Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Northern Illinois
Volleyball Falls at NIU
9/26/2025 8:44:00 PM | Volleyball
Multiple Eagles recorded season and career highs
DEKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team was swept by Northern Illinois University, 3-0, at Victor E. Court, to conclude the first weekend of Mid-American Conference play Friday, Sept. 26.
Ava Siefke (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy), Taeley Mahler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead), and Hatteras Welker (Sunbury, Ohio/Sunbury) led the team with nine kills apiece.
Ashlynn Belcher (Marengo, Ohio/Highland/Old Dominion) handled the setting duties as she recorded a match-high 27 assists while chipping in defensively with seven digs.
Surabhi Srinivasan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome) led the defensive efforts with 13 digs, while Mahler and Wrigley Takats (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) each totaled three blocks.
How it Happened
SET ONE | The Eagles found themselves in an early deficit, losing a tough first set, 25-19. Eastern Michigan trailed by as many as six points as Northern Illinois grabbed the advantage for good at 13-12 in a set that was tied up 10 times before the Huskies took control.
SET TWO | Eastern dropped set two, 25-22, digging a 2-0 deficit in the match. NIU grabbed the advantage for good at 21-20 in a set that was tied up nine times before the Huskies took over in the second half of the stanza.
SET THREE | EMU faltered in the third set and was swept by Northern Illinois as it dropped a back-and-forth final set, losing 25-21 in a frame that featured four lead changes and was tied 11 times. Neither team held a lead of more than four points throughout the frame.
Match Notes
» Eastern's record shifted to 8-7 (0-2 MAC) while Northern Illinois' improved to 9-2 (2-0 MAC).
» Eastern had more digs (55-49) than its opponent for the eighth time this season, producing a 6-2 record when doing so.
» Welker, Siefke, and Mahler each led the team with nine kills. Welker's nine tied a season best while Mahler's sum was just one shy of tying her career high of 10. Siefke's nine kills marked her 12th time leading the squad in the stat this season.
» Srinivasan secured 13 digs, marking her career-best 13th 10+ dig game of the season as she has led the team in digs 12 times in 2025.
» Mahler grabbed a career-best five digs.
» Belcher's 27 assists led the team, marking her 15th time doing so this season. The performance marked her 13th time dishing at least 20 assists as an Eagle, as she has accomplished the feat in 13 of 15 games.
» Ella Grasson (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/Padua Franciscan/High Point) grabbed 10 digs, marking her fourth game with double-digit digs this season. Grasson has recorded consecutive 10+ digs outings for the first time in her career as she secured 12 in the MAC opener at Western Michigan University, Sept. 25.
Historical Notes
» The Eagles and Huskies met for the 70th time as Eastern now holds a 30-30 mark against NIU, a 10-24 record when facing it in DeKalb, and a 25-36 clip in conference matchups.
» Siefke failed to reach 10 kills, snapping her 14-game 10+ kills streak, the longest since program kills leader Rachel Iaquaniello rattled off 19 straight to end her collegiate career, Sept. 14-Nov. 16, 2012.
Up Next
Eastern returns to Ypsilanti to host Bowling Green State University as the Eagles are set to open the home portion of the conference slate Friday, Oct. 3, at 6 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
