YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Toledo women's volleyball team (8-4, 1-0 MAC) opened Mid-American Conference play on Thursday at Eastern Michigan (1-12, 0-1 MAC) and came away with a three-set sweep.
 
The Rockets won 25-20, 25-14, and 25-22 and didn't trail until early in the third set. They turned in a stellar defensive effort on Thursday, tallying 11 total blocks while holding EMU to a .048 attack percentage.
 
Juniors Taylor Alt and Jada Bouyer led the way offensively with 11 kills apiece. Bouyer's four blocks were tied with senior Rhyenne Filisi and just one behind senior Olivia Vance for the team lead, while senior Ryann Jaqua added a match-high 22 digs.
 
Toledo and Eastern Michigan will face off again on Friday at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN3.
 
1^st Set (25-20, Toledo)
The Rockets scored the first three points of the match on three straight kills, the first coming from Vance before Alt tallied back-to- back terminations. UT would go on to open up a 10-4 lead over the Eagles and were never seriously challenged during the first frame. Eastern Michigan did put together a 4-0 run late in the set, but Toledo still led 20-15. The Rockets would go on to win 25-20 to go ahead 1-0 in the match. Alt was outstanding in the first set, tallying seven kills on nine attacks.
 
2^nd Set (25-14, Toledo)
In a repeat of the previous set, Toledo got off to a hot start in the second frame, scoring the first five points to take a 5-0 lead. EMU trimmed its deficit to four at one point, but a kill from Alt followed by back-to-back blocks emphatically put the Rockets ahead by seven, 13-6. Toledo ended the second set on an 11-4 run to win, 25-14, and take a 2-0 lead in the match. The Rockets' second-set dominance was fueled by strong defensive play; they held EMU to a -.167 attack percentage and tallied five total blocks.
 
3^rd Set (25-22, Toledo)
Eastern Michigan took an  8-5 lead to begin the set, the first time all match that it held at least a share of the lead. A 6-1 run for the Rockets tied the score at 11-11, but EMU continued to stay one step ahead on the scoreboard. With her team trailing 16-13, Bouyer registered a kill that turned the tide and sparked a 7-0 run for the Midnight Blue and Gold that put them ahead 20-16. Eastern Michigan would pull within a point late in the set to make the score 23-22, but an EMU service error and one final kill for Alt provided the final points in Toledo's three-set sweep.