Volleyball Preps for Home Matches Against Buffalo

Volleyball vs. Buffalo
Dates/Times	Thursday, Oct. 23, 6 p.m. \| Friday, Oct. 24, 6 p.m.
Venue	George Gervin GameAbove Center \| Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide
Watch Live	Thursday \| Friday
Live Stats	Both Games
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball \| @EMUAthletics
Instagram	@emu_volleyball \| @emuathletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will host the University at Buffalo for two matches Thursday-Friday, Oct. 23-24. Both games will begin at 6 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.

Admission is free and fans can follow along with the action using the live stats and watch links that can be found on the EMU volleyball schedule page at emueagles.com/volleyball/schedule. 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 the game.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD
The Eagles and Bulls will meet for the 34th and 35th respective times Thursday and Friday. Overall, Eastern holds a 22-11 all-time record against Buffalo and a 10-5 mark when facing it at home. The last time the Eagles won a match against the Bulls came in the 2020 campaign when they beat them in five sets in the then-Convocation-now George Gervin GameAbove Center, Feb. 26. Head Coach Kevin Foeman is in search of his first win over the Bulls at Eastern as the Eagles hold a 3-7 record in the series' last ten contests. Eastern started the all-time series on a dominant run, winning the first 13 match ups in the series and 18 of the first 20. The stretch was the most successful in the series history from either squad as Buffalo enters Thursday's match having won five straight.

LAST TIME AGAINST BUFFALO
Eastern dropped both matches at Buffalo last season in four sets to conclude the 2024 regular season, Nov. 15-16. The games saw then freshman Hatteras Welker complete her rookie campaign with 135 total blocks, the most from an EMU freshman in the rally scoring era (2008-present). They also saw EMU increase its blocking total to 305.5, a number that is good for the second most in program history. In terms of blocks per set, the 2024 team finalized its program record after the series against the Bulls, averaging 2.48 rejections per set.

LAST TIME AT HOME AGAINST BUFFALO
Eastern last faced the Bulls at home in the 2021 season, Oct. 29, dropping a 3-1 match. EMU is an even 5-5 in the last 10 home matches against Buffalo.

AVA SIEFKE 10+ KILLS GAMES
Ava Siefke is up to 18 double-digit kill outings, ranking second in the MAC this season. The figure stands as the most in the program since Callie Minshew notched 23 in the 2023 season.

SIEFKE 10+ KILLS STREAK
Ava Siefke recorded 10+ kills in the first 14 matches this season, the longest stretch in her career and longest from the program since all-time kills leader Rachel Iaquaniello ended her collegiate career with 19-straight matches of 10+ kills, Sept. 14-Nov. 16, 2012, in a year where she set the program record in single-season kills (554).

SIEFKE 20+ KILLS
Ava Siefke recently notched her third 20+ kill game of the season at Ohio, Oct. 16, ranking third in the MAC. She drilled 20 kills off a .238 hitting percentage against the Bobcats, the best hitting percentage in her career when totaling 60+ attacks as she matched a career-best with 63 attacks, the most from an Eagle in a single game in 2025.

BREAKOUT SEASON: AVA SIEFKE
Junior outside hitter Ava Siefke has seen a significant increase in production this season as she is currently averaging career highs in kills per set (3.56), attacks per set (10.64), aces per set (0.35), digs per set (2.42), blocks per set (0.56), and points per set (4.22).

Siefke in 2024
Kills/Set           Pts/Set              Hitt&   Attacks/set
1.73 2.24     .090     6.46

Siefke in 2025
Kills/Set           Pts/Set              Hitt% Attacks/set
3.56 4.22      .167     10.64

Siefke currently ranks fourth in the MAC in points per set (4.22), fifth in kills per set (3.56), and ties slots eighth by value with 0.35 aces per set while leading the Eagles in both categories.

SIEFKE'S DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Ava Siefke's eight double-doubles rank fifth in the MAC and the most in the program since Callie Minshew recorded 10 in the 2023 season.

