Middle Tennessee volleyball looks to show its’ “why,” in 2023

Photo by: Emily Cole/MT Athletic Communications

8/18/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

By: Anthony Fiorella, MTSU Athletic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Over the past few years, Middle Tennessee volleyball has been slowly but surely progressing toward where it wants to be. With a slew of veteran leadership on this year's team, the biggest question mark surrounding it is: Could this be the year that Middle Tennessee sends shockwaves throughout the conference?

If you ask anyone close to the Blue Raider program, they'd likely ask you, why not?

Last season, the team found itself at a crossroads toward the end of the year after it went into a bit of a slump. That's when the coaching staff challenged the team to really start expressing themselves not just as players, but also as people.

The team came up with individual why statements and also took the five love language test to place a true importance on the psychological side of things, and it has brought an added element to the team over the offseason that has really helped the team become better-rounded, both on and off the floor.

While the physical ability has certainly shown it is there, taking that next step mentally has given everyone in the program that mindset to keep going until the job is not only done, but done right.

It's something that's not only affected the players, but the coaching staff as they've been able to re-evaluate how they approach certain players.

It's through perseverance, patience and determination that the players, coaches and support staff as a whole have improved the program from a mental aspect, something that should pay dividends on the court.

"We worked so much on finding our why," said Blue Raider assistant coach Taylor Holmes. "If you ask just a random person why they do something, they may not be able to express why they do it. Making sure everyone is under the same goal and same mindset of knowing why they come in day in and day out when they don't feel good, they're homesick, or whatever it may be that drives us all as a team. (The mental aspect) is everything, it's so huge."

With six total seniors, including five graduate students, the Blue Raiders certainly have a wealth of no just leadership, but experience that will hit the court this fall. Gone is libero Marley Banton, one of the top players on the team from over the past several years, but several players look to step up and help fill the void left by Banton this year.

A pair of names that start off that list are right-side hitter Kayla Henley and setter Taylor Eisert. Both Henley and Eisert's names litter the Blue Raider record books and their combined success and experience in pressure situations is certainly a welcome sight for Middle Tennessee coming into the year.

Dasia Smith, Chen Abramovich, Kaylee Oscarson and Erin Eisenhart round out the group of seniors, but there are also names like Melisa Nur Temiz, Adri Rhoda, Trae McCutchan, Caroline Macander and Laure Jansen that also bring experience and all have shown improvement in the offseason.

"Honestly, this is the best feeling I've had for an upcoming season in my career," Eisert said. "The core people that have been here since I was a freshman, Kalya Henley and Dasia Smith, we've all been here the longest and know each other better than ourselves. Building that relationship with them and some of the other seniors, I know I can trust those girls so much. We are going to be dangerous this year."

Libero Chen Abramovich, middle blocker's Dasia Smith and Kaylee Oscarson along with grad-transfer Erin Eisenhart return to anchor a group that had some strong defensive performances last year, though it's a group that knows that it needs to shore things up at the net to solidify close matches this year. Last season, the Blue Raiders out dug opponents 1350-1281 and had 64.5 more blocks then their opponents did.

"We've worked hard on stopping our opponents and getting our defensive numbers to be really good," Holmes said. "We can hang with anyone offensively, and we know that, but we really need to focus on stopping people and have put a big focus on our first-ball touch and getting not just digs, but making sure it's a good-quality ball and being really solid overall in our serve-receives, too."

Offensively, the Blue Raiders had one of the best seasons that they've seen over the past decade, which helped them take the next step into having their first 15-win season since 2013. As a team, Middle Tennessee averaged a higher hitting percentage, assists per set and service aces per set over it's opponents, thanks in large part to the success of players like sophomore Adri Rhoda, who was second-team all-conference as a freshman last year and Eisert who had a big year herself, setting the program's 25-pt era record for team hitting percentage at .532 and the highest single-match team hitting percentage of CUSA teams last season in a sweep over Miami and was third in CUSA in total assists (948) and fourth in assists per set (9.48).

"(Our offensive success) comes with relationships and trust in each other," Eisert said. "For me personally being the setter, I have to know all of the hitter's tendencies. I need to know them well both on and off the court. Building those relationships makes us so much stronger. I always try to do extra reps with some of them after practice just to build that relationship and knowing what they like and what makes them successful."

Of course, CUSA underwent some changes with the additions of new members Liberty, Sam Houston State, New Mexico State and Jacksonville State coming into the fold while Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice UTSA and UAB left the conference at the end of last year.

Along with the new look conference, some fresh faces have added some much-needed depth to the already strong veteran leadership for Middle Tennessee this year.

Grad-transfer libero Erin Eisenhart comes from Austin Peay where she was one of the top players not just defensively, but overall, for the Governors. A trio of new freshman that includes libero Allyson Eckel and a pair of middle blockers in Allison Bedrick and Patrycja Labucka have boosted the competition off the court and shown promise in the preseason and look to keep the Blue Raiders in the mix for a return to the new-look Conference USA Tournament for the third year in a row.

"Erin brings a lot of experience and stability to the libero position," Holmes said. "Our three new freshman have all added depth to us and we're really excited for them. They're going to do some really good things."

While a return to the Conference Tournament for the third year in a row would be a great accomplishment, you get the sense from this year's group that it certainly isn't enough. Two seasons ago, Middle Tennessee made an appearance in the semifinal round of the tournament and last year had its' best overall record in the past decade.

With the combination of the team's focus on improving their game mentally and continuing to strive for new heights both offensively and defensively, the overall depth and another added year with an impressive group of seniors can place this team squarely in the mix to contend for a title, even among some of the new and returning heavyweights in the conference.

"Our number one goal is to expect to win," Eisert said. "There is just a different vibe about this team. Everyone is super excited and hungry to get on the court day in and day out and put forth the best effort that we can. We are here for one goal and one goal only and that's to win the Conference USA tournament and get into
the NCAA Tournament."

It's all enough to make you ask, why not this Blue Raider team?