Eastern ranks nationally in service aces

Eastern is ranked at No. 7 in the nation for total service aces as of Sunday.

“Last year we didn’t focus on it (serving) as much but this year it’s a major part in what we do everyday,” head coach Lori Bennett said. “It’s great to see that it’s paying off. I’m really excited about that.”

The Panthers, who have 70 aces after 25 games, have an average of 2.80 aces per game.

“We’ve done a lot of work on serving,” Bennett said.

Even with her team so high in aces early in the season, Bennett is still working with them on technique and location.

“We’re just making sure we’re thinking about the right things when going back to serve,” she said. “We’re just working with each individual girl making sure that their toss is accurate, their arm swing is doing the right thing, and that the ball is in the right location.”

Crabtree leads team in serves

Junior setter Maren Crabtree is leading more than the team in service aces.

Crabtree is ranked No. 9 in the nation in services aces with 20 aces in 25 games, giving her 0.80 aces per game.

“Maren, like no other player I’ve ever coached, is more focused on the right things more of the time,” Bennett said. “So when she serves in practice she’s working hard.”

Crabtree works more on her serve before practice than most of the other players.

“I go in earlier than most people and get 10-15 extra minutes of serving,” she said.

Bennett said Crabtree is very focused when it comes to serving.

“When she’s serving there’s no messing around,” she said. “She’s not talking about other stuff. She doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about anything else but serving. She works really hard.”

Crabtree, who uses a jump floater serve, has a close to perfect technique of it, Bennett said.

“She worked on it during preseason and just worked at it until it became very good,” she said. “The bottom line is she works hard to make it happen.”

Boylan earns defensive honors

After setting a new career high for digs, freshman defensive specialist Shaina Boylan was rewarded for it Monday.

Named Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week, Boylan is the first Panther this season to be named a player of the week.

“She’s a freshman and for her to become defensive player of the week is a pretty big deal,” Bennett said.

Boylan led the Panthers with 19, 22, and 24 digs last weekend in the three matches at Western Illinois’ Invitational. She had a conference best 5.91 digs per game at the end of the weekend.

“She worked really hard last week on completing defensive moves and that paid off to her over the weekend,” Bennett said.

Boylan said she was excited about receiving this honor.

“I didn’t expect it at all,” she said. “It came as a shock.”

Boylan has been getting more comfortable in her role as libero, Bennett said.

“We’re going to see a lot more great things from Shaina,” she said.