Eastern is 5-3 this season when she records a double-double as she has recorded consecutive double-doubles twice this season (vs. Marshall/Kansas City, Aug. 29-30), (vs. Southern Illinois/at Oakland, Sept. 12-13).

HISTORIC HITTING PERCENTAGES
Eastern hit .424 (41-5-85) in the sweep over Purdue Fort Wayne, Sept. 4. The clip ranks second in the MAC and sixth in program history. The Eagles followed that up with a .381 hitting percentage in the three-set win over Oakland, Sept. 19, a mark that stands ninth in program history and seventh in the MAC.

The 2025 season is the second in program history where the Eagles have recorded multiple program top-10 hitting percentages. It previously recorded four program top-10 marks in the 1999 campaign, including the second-best mark in program annals, a .594 clip against Chicago State, Sept. 3.

1/1: ASHLYNN BELCHER
Senior setter Ashlynn Belcher is the only player in the nation with 700+ assists, 13+ aces, and three or fewer service errors. She currently posts 709 assists, 13 aces, and just three service errors.

BELCHER'S DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Ashlynn Belcher recently recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 31 assists and 10 digs at Ohio, Oct. 17. Her seven double-doubles tie for the sixth most in the conference as she notched consecutive double-doubles for the second time this season and fifth in her career.

BELCHER ASSIST DEBUT
Ashlynn Belcher dished 48 assists against Radford, Aug. 29, and UMKC, Aug. 30, the most from an Eagle in their EMU debut since at least 2011. Her 48 dimes are the most from an Eagle overall since Elle McLoughlin dished 49 against Bradley University, Aug. 26, 2023. Her assists total is also the highest from an Eagle in the first game of the season since Kate Sulewski recorded 60 in a five-set win over Charlotte University, Aug. 24, 2007.

Belcher currently stands seventh in the MAC with a career-best 8.44 assists per set. Her 709 assists and 8.44 per set average are both the highest from an Eastern setter since Jayden Otto dished 1,092, posting 9.93 per set in the 2021 season.

1/1: HATTERAS WELKER
Sophomore middle blocker Hatteras Welker is the only player in the nation to post more than 100 blocks and 27 aces as she currently totals 102 blocks and 28 aces.

WELKER 11 BLOCKS PROGRAM STANDING
Hatteras Welker's 11 blocks against Valparaiso rank second in EMU program history in four-set matches while standing second in the MAC, first in a four-set match, and fifth in the nation in four stanzas. Additionally, she is the only player in the MAC to record 10+ blocks in multiple matches this season as she also did so with 11 at Butler, Sept. 20.

WELKER YEAR 2
After a MAC All-Freshmen team nod in 2024, Hatteras Welker earned Preseason All-MAC honors ahead of the 2025 season as she has substantially improved in key areas, averaging career bests in service aces per set (0.34), kills per set (1.83), points per set (2.90), and hitting percentage (.213).

Welker in 2024
Kills/Set                           Pts/Set
1.34 2.31

Welker in 2025
Kills/Set                           Pts/Set
1.83 2.90

Welker's 1.24 blocks per set rank third in the MAC and 78th nationally as her career-best 11 blocks against Valparaiso, Sept. 5, slot second in the MAC.

AKC FRESHMAN 10+ KILL MATCHES
Freshman outside hitter AshleeKay Christensen recorded her ninth 10+ kill match with 11 against Toledo, Oct. 4. Her nine double-digit kill matches are the fourth most among MAC freshmen.

The figure is the most from an EMU freshman since redshirt freshman Krista Blakely recorded 17 10+ kill matches in 2022 and the most from a true freshman since Annie Lockett had 10 in 2021. The last time a true freshman had more than 10 came in 2017 when Franki Strefling posted 12.

AK FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
Freshman outside hitter AshleeKay Christensen had a career outing against Southern Illinois University, Sept. 12. The freshman recorded career bests with 20 kills off a .326 hitting percentage while adding five digs. Her 20+ kills while hitting over .300 are the first time an EMU player has done so since current overseas professional Raeven Chase landed 20 kills off a .536 clip in a match against Ohio University, Oct. 7, 2022. She is the only freshman in the MAC to post at least 20 kills while hitting .326 or better.

