Women's Volleyball | November 02, 2017
THIS WEEKEND
The Western Michigan volleyball team makes its final regular season road trip, heading to Eastern Michigan on Friday and Central Michigan on Saturday for the penultimate week of Mid-American Conference action. Both games are slated for 7 p.m. starts and can both be seen live on ESPN3.com.
LAST WEEKEND
WMU traveled to Northern Illinois last Wednesday and then hosted MAC East leaders Bowling Green on Saturday. The Broncos fell in both matches, 3-1. Against the Huskies every set was decided by three points or fewer.
FINAL COUNTDOWN
The Broncos have just four MAC matches left. After WMU travels to EMU and CMU, Western Michigan returns home to close out the 2017 regular season against Toledo and Ball State. WMU currently sits tied for first in the MAC West standings with Ball State, both at 7-5. Wins this weekend could help secure the Broncos' spot in the MAC Tournament, with the team needing to finish in in the top eight overall.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES // 11-17, 3-9 MAC
Eastern Michigan heads into the weekend sitting at the bottom of the MAC West with a 3-9 conference record. WMU defeated EMU, 3-1 (25-15, 18-25, 25-23, 25-20) back on Sept. 30 in Kalamazoo that kicked off a five-match losing streak for the Eagles. Eastern Michigan's three wins in conference have come against Toledo, Northern Illinois and Akron. Last weekend EMU dropped matches against the Rockets and Ball State on the road.
Jordan Smith leads Eastern Michigan's attack that averages 12.58 kills per set with 2.78. Frankie Strefling is second on the team with 2.65, while Cassie Haut has 2.32. The Eagles use two setters in Mallory Rajewski and Riley Taylor each seeing time in the position. Rajewski leads the team with 6.21 assists per set, while Taylor averages 4.39.
Libero Alyssa LaFace averages 4.82 digs per set on the season to lead EMU. Rajewski sits second on the team with 2.78, followed by Smith at 2.58 and Strefling at 2.51. The Eagles boast two players that average 1.0 blocks per set or higher in Samantha Falco and Kelly Ferguson. Falco leads the team with 1.17 on 119 total blocks (18 solo, 101 assists), while Ferguson averages 1.04 (9 solo, 100 assists).
SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS // 13-11, 5-7 MAC
Central Michigan sits just in front of the Eagles in fifth place in the MAC West with a 5-7 conference record. CMU has a chance to work its way into a MAC Tournament spot, hosting Northern Illinois prior to the Broncos. After starting off conference play 2-7, including a 3-1 loss to WMU, the Chippewas have rattled off three wins in a row against Akron, Ball State and Toledo. Last weekend Central Michigan went on the road and picked up a pair of 3-2 wins at the Cardinals and the Rockets.
Jordan Bueter leads CMU's attack, averaging 3.98 kills per set. Paige Carey is second on the team at 2.08 and Talyor Robertson sits just behind her at 2.05. Grace Butler is the main setter, averaging 10.36 assists per set and helping the Chippewas to a .192 hitting percentage.
Libero Megan Kern leads the team with 3.87 digs per set, followed by Bueter at 2.89. Miani Bolden averages 1.07 blocks per set but has only played in 28 sets so far this season.
SENIOR NIGHT
When Western Michigan returns back to Kalamazoo next weekend, Saturday's match against Ball State will be Senior Night. After the match the team and fans will honor the careers of seniors Sydney Cheatham, Olivia Kofie and Sydney LeMay.
