Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, November 10
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
8-20, 3-12MAC
2
vs
3
Central Michigan
10-17, 4-11MAC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Central Michigan
25
22
25
24
15
3
Eastern Michigan
14
25
20
26
13
2
Photo by: Andy Drabic
Volleyball Drops Five-Set Heart-Breaker to CMU
11/10/2016 9:42:00 PM | Volleyball
Jordan Smith posted a career-high 24 kills
Highlights
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's volleyball team fell in a five-set heart-breaker Thursday night, Nov. 10, against the Central Michigan University Chippewas. The Eagles (8-20, 3-12 MAC) fought all the way through to force a decisive fifth set, but a late rally from the Chippewas (10-17, 4-11 MAC) was too much for the Green and White to overcome as it fell, 3-2.
As a team, the Eagles had a solid offensive performance, as the squad hit at a .275 clip with a total of 67 kills. Sophomore Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa – Solon) had a career day, erupting for a career-best 24 kills to lead the team. Behind her, senior Devon Murray (Shelby, Ohio – Shelby) nearly notched 20 kills as well, ultimately picking up 18. Freshman Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind. – Perry Meridian) notched 48 on the day, as the Eagles' primary setter. On the defensive end, sophomore Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich. – Allen Park) finished with 14 digs, while Taylor had nine and a pair of Eagles had eight each.
Both teams kept it close in the early goings, as neither were able to build more than a one-point lead. At the six-point mark, the set remained tied at three apiece. Although the Eagles picked up a quick point, Central went on a short run to go ahead by three, 7-4. With the Chips leading 8-4, Smith came up with a big kill to halt the run and reduce the deficit to three. From there, the momentum continued in favor of EMU, as the team pulled within one, 8-7, before CMU regained the lead, 11-9. Eastern went ahead, 12-11, before the Chippewas tied it back up at 12. After Central picked up three consecutive points to regain the lead, 15-12, EMU took a timeout to regroup. The Chips continued their attack following the break, opening a six-point lead, 18-12. Murray put a stop to the run with a kill to bring the score to 19-13. However, CMU rattled off six more points to take the first set, 25-14.
The second set began with CMU tallying two early points, but the Eagles responded with one of their own. The Chips picked up two more, but Eastern then nabbed another to remain within two, 4-2. Central remained hot on the offensive end, picking up three more points to open a five-point lead, 7-2. Eastern found some momentum, rattling off four straight to pull within one, 8-7. From there, EMU kept it close, remaining behind by just one point, 10-9. The Chips got rolling from that point, regaining a four-point lead, 14-10, but once again, EMU halted the run. With the score standing at 15-11, the Eagles elected to take a timeout. Although CMU maintained the lead, the Eagle offense began to wake up, pulling within three, 17-14. The squad continued fighting, as the score stood at 18-17 following a kill from Smith. Eastern was finally able to tie the set at 18, which forced the Chippewas to call a timeout. Following the short break, CMU picked up a quick point, but then gave it right back to keep the set knotted up at 19. From that point, the Chips notched three straight to force another EMU timeout. The Green and White then regained the momentum, tallying three straight to tie it up again at 22. Eastern was then able to rattle off three more to win the set, 25-22, and tie it up at one set apiece.
Eastern struck first in the third set, opening a quick 2-0 lead over the Chips. Eastern continued to hold the lead with the score standing at 5-3. Central was finally able to pull within one, 7-6, but were unable to tie it up, as EMU remained ahead by two, 8-6. The Eagles continued to lead, however back-to-back aces by the Chips gave Central an 11-10 lead. They didn't have the lead long, however, as EMU tied it back up again on the very next point. From that point, Central Michigan began to build some momentum and took over the lead, 15-13, forcing an EMU timeout. The Eagles tied it back up again at 16, after which CMU took the lead once again. After going ahead by three, 20-17, Eastern used another timeout as the end of the third set approached. The Eagles then responded by notching three straight to pull within one, 21-20, this time forcing a CMU timeout. However, Central rattles off five straight to take the set, 25-20, and lead the match, 2-1.