Christensen is just the third EMU freshman in the modern statistical era (1999-present) to accomplish the feat and the second outside hitter. Melissa Bartlett drilled 20 kills while hitting .500 as a freshman against Oakland University, Sept. 11.

AK FRESHMAN SINGLE-GAME KILLS
AshleeKay Christensen's 20 kills against SIU, Sept. 12, are the third most from a freshman in the MAC this season and most from an EMU freshman since Rachel Irbe landed 21 against the University at Buffalo, Oct. 22, 2016. Buffalo's Emerson Matthews recorded a MAC freshman-high 25 against Ohio, Oct. 4, after Ohio's Bailey Blair had a 23-kill outing against Furman, Sept. 20, ranking second in the MAC among freshmen.

CHRISTENSEN'S HISTORIC DEBUT
Freshman outside hitter AshleeKay Christensen's 18 kills in her NCAA debut against Radford, Aug. 29, are the most in program history in the modern statistical era for a collegiate debut. Christensen's 15+ kill debut marked the fourth time an Eagles has done so in that time frame. The other three - Rachel Iaquaniello, Jordan Smith, and Cassie Haut all rank inside the program top-10 for career kills as Iaquaniello is the all-time leader with 1,949 from 2009-12.

SRINIVASAN CONSISTENCY
Junior libero Surabhi Srinivasan ranks fifth in the conference averaging a career-best 3.85 digs per set as she has tallied 10+ digs in 17-of-22 matches this season, the most productive stretch in her career. Her 24 digs in the season opener against Radford, Aug. 29 were previously a career high and the most from an Eagle in a season opener since Sierra Reed tallied 26 in a 3-2 win over the University of Hartford, Aug. 30, 2013. Srinivasan set a career-best with 27 digs in the win over Valparaiso, Sept. 5, bettering her previous personal-best (24) by three and marking the most from an Eagle since Kamryn Stilwell recorded 30 against Western Michigan, Sept. 23, 2021. She has gone over 20 digs four times this season, as EMU is 3-1 when she does so.

Srinivasan previously posted seven consecutive games with double-digit digs, Sept. 12-26, the longest streak of her tenure.

TAELEY'S TURNING IT UP
Sophomore outside hitter Taeley Mahler hit .407 in three matches, Oct. 7-10, as she led the Eastern offense to a 2-1 week, including two wins over Kent State, Oct. 9-10. In 10 sets, Mahler totaled 28 kills (2.80 per set) and recorded just four errors off 59 total swings.

Mahler posted nine kills off 17 swings with zero errors in a 3-0 sweep of the Golden Flashes, Oct. 9, before landing a career-best 15 kills off 27 attacks with just two errors (.481 hitting percentages) in the Eagles' win over KSU, Oct. 10. Her .481 clip is the best in her career when totaling at least 10 kills. She also tied a career high with five blocks in the win.

MAHLER'S EFFICIENT HITTING
Sophomore outside hitter Taeley Mahler has seen a significant increase in her hitting percentage from her freshman to sophomore season as she hit .182 last season and is currently hitting .235, a number that ranks first on the team for players with at least 400 attacks as she is taking on a increased workload, posting 5.40 attacks per set this season compared to 4.33 in 2024.

Through 22 matches, Mahler has posted four double-digit kill performances, besting the one she had last season (against Bowling Green, Oct. 10). She has also hit .250 or better in 13-of-22 (59%) matches this season after doing so in 6-of-18 (33%) in 2024.

GRASSON MOST ACES FROM EAGLE SINCE 2017
Senior Ella Grasson's career-best five aces in the sweep over Kent State, Oct. 9, are the most from an Eagle since Jordan Smith landed eight against Stoney Brook, Aug. 26, 2017. The total stands as the most in the conference in a three-set match while ranking second in single-game aces in all matches.

