, and Kent State, Sept. 22, to open the conference portion of the schedule. 2018 is also the last time the Eagles hoisted a MAC trophy, as they won the tournament championship that season. The program has not seen a 3-0 start in MAC play since 2010, when it beat Central Michigan, Kent State, and Toledo to start conference competition.
REVERSE SWEEP
After losing the first two sets to the Golden Flashes, Sept. 26, the Eagles went on to win the next three frames, marking the programs first reverse sweep under Head Coach Kevin Foeman, and first since it came back to win against Montana, 3-2, in the final match of the 2021 College of Charleston Invitational, Aug. 28.
ALL THE SWEEPS
After pulling off the reverse sweep against KSU Sept. 26, 3-2, and sweeping it in straight sets, Sept. 27, 3-0. The Eagles pulled off a reverse sweep, immediately followed by a sweep in straight sets for the first time since 2014. That season, the Eagles executed the reverse sweep against Buffalo, Oct. 24, before sweeping Akron the next day, Oct. 25.
BLANEY 1K DIGS
With 27 digs in the win over Kent State, Sept. 26, Hannah Blaney reached the 1,000 career digs mark.
BLANEY: MAC INDIVIDUAL MATCH-HIGH IN DIGS
Hannah Blaney recorded 27 digs against Kent State, Sept. 26, and 23 against the Golden Flashes the next day, Sept. 27. Her 23 digs against KSU, Sept. 27, stand as the most in a three-set match in the MAC this season, while her 27 the day prior are the second-most in a match in the conference.
MOST ACES UNDER FOEMAN
Eastern tabbed 11 aces against Kent State, Sept. 26, marking the most under Foeman. Prior to the match against the Golden Flashes, EMU last had 11 or more aces against Ball State (12) in the 2021 season, Nov. 12.
WELKER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Freshman Hatteras Welker was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week, Sept. 23. Welker was a beast up front for the Eagles in three matches, Sept. 16-21. The conference’s leader in total blocks (eighth in the nation – 67), Welker notched 18 of them, averaging an even two per set, as Eastern posted a 2-1 record in matches she played in. The freshman also showcased efficient offense, smacking 14 kills off 25 swings for a .520 hitting percentage. She set a career-best with nine kills and a .692 percentage against Indiana State. Her .692 clip that day stands as the second-best in a single match in the conference this season. She also did work from behind the serve line, landing four aces. Overall, Welker scored 27.0 points for EMU, averaging three per set. The honor marked the first for the Eagles this season, as well as the first of Welker’s career. Eastern last won the award when former Eagle Emma McMahon earned the nod, Nov. 13, 2023.
AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: 2024 WIN TOTAL
Eastern’s sweep over Kent State, Sept. 27, marked its eighth win of the season. Eastern initially surpassed its win total from the 2023 season (five) with a sweep over Saint Francis (Pa.), Sept. 21.
FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER FOEMAN
The Eagles tallied more kills, assists, digs, and blocks than Evansville, Sept. 13, marking the first time they have done so in the Foeman era and first time since the 2022 season. EMU would accomplish the feat again later that day against Morehead State, marking the first time the program has done so in consecutive games since it did it against Norfolk State University and Savannah State University, at the William & Mary Colonial Classic, Sept. 7-8, 2018.
RECENT CAREER-HIGHS
Taylor Smith posted career-highs in aces (three), and kills (three), against Kent State, Sept. 26, before recording a career-best 21 assists against the Golden Flashes, Sept. 27. Anna Guard and Hannah Blaney joined her with career-highs in the match. Guard landed four digs and grabbed seven digs, while Blaney went down for 27 digs.
SEASON-LONG CAREER-HIGHS
Eastern has six players that have already set season-long career-highs through 16 matches this season.
Name Stat Figure Prior Best
M. Stayer Assists 212 67 (2023)
M. Stayer SA 8 7 (2023)
E. Voorhees Digs 138 104 (2023)
E. Voorhees Assists 284 254 (2023)
A. Siefke SA 25 12 (2023)
A. Siefke TB 27 23 (2023)
K. Bonney Kills 128 34 (2023)
K. Bonney Digs 42 32 (2023)
K. Bonney TB 36 18 (2023)
K. Bonney Points 147.5 111 (2023)
K. Bonney Assists 3 1 (2023)
H. Blaney Kills 3 1 (2023)
E. Grasson SA 5 4 (2023)
NATIONALLY RANKED: HATTERAS WELKER BLOCKS
Leading the Eagles’ defense up front is Hatteras Welker. Welker is ranked 10th in the country in total blocks, and first in the MAC with 67 denials in 2024. Welker also ranks high in blocks per set, standing 46th nationally and first in the MAC (1.31). She set a career-best with 11 rejections against IU-Indy, Aug. 30. Welker most recently swatted two against St. Francis, Sept. 21.
NATIONALLY RANKED: AVA SIEFKE SERVICE ACES
Sophomore Ava Siefke has been lethal from behind the serve line this season. She has recorded 25 service aces this season, a figure that ranks her 34th in the nation and second in the MAC, she also ranks highly in the conference in aces per set, standing fifth (0.40). Siefke has led the Eagles in the category in 7-of-16 matches this season, and matched a career-best with four aces in the season-opener against SIU-Edwardsville, Aug. 30.
