Women's Volleyball | September 28, 2017

THIS WEEK
Western Michigan continues Mid-American Conference play hosting Central Michigan on Friday at 7 p.m. and Eastern Michigan on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. For fans that can't make it out to University Arena, Friday night's game is available on ESPN3.com. Saturday afternoon's game will not have a live stream but fans can follow along live at wmustats.com.
 
EXCELLENT OPENER
WMU opened MAC play last week, winning matches at home against Northern Illinois and on the road at Miami. The Broncos were just one of three teams in the conference to go 2-0 on the weekend. Against the Huskies, Western Michigan dropped the first set and responded to win the next three and take the match. A similar storied played out on Saturday in Oxford, Ohio. WMU lost the first set but went on to win the next three and earn the victory.  This is the first time since the 2011 season that the Broncos have opened MAC play 2-0.
 
THREE-PEAT
For her performance in the wins over NIU and MU, sophomore libero Kathleen Reilly was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week for the third week in a row. Reilly averaged 6.0 digs per set on the weekend. Against the Huskies she helped limit their attacking percentage to .101 and had 20 digs. Against NIU she was also 24-for-25 on serve receipts. Against the RedHawks she had a game-high 28 digs, while helping hold them to an attacking percentage of .115.
 
DON'T FORGET SYDNEY
Sydney LeMay also had a stellar weekend, resulting in WMU sweeping the MAC West awards after she earned her first MAC West Offensive Player of the Week award. LeMay averaged 3.62 kills on the weekend as the Broncos took down both the defending MAC West and East Champions. Against Northern Illinois she led the team with a season-high 18 kills and had a career-high six solo blocks to account for 26.0 total points in the 3-1 win. On the road at Miami she had 11 kills and a career-high eight digs in the 3-1 win.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Broncos haven't been at University Arena often this season, but when they have they are a perfect 3-0. WMU has wins over Oakland, Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois at home this season and has only dropped one set, the first in the win over NIU.
 
SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS // 9-4, 1-1 MAC
Central Michigan started off MAC play splitting at home against Toledo and preseason MAC West favorites Ball State. CMU ended a three-game losing streak by beating the Rockets 3-2 but dropped the match on Saturday against the Cardinals, 3-0. The Chippewas won eight of their first nine matches before the three-game slide.

Senior outside hitter Jordan Bueter leads CMU's attack and the MAC with 4.47 kills per set. CM has three others that average at least 2.0 in Lyza Myers (2.29), Paige Carey (2.18) and Taylor Robertson (2.16). Freshman Grace Butler has been the team's main setter and averages 10.53 assists per set, third-most in the MAC. Sophomore defensive specialist Megan Kern leads the team with 4.27 digs per set, while Bueter sits second on the team with 2.78. Freshman Miani Bolden averages 1.11 blocks per set to lead the team.
 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES // 9-9, 1-1 MAC
Eastern Michigan also started off splitting in MAC play at home against Ball State and Toledo. EMU opened up the weekend with a 3-1 loss to the Cardinals and then ended a three-game skid against Toledo with a 3-0 sweep. The Eagles have two wins in their past seven matches.

Eastern Michigan has a balanced attack with four players averaging at least 2.0 kills per set, led by junior outside hitter Jordan Smith and her 2.77. Franki Strefling averages 2.58, while Cassie Haut sits below her at 2.29. Kelly Ferguson averages 2.0 so far this season. EMU also uses two setters. Junior Mallory Rajewski leads the team with 5.95 assists per set in 63 sets played. Sophomore Riley Taylor has played in two more sets but averages 5.05 assist per set. Junior libero Alyssa LaFace is third in the MAC with 5.22 digs per set, while Camile Schomer averages 3.06. The Eagles also boast two players with at least 1.0 blocks per set in Ferguson, the MAC leader at 1.13, and Samantha Falco at 1.05.