WASELEWSKY EMERGENCE
Freshman libero/defensive specialist Layna Waselewksy recorded a career-best 21 digs against Bowling Green, Oct. 3, the second most in the MAC among freshmen as Miami freshman Molly Creech previously posted 24. Waselewsky has hit her stride as of late, recording the first occurrence of consecutive double-digit digs games with 21 against BGSU, before notching 18 the next day against Toledo, Oct. 4. The freshman has three games with over 15 digs, a figure that stands third in the MAC.

GUARD GEARING UP
Sophomore outside hitter Anna Guard has hit her stride as of late as she has recorded 8+ kills in three of her last four games, including a season-high 12 kills against Ohio, Oct. 16. Guard also landed 11 kills off a .375 hitting percentage in a win over Kent State, Oct. 9.

BELCHER: MAC SETTER OF THE WEEK
Ashlynn Belcher was named Mid-American Conference Setter of the Week, Sept. 8.

Belcher dished a total of 137 assists (10.54/set) and heavily contributed to the team's .254 hitting percentage throughout the week. The setter contributed defensively with 42 digs (3.23/set), and eight blocks (0.62/set). Belcher posted two assists/digs double-doubles, dishing 46 assists and recording 16 digs in the win over Valparaiso, Sept. 5, before notching 41 assists and 15 digs in a sweep against Niagara University, Sept. 6.

Belcher was particularly sharp against Purdue Fort Wayne, Sept. 4, as she set EMU to hit .424 as a team in the sweep over the Mastodons, a clip that ranks second in the MAC and sixth in program history.

WELKER: MAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hatteras Welker was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week, Sept. 8. Welker was on a tear defensively as she recorded 26 total blocks, averaging two per set in the Eagles' perfect 3-0 weekend at the EMU Tournament, Sept. 4-6, and 3-1 week overall. On top of her blocks, Welker contributed with 28 kills (2.15 per set) and four aces (0.31/set), equaling 47.5 points (3.65 per set).

She particularly shined in the 3-1 win over Valparaiso University, Sept. 5, as she led the match with 11 blocks, the second-most in the MAC by an individual this season, most in a four-set contest, second-most in EMU history in a four-set game, and fifth most in the nation in four sets by volume.

MULTIPLE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Ashlynn Belcher and Hatteras Welker's respective MAC Player of the Week nods, Sept. 8, mark the programs first time earning multiple conference player of the week accolades in the same week since at least 2009.

CONSISTENT TRENDS
Eastern is 10-0 this season when hitting better than its opponent and 24-4 under Foeman when doing so. EMU has out-killed its foe in 11-of-22 games this season, producing a 10-1 record in 2025 and 20-3 overall mark in three seasons under Foeman. EMU is also a perfect 5-0 when hitting .250 or better this season, most recently doing so in a sweep of Kent State, Oct. 9, as Eastern hit .259.

HITTING BETTER THAN FOES
EMU has out-hit its opponent in 10-of-22 matches this season and did so in 7-of-10 (Aug. 29-Sept. 13) games for the first time since the 2018 season, Oct. 25-Nov. 18. That season, the Eagles out-hit their opponent in 27-of-35 games en route to a MAC Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth.

Overall, the Eagles are 10-0 this season when out-hitting their opponent and 24-4 in the Foeman era.

GOING TO EXTRAS
Both Eastern and Western Michigan scored into the 30s in the second set in the MAC opener, Sept. 25, as Western won a tight third set, 33-31. The occurrence marked the first time EMU and its opponent scored into the 30s in the same set since it scored into the 30s again against Western Michigan in the 2021 MAC opener, as EMU won the first set, 32-30, Sept. 23.

RECENT CAREER-HIGHS
Ava Siefke landed 20 kills off a .238 hitting percentage, the best in her career when posting over 60 attacks as she did so off 63 attacks at Ohio, Oct. 16. Hatteras Welker landed a career-best 14 kills off a .400 hitting percentage, the best in her career when posting 25+ attacks at Ohio, Oct. 17.

