Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Peonia showcasing Raiders’ improvements
10/28/2017 12:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Though its record may not be spotless, the improvements the Middle Tennessee volleyball team has made this season under first-year head coach Chuck Crawford have been noticeable.
The Lady Raiders battled through a tough season last year, winning just five matches and not being competitive in many others.
It was clear a culture change needed to happen, and Crawford in just 25 matches has shown that's starting to happen.
Middle Tennessee is currently 7-18 with five matches left. While that may not be the best record in the country, it's an improvement from last season, and what the record doesn't show is a team that looks like it enjoys playing volleyball again.
Finding that enjoyment was the first step in the process, and the players have responded.
"[Coach Crawford] has higher expectations for us," sophomore outside hitter Dora Peonia said, "and that is constant. He never drops our standards … and it's more positive and everybody knows what they need to do."
Peonia may be the best representation of the Blue Raiders' improvements.
The Italian native, like many of her teammates, had a tough season in 2016 on the court. That was coupled with the stresses of a language barrier and living across the Atlantic Ocean from her home.
This season, though, Crawford has helped bring out the best in her, and it was a change with her serve that started it all.
Coming from Italy, Peonia was used to using a jump float serve because the balls used in Europe are softer than those used in college volleyball in America, meaning they float and flutter more.
She had experimented in the past with using a jump top spin serve, but coaches had always told her to stick with what she was used to. When Crawford first saw her use a top spin, though, that all changed.
"When I arrived on campus," he said, "the first thing I needed to do was evaluate each player's strengths and weaknesses. One of many strengths that Dora possesses is her consistent hand contact on the ball, as well as her arm speed".
"As a younger coach, I made mistakes of not having players try certain types of serves, attacks, etc. and only learned later that they had the ability to do much more than anyone could have imagined. As Dora began to try different serving types, it was clear that her jump top spin serve was her most dominant serve – it just needed some tweaks."
Peonia started working constantly on her new serve, and it's shown this season in ways Crawford said he never would have expected.
In 23 matches a season ago, Peonia had just six service aces while using a jump float serve. This season with her new jump top spin, she has 42 service aces in 87 total serves, good for .48 aces per set.
Her aces and aces per set rank first in Conference USA and are tied for 11th and 15th in the nation, respectively, and they are both single-season bests all-time at Middle Tennessee.
Behind Peonia, the Lady Raiders rank fourth in the country with 157 total service aces, and their 1.76 aces per set are seventh.
"I did feel that our serving would improve due to the way we train serving," Crawford said, "but I would be lying if I said I expected the level of success the team and Dora have achieved this season."
The improvements in serving this season for Peonia and the team go hand in hand with the team finding a love for playing again, something they didn't necessarily have in 2016.
"Honestly," she said, "last year was really hard for me. But, I feel like now we're more a family than just people playing volleyball together, and it feels like we really love each other now."
Playing with love for one another and love of the game have helped the Lady Raiders find out things about themselves and their playing styles this season, and Peonia is the perfect example.
Like her jump top spin serve, all of the players have always had the skills and the traits to help Middle Tennessee continue to improve. They just needed a leader to help get the best out of them.
"There's a quote that I read once a week to make sure I keep myself in check," Crawford said. "'A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. But, of a good leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, 'We did it ourselves.''
"With any success or achievements my teams have, I want them to realize that the potential was always in them. They just needed the right coach or teacher to get it out of them."
The Lady Raiders travel to UTEP for a match on Oct. 29 before returning home for a three-game home stand against Austin Peay on Nov. 1, WKU on Nov. 5 and FIU on Nov. 9, which will also be senior night. They finish the regular season Nov. 11 at North Texas.
The Lady Raiders battled through a tough season last year, winning just five matches and not being competitive in many others.
It was clear a culture change needed to happen, and Crawford in just 25 matches has shown that's starting to happen.
Middle Tennessee is currently 7-18 with five matches left. While that may not be the best record in the country, it's an improvement from last season, and what the record doesn't show is a team that looks like it enjoys playing volleyball again.
Finding that enjoyment was the first step in the process, and the players have responded.
"[Coach Crawford] has higher expectations for us," sophomore outside hitter Dora Peonia said, "and that is constant. He never drops our standards … and it's more positive and everybody knows what they need to do."
Peonia may be the best representation of the Blue Raiders' improvements.
The Italian native, like many of her teammates, had a tough season in 2016 on the court. That was coupled with the stresses of a language barrier and living across the Atlantic Ocean from her home.
This season, though, Crawford has helped bring out the best in her, and it was a change with her serve that started it all.
Coming from Italy, Peonia was used to using a jump float serve because the balls used in Europe are softer than those used in college volleyball in America, meaning they float and flutter more.
She had experimented in the past with using a jump top spin serve, but coaches had always told her to stick with what she was used to. When Crawford first saw her use a top spin, though, that all changed.
"When I arrived on campus," he said, "the first thing I needed to do was evaluate each player's strengths and weaknesses. One of many strengths that Dora possesses is her consistent hand contact on the ball, as well as her arm speed".
"As a younger coach, I made mistakes of not having players try certain types of serves, attacks, etc. and only learned later that they had the ability to do much more than anyone could have imagined. As Dora began to try different serving types, it was clear that her jump top spin serve was her most dominant serve – it just needed some tweaks."
Peonia started working constantly on her new serve, and it's shown this season in ways Crawford said he never would have expected.
In 23 matches a season ago, Peonia had just six service aces while using a jump float serve. This season with her new jump top spin, she has 42 service aces in 87 total serves, good for .48 aces per set.
Her aces and aces per set rank first in Conference USA and are tied for 11th and 15th in the nation, respectively, and they are both single-season bests all-time at Middle Tennessee.
Behind Peonia, the Lady Raiders rank fourth in the country with 157 total service aces, and their 1.76 aces per set are seventh.
"I did feel that our serving would improve due to the way we train serving," Crawford said, "but I would be lying if I said I expected the level of success the team and Dora have achieved this season."
The improvements in serving this season for Peonia and the team go hand in hand with the team finding a love for playing again, something they didn't necessarily have in 2016.
"Honestly," she said, "last year was really hard for me. But, I feel like now we're more a family than just people playing volleyball together, and it feels like we really love each other now."
Playing with love for one another and love of the game have helped the Lady Raiders find out things about themselves and their playing styles this season, and Peonia is the perfect example.
Like her jump top spin serve, all of the players have always had the skills and the traits to help Middle Tennessee continue to improve. They just needed a leader to help get the best out of them.
"There's a quote that I read once a week to make sure I keep myself in check," Crawford said. "'A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. But, of a good leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, 'We did it ourselves.''
"With any success or achievements my teams have, I want them to realize that the potential was always in them. They just needed the right coach or teacher to get it out of them."
The Lady Raiders travel to UTEP for a match on Oct. 29 before returning home for a three-game home stand against Austin Peay on Nov. 1, WKU on Nov. 5 and FIU on Nov. 9, which will also be senior night. They finish the regular season Nov. 11 at North Texas.
Players Mentioned
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