The fourth set kicked off in the same way as the third, as the Eagles were the first to strike. The squad kept things rolling in the early goings, opening a 5-2 lead through seven points. Eastern capped their lead at six, 8-2, before the CMU finally picked up a point of their own. However, the Eagles then went on a run and opened a seven-point lead, 11-4. A big block from Murray and Smith kept things rolling, with the Green and White holding a 15-8 lead. Central would not go down without a fight however, rattling off four straight to pull within three, 15-12. Following an EMU timeout, the Chips kept up the attack, pulling within one, 15-14. Central continued rolling, as they regained the lead, 18-16, forcing another EMU timeout. Eastern came out of the timeout firing, as the team tied it up at 18. The teams continued trading points, as the score remained tied at 20. Smith broke the tie with another clutch kill, giving the Eagles a slim one-point lead, 21-20. Despite a late rally from the Chips that tied it up at 24, the Eagles were able to hold on and win the set, 26-24, to force a deciding fifth set.
Central got on the board first, but the Green and White promptly tied it up at one. From there, the team picked up three more to go ahead 4-1 before the Chips were able to score a point of their own. After being tied at four, Murray came through with another kill to get the lead back. A clutch ace gave the Eagles a two-point lead, 8-6, after which the Eagles were able to go up by three, 10-7. The Green and White kept it rolling from there, going ahead 12-7 to force a CMU timeout. Central continued to battle, tallying three straight to pull within two, 12-10. After an EMU timeout, a long rally between the two squads came up in Eastern's favor, putting the team just two points away from victory. However, like they had done all match long, the Chippewas fought back with three straight to even things up at 13. The Chippewas were then able to pick up the final two points of the match to take the final set, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
The Eagles close out the regular season this weekend with a Saturday, Nov. 12, match against the Kent State Golden Flashes. The match is slated to begin at 5 p.m. within the Convocation Center.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's volleyball team fell in a five-set heart-breaker Thursday night, Nov. 10, against the Central Michigan University Chippewas. The Eagles (8-20, 3-12 MAC) fought all the way through to force a decisive fifth set, but a late rally from the Chippewas (10-17, 4-11 MAC) was too much for the Green and White to overcome as it fell, 3-2.
As a team, the Eagles had a solid offensive performance, as the squad hit at a .275 clip with a total of 67 kills. Sophomore Jordan Smith (Solon, Iowa – Solon) had a career day, erupting for a career-best 24 kills to lead the team. Behind her, senior Devon Murray (Shelby, Ohio – Shelby) nearly notched 20 kills as well, ultimately picking up 18. Freshman Riley Taylor (Indianapolis, Ind. – Perry Meridian) notched 48 on the day, as the Eagles' primary setter. On the defensive end, sophomore Alyssa LaFace (Allen Park, Mich. – Allen Park) finished with 14 digs, while Taylor had nine and a pair of Eagles had eight each.
Both teams kept it close in the early goings, as neither were able to build more than a one-point lead. At the six-point mark, the set remained tied at three apiece. Although the Eagles picked up a quick point, Central went on a short run to go ahead by three, 7-4. With the Chips leading 8-4, Smith came up with a big kill to halt the run and reduce the deficit to three. From there, the momentum continued in favor of EMU, as the team pulled within one, 8-7, before CMU regained the lead, 11-9. Eastern went ahead, 12-11, before the Chippewas tied it back up at 12. After Central picked up three consecutive points to regain the lead, 15-12, EMU took a timeout to regroup. The Chips continued their attack following the break, opening a six-point lead, 18-12. Murray put a stop to the run with a kill to bring the score to 19-13. However, CMU rattled off six more points to take the first set, 25-14.
