Volleyball Faces Michigan in Cross-County Affair Tuesday

Volleyball at Michigan
Date	Tuesday \| Sept. 2 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Crisler Center \| Ann Arbor, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF)
Watch	Watch on B1G+
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUVolleyball
Instagram	@emu_volleyball

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Coming off a 2-1 weekend at the Radford University Highlander Invitational, the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team will face the University of Michigan in a cross-county matchup Tuesday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m., at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor.

Fans can follow along with the action using the watch and live stats link 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 VS. MICHIGAN
The Eagles and Wolverines will battle for the 46th time in the series. EMU holds an 11-34 clip against Michigan dating back to the series' first matchup in 1976, a 2-0 sweep for the Eastern Green and White. Michigan has won the previous 14 games, 13 of which via the sweep. The last time EMU won a game against the Wolverines was in the 1994 season, topping the Maize & Blue in Ypsilanti, 3-1., Sept. 7. EMU is looking for its first win over Michigan in Ann Arbor since 1990, when it swept the Wolverines, 3-0, Sept. 11. The last time Eastern won a set against the Wolverines came Sept. 13, 2006, as it won the second set, but fell, 3-1. 12 of the previous 15 matchups have taken place in Ann Arbor.

LOOKING FOR POWER-CONFERENCE WIN
Eastern is looking for its first power-conference win since it beat Auburn University, 3-1, Sept. 17, 2016, in a game that was part of the Michigan Challenge but took place at EMU's then Convocation Center (now George Gervin GameAbove Center). The last time Eastern won a power-conference game on the road came in 2011, topping the University of Utah in the first game of the Utah Tournament in five sets, 3-2, Sept. 9. It was Utah's first season in the Pacific Athletic Conference.

POSITIVE STARTS
Third-year Head Coach Kevin Foeman has the Eagles off to a 2-1 start in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2015-16. The season-opening win over Radford, Aug. 29, marked the team's first win in a season-opener since it beat the College of Charleston to start the 2021 season. That occasion was also the last time Eastern won its first road contest of the year prior to the win at Radford.

HIGHLANDER INVITATIONAL RECAP
Eastern competed at the Highlander Invitational, hosted by Radford University, Aug. 29-30. The Eagles split the first day with a 3-1 win over the host Highlanders, followed by a 3-1 loss to Marshall University. EMU pulled off a reverse sweep against the University of Missouri-Kansas City to come out of the weekend 2-1, the fourth reverse sweep of the Head Coach Kevin Foeman era and first of the 2025 season.

SIEFKE/BELCHER: ALL-TOURNEY TEAM
Junior outside hitter Ava Siefke and senior setter Ashlynn Belcher were named to the Highlander Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Siefke at Highlander Invitational
Ava Siefke had three straight double-digit kill performances, including a career-best 22-kill output in a five-set win over UMKC, Aug. 30. Her week featured two kills/digs double-doubles putting down 14 kills while grabbing 12 digs against Marshall, Aug. 29, before erupting for 22 kills off a .241 clip, and recording 16 digs to go with four blocks against UMKC, Aug.30.

In 13 sets, she landed 53 kills (4.08/set), off a .163 attack percentage, while landing six aces (0.46/set), and supporting defensively with 37 digs (2.85/set), a .963 reception clip, and seven blocks (0.54).

Belcher at Highlander Invitational
Ashlynn Belcher eclipsed 40 assists in every game, including a 40-assists, 14-digs double-double against Marshall, Aug. 29, sandwiched by two 48-assists outings in wins against Radford, Aug. 29, and UMKC, Aug. 30.

Overall, Belcher dished 136 assists (10.46/set) and went down for 31 digs (2.38/set).

HIGH IN THE MAC RANKINGS
Eastern ranks particularly high in the conference standings in service aces per set (2nd - 2.00), digs per set (4th - 14.69), and points per set (5th - 16.92). EMU does well limiting opponents assists as it ranks second in the MAC, allowing 9.08 assists per set while teams are hitting .142 against Eastern, a figure that slots fourth.

By volume, EMU has the second-most points (220), assists (161), digs (191), and service aces (26). Eastern also has the third-most kills (172).

Additional MAC stats rankings can be found on page eight.

HIGH IN THE MAC RANKINGS- INDIVIDUAL
Ashlynn Belcher ranks third in the conference with 10.46 assists per set. She is joined in the top five by Ava Siefke, who slots third in points per set (4.81) and fourth in kills per set (4.08), and Surabhi Sinivasan, who ranks fifth in digs per set (4.23).

Belcher leads the MAC by volume in assists with 136 while Siefke has the second-most points (62.5) and fourth-most kills (53), Ella Grasson is tied for the third-most aces (eight), and Srinivasan has recorded the third-most digs (55).