NATIONALLY RANKED: HANNAH BLANEY DIGS
Senior Hannah Blaney ranks 10th in the nation and second in the MAC in total digs with 258 on the season. She recently set a career-best with 27 against Kent State, Sept. 26. Furthermore, her 27 that match stand as the second-most from an individual in a single match in the conference this season. She posted 23 in the sweep over the Golden Flashes, Sept. 27, the most in a three-set contest in the MAC in 2024.
MAC SINGLE-MATCH HIGH IN BLOCKS
Eastern tabbed 21 total blocks to Valparaiso’s five in the 3-1 victory, Aug. 31. The Eagles also hold the second and third-highest block totals in the league having recorded 17.5 against Indiana State, Sept. 20, and 17 versus IU-Indy Aug. 30.
BAYLARK: FOUR-SET MATCH BLOCKS RECORD
Angel Baylark excelled in front of the net defensively in the 3-1 win over Valparaiso, Aug. 31. The graduate student totaled 12 blocks (one solo, 11 assisted), setting an EMU four-set match record in the category while also marking a career-high.
VOORHEES’ DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Ella Voorhees recorded consecutive double-doubles for the first time in her career with 29 assists and 14 digs against IU-Indy, Aug. 30, and 24 assists and 16 digs versus Valparaiso, Aug. 31. Voorhees has tabbed a double-double in one third of EMU’s matches this season (6-of-18). Her six double-doubles in 2024 lead the team.
OUT-HITTING OPPONENTS
EMU out-hit KSU, .176 to .085. This instance marked the ninth time Eastern has done so this season, it is now 7-2 in such games. Overall, the Eagles are 11-4 under Foeman when out-hitting their foe.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DOCTOR
First-year Eagle Kaili Doctor stands third on the team in kills with 118 on the season. Doctor has reached double-digit figures in the category in eight of her 10 matches this season. She has the most games of double-digit kills of any Eagle thus far. Last season with North Carolina A&T, Doctor posted 11 games with 10+ kills on her way to winning CAA Rookie of the Year. Her 23-kill performance against Evansville, Sept. 13, stands as the fourth-most in the MAC.
TAELEY MAHLER: HOMECOMING WEEKEND
Ft. Wayne, Ind., native Taeley Mahler had a productive homecoming weekend at the Purdue Ft. Wayne Invitational, Sept. 20-21. Mahler recorded career-highs with eight kills and 10 points, marking her first time notching double-digit points while also leading the team in points and kills against Indiana State, Sept. 21. After the tournament, Mahler was named to the all-tournament team, the first time in her career earning such an accolade. She posted 18 kills on a .395 hitting percentage to go with 12 blocks, equaling out to 24 points in the three matches.
ABBY STANFORD: ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Along with Mahler, Abby Stanford also earned all-tournament recognition following the PFW Invite. She drilled 17 kills on a .410 clip with one assist, three digs, and 11 blocks for 22.5 points.
TOURNAMENT CHAMPS x2
The Eagles were named Comfort Inn Invitational Co-Champions, Sept. 14, as they posted a 2-1 record at the tournament with wins over Evansville and host Morehead State, Sept. 13, before falling in five sets to Duquesne, Sept. 14. The tournament marks the second that the Eagles have won this season, as they previously won it all at the Hampton Inn Invitational, Aug. 31.
TOURNAMENT MVP: ELLA VOORHEES
After totaling double-digit assists in all three contests, including two matches with a assists/digs double-double, first-year Eagle Ella Voorhees was named the Hampton Inn Invitational MVP, Aug. 31. She was also named to the all-tournament team. Moreover, Voorhees is one of four Eagles to achieve a double-double this season, and she has led the team in assists in 11-of-16 matches.
ALL-TOURNEY HONORS: HAMPTON INN INVITE
Joining Ella Voorhees as an all-tournament honoree at the Hampton Inn Invitational was another first-year Eagle, Hannah Blaney. Blaney notched three straight matches with double-digit digs, with her most coming against IU-Indy (24), Aug. 30. The Saline, Mich., native has the most digs on the team (258) and also leads in digs per set (4.16).
MORE DIGS + MORE BLOCKS = MORE DUBS
Six of EMU’S eight wins this season have come when out-digging and out-blocking its opponent. Eastern recently went against the grain, as it recorded its first two wins of the season without both out-digging and out-blocking its opponent. EMU was out-dug in its win over Kent State, 70-66, Sept. 26, before it was out-blocked in a sweep over KSU, 10-6, Sept. 27. Prior, EMU out-dug and out-blocked its foe in its previous six victories.
FOUR-SET WINNERS
Eastern won a four-set match against Indiana State, Sept. 20, marking their third four-set win of the season, as they previously beat Morehead State in four sets, Sept. 13. EMU is 3-0 in four set matches this season.
BACK-TO-BACK WINS
With consecutive wins over Kent State, Sept. 26-27, Eastern has secured back-to-back victories for the fourth time this season and fifth time in the Foeman era. EMU’s wins over Kent State marked its second occurrence of consecutive MAC wins under Foeman. Last season, the Eagles notched consecutive wins over a MAC foe for the first time in the Foeman era against the Golden Flashes, Nov. 10-11.
UP NEXT
Eastern will return home to host Miami University for its first set of home conference matches this season Friday-Saturday, Oct. 4-5. Friday’s match will start at 6 p.m., while Saturday’s will begin at 3 p.m.
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