The second set began with CMU tallying two early points, but the Eagles responded with one of their own. The Chips picked up two more, but Eastern then nabbed another to remain within two, 4-2. Central remained hot on the offensive end, picking up three more points to open a five-point lead, 7-2. Eastern found some momentum, rattling off four straight to pull within one, 8-7. From there, EMU kept it close, remaining behind by just one point, 10-9. The Chips got rolling from that point, regaining a four-point lead, 14-10, but once again, EMU halted the run. With the score standing at 15-11, the Eagles elected to take a timeout. Although CMU maintained the lead, the Eagle offense began to wake up, pulling within three, 17-14. The squad continued fighting, as the score stood at 18-17 following a kill from Smith. Eastern was finally able to tie the set at 18, which forced the Chippewas to call a timeout. Following the short break, CMU picked up a quick point, but then gave it right back to keep the set knotted up at 19. From that point, the Chips notched three straight to force another EMU timeout. The Green and White then regained the momentum, tallying three straight to tie it up again at 22. Eastern was then able to rattle off three more to win the set, 25-22, and tie it up at one set apiece.
Eastern struck first in the third set, opening a quick 2-0 lead over the Chips. Eastern continued to hold the lead with the score standing at 5-3. Central was finally able to pull within one, 7-6, but were unable to tie it up, as EMU remained ahead by two, 8-6. The Eagles continued to lead, however back-to-back aces by the Chips gave Central an 11-10 lead. They didn't have the lead long, however, as EMU tied it back up again on the very next point. From that point, Central Michigan began to build some momentum and took over the lead, 15-13, forcing an EMU timeout. The Eagles tied it back up again at 16, after which CMU took the lead once again. After going ahead by three, 20-17, Eastern used another timeout as the end of the third set approached. The Eagles then responded by notching three straight to pull within one, 21-20, this time forcing a CMU timeout. However, Central rattles off five straight to take the set, 25-20, and lead the match, 2-1.
The fourth set kicked off in the same way as the third, as the Eagles were the first to strike. The squad kept things rolling in the early goings, opening a 5-2 lead through seven points. Eastern capped their lead at six, 8-2, before the CMU finally picked up a point of their own. However, the Eagles then went on a run and opened a seven-point lead, 11-4. A big block from Murray and Smith kept things rolling, with the Green and White holding a 15-8 lead. Central would not go down without a fight however, rattling off four straight to pull within three, 15-12. Following an EMU timeout, the Chips kept up the attack, pulling within one, 15-14. Central continued rolling, as they regained the lead, 18-16, forcing another EMU timeout. Eastern came out of the timeout firing, as the team tied it up at 18. The teams continued trading points, as the score remained tied at 20. Smith broke the tie with another clutch kill, giving the Eagles a slim one-point lead, 21-20. Despite a late rally from the Chips that tied it up at 24, the Eagles were able to hold on and win the set, 26-24, to force a deciding fifth set.
Central got on the board first, but the Green and White promptly tied it up at one. From there, the team picked up three more to go ahead 4-1 before the Chips were able to score a point of their own. After being tied at four, Murray came through with another kill to get the lead back. A clutch ace gave the Eagles a two-point lead, 8-6, after which the Eagles were able to go up by three, 10-7. The Green and White kept it rolling from there, going ahead 12-7 to force a CMU timeout. Central continued to battle, tallying three straight to pull within two, 12-10. After an EMU timeout, a long rally between the two squads came up in Eastern's favor, putting the team just two points away from victory. However, like they had done all match long, the Chippewas fought back with three straight to even things up at 13. The Chippewas were then able to pick up the final two points of the match to take the final set, 15-13, and the match, 3-2.
The Eagles close out the regular season this weekend with a Saturday, Nov. 12, match against the Kent State Golden Flashes. The match is slated to begin at 5 p.m. within the Convocation Center.
Team Stats
CMU
EMU
Kills
62
67
Errors
15
23
Attempts
147
160
Hitting %
.320
.275
Points
80.0
78.0
Assists
54
61
Aces
12
7
Blocks
6.0
4.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
24
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
18
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
10
Aces
2
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
DS/L
/ VolleyballRS/MB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball2025 EMU Volleyball Tournament Highlights
Monday, September 08
Volleyball Highlights vs. Valparaiso
Saturday, September 06
Volleyball Highlights vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
Friday, September 05
Script Eastern Volleyball Jerseys Reveal
Thursday, September 04