MOST ACES UNDER FOEMAN
Eastern landed 12 aces in the win over UMKC, Aug. 30, marking the most in the Foeman era (2023-present) and the most in a single game since it recorded 15 against Buffalo, Oct. 27, 2006. The total stands fourth in the program's all-time single-game leaderboards.

HIGH IN MAC/NAT'L RANKINGS - TEAM
Eastern ranks in the top four in the MAC in four categories.

Stat                                      Figure MAC
Digs/set                                 15.37 3rd
Attacks/set 36.46 4th
Opp Hit% .192     4th
Blocks/set 2.25     4th

Eastern ranks 43rd in the country in attacks per set (36.46). By volume, it ranks ninth in the county in total attacks (3,063), 12th in the nation in team digs (1,291), 21st in team kills (1,037), 24th in team assists (955), 26th in team total blocks (189.0), and 33rd in team service aces (135).

Additional MAC/National stats rankings can be found on page eight.

HIGH IN MAC/NAT'L RANKINGS - TEAM SINGLE GAME
Eastern ranks first in the MAC in three team single-game categories, and inside the top four in 10 total.

Stat                      Figure MAC     NAT'L
Blocks 17          1st         6th (In four sets)
Three-Set Assists 50          1st         8th
Three-Set Aces    11          1st         7th (In three sets)
Hit%                     .424     2nd       n/a
Four-Set Digs 91    2nd       5th (In four sets)
Three-Set Kills 51          3rd        9th
Four-Set Hit% .336     3rd        n/a
Four-Set Kills 66          3rd        9th
Five-Set Aces 12          3rd        6th (In five sets)
Three-Set Blocks 11          4th        n/a

HIGH IN MAC/NAT'L RANKINGS- INDIVIDUAL
Eastern Michigan has three players that rank inside the conference top five in various per-set categories.

Name                 Stat      Figure MAC
H. Welker Blks/Set 1.24     3rd
A. Siefke Pts/Set 4.22     4th
S. Srinivasan Dig/Set 3.85     5th
A. Siefke Kills/Set 3.56     5th

In the national standings, Ava Siefke ranks seventh with 894 total attacks, 19th in total points (354.5), and 30th in total kills (299). Hatteras Welker slots eighth in total blocks (102). Ashlynn Belcher ranks 26th with 709 total assists, and Surabhi Srinivasan slots 50th with 323 total digs

Additional MAC/National stats rankings can be found on page eight.

HIGH IN MAC/NAT'L RANKINGS - SINGLE GAME INDIV.

Name                 Stat      Figure MAC
E. Grasson       3-set Ace 5             1st
H. Welker         Blocks 11          2nd
E. Grasson       Aces 5             2nd
A. Belcher         3-set Ast 41          3rd
A. Stanford      3-setHit%  .667     3rd
S. Srinivasan 4-set Dig 27          3rd
H. Welker Aces     4             3rd
K. Bonney         Hit%     .688     4th

In the national standings by volume, Welker's 11 blocks in a four-set match slot fifth, while Belcher's 41 dimes in a three-set match are the ninth most. Grasson's five aces tie for fifth in three-set matches.

MILESTONES
Ashlynn Belcher is 192 assists away from 2,000 in her career while Ella Voorhees sits 63 digs from 500, and 231 assists from 1,000. Ava Siefke is 27 aces away from the century mark. Abby Stanford reached 500 kills with her four at IU Indy, Sept. 18 as she totals 511 in her collegiate career. Surabhi Srinivasan reached the 500 digs mark with 24 against Kent State, Oct. 10.

UP NEXT
Eastern will complete the second half of a home-and-home series against Central Michigan Tuesday, Oct. 28, 6 p.m. Admission is free at the George Gervin Game Above Center and fans can stream the match live on ESPN+.

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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ashlynn Belcher

AshleeKay Christensen

Ella Grasson

Anna Guard

Taeley Mahler

Ava Siefke

Surabhi Srinivasan

Abby Stanford

Ella Voorhees

Hatteras Welker

Eastern Michigan Athletics