Ypsilanti, MI – Volleyball falls in the final game of the Eastern Michigan Tournament to host Eastern Michigan in three sets (18-25, 22-25, 15-25)
Set One
Eastern Michigan got on the board first and the teams traded the first 17 points back and forth until the Eagles found a rhythm and put together eight straight points into the media timeout.
Out of the media break Kinga Wronska recorded a kill to make it a 15-13 game. EMU made it a five point game making the Purple Eagles call a timeout. The Eagles scored the final two points of the set to take it 25-18.
Liana Tolliver led the Purple and White with five kills, while Noel Perkins tallied six assists. Natasa Ljubicic and Payton Lee combined for the Purple Eagles’ only block of the set.
Set Two
Lee got the Purple Eagles the first point of the set, but Eastern Michigan put together a five point run to take the lead.
The Eagles led 15-13 going into the media timeout and extended their lead to four out of the break. Niagara closed the gap to one multiple times throughout the set but EMU was able to hold on for a 25-22 win.
Tolliver once again led the Purple Eagles in kills with four in the set, while Perkins once again led with eight assists. Lee and Janiah Robinson combined for the Purple and White’s lone block of the set.
Set Three
Eastern Michigan got out to a 3-0 lead, but the Purple Eagles bounced back with kills from Wronska, Tolliver and Robinson to knot the game up at three.
The Eagles got out to a seven point lead at the media break up 15-8, but Niagara put together three straight points capped off by an ace from Tolliver.
The Purple Eagles called a timeout down 20-15 after EMU scored four straight points. The Eagles added five more points to take the set 25-15.
Game Notes
Niagara is now 0-2 all-time against Eastern Michigan
Tolliver led the Purple and White with 11 kills
Perkins set a season-high with 17 assists
Lee recorded four blocks to tie for the team lead with 14 total
Up Next
The Purple Eagles head to Buffalo for the Buffalo Classic where they will take on Cornell, Northwestern and host Buffalo September 12-13.