Additional MAC stats rankings can be found on page eight.

HIGH IN MAC RANKINGS- SINGLE GAME INDIV.
Ashlynn Belcher's 48 assists against Radford, Aug. 29, stand as the second-most in a single game in the MAC. Kendal Bonney slots second in single-game attack percentage as she landed 12 kills off a .688 clip against Marshall, Aug. 29. Ella Grasson's career-best four aces versus the Thundering Herd, Aug. 29, ties for the third-most in a single match.

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. 15 aces stands fourth in the program's all-time single-game leaderboards.

SIEFKE'S BIG WEEKEND
Junior outside hitter Ava Siefke posted double-digit kills in three consecutive matches for the first time in her career, highlighted by a career-best 22 kills off a career-high 54 swings. She handled the load efficiently, hitting .241 on the day. Siefke added a season-best 16 digs to mark her second double-double of the season after landing 14 kills with 12 digs against Marshall, Aug. 29. The occurrence was also the junior's first time recording a double-double in consecutive matches. Siefke currently ranks fourth in the MAC with 4.08 kills per set and third with 4.81 points per set.

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. Christen'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.

PRODUCTIVE FRESHMAN: AK CHRISTENSEN
Freshman outside hitter AshleeKay Christensen started her NCAA career on a high note, landing 18 kills off a .205 clip and leading the team with 20.5 points. Her 18 kills are the most by a freshman in the MAC this season and the most since Franki Strefling landed 19 against Central Michigan University, Oct. 5, 2019.

Christensen also added 10 kills off a .214 clip against UMKC, Aug. 30. She is the first freshman to post double-digit kills in two of her first three matches since both Annie Lockett and Krista Blakely did so in 2021.

BELCHER ASSIST DEBUT
Senior setter Ashlynn Belcher dished 48 assists against Radford, Aug. 29, and UMKC, Aug. 30. Her 48 dimes are the most from an Eagle 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.

SRINIVASAN CONSISTENCY
Junior libero Surabhi Srinivasan set a career-best with 24 digs in the win over Radford, Aug. 29, smashing her previous personal-best (13) by 11. Her 24 digs were 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 then recorded 16 digs against Marshall, Aug. 29, and 15 versus UMKC, Aug. 30, marking her first time with double-digit digs in three consecutive games.

GRASSON LETHAL FROM THE SERVICE LINE
Senior Ella Grasson has gotten off to a hot start from behind the service line, as she leads the team with eight aces on the season and put up back-to-back career-best performances, landing four aces against both Marshall, Aug. 29, and UMKC, Aug. 30. Her four aces stand as the third-most in a single game in the MAC and she is the only player in the conference to land at least four aces in two games this season.

Grasson has also seen increased production on the defensive side as she recently recorded a career-best 10 digs in the win at Radford, Aug. 29.

ADDITIONAL CAREER PERFORMANCES
Sophomore middle blocker Wrigley Takats put down a career-high five kills while matching a career-best with three blocks against UMKC, Aug. 30.
Senior pin hitter Kendal Bonney drilled a season-best 12 kills off an NCAA Division I career-high .688 attack percentage against Marshall, Aug. 29.
Freshman defensive specialist Layna Waselewsky grabbed a career-best nine digs against Marshall, Aug. 29.

BONNEY'S EFFICIENT HITTING
Kendal Bonney's 12 kills off a .688 clip marked the highest attack percentage from an Eagle since current overseas professional Raeven Chase put down 15 off a .882 figure in a 3-1 win over Ohio University, Oct. 5, 2019.

EASTERN TIES
Michigan Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Kassie Kadera previously served as an assistant at EMU from 2019-20, while fellow assistant Nick Clark graduated from Eastern Michigan in 2010 with a dual major in Secondary Education and Social Studies with a minor in History. While at Eastern, Clark founded the men's club program and served as president, coach, and was an outside hitter with the team.

JUST A QUICK DRIVE
Eastern's George Gervin GameAbove Center and Michigan's Crisler Center are just 5.5 miles away from each other, which is roughly a 15 minute drive.

UP NEXT
Eastern will welcome Purdue University-Fort Wayne, Valparaiso University, and Niagara University to the George Gervin GameAbove Center for the second-annual EMU Tournament Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 4-6. EMU will first face the Mastodons of PFW Thursday, Sept. 4, 7 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

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Players Mentioned

Ashlynn Belcher

Kendal Bonney

AshleeKay Christensen

Ella Grasson

Ava Siefke

Surabhi Srinivasan

Wrigley Takats

Layna Waselewsky

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