Wisconsin Quotes
Head Coach Kelly Sheffield
Opening statement:
"I think our team just keeps getting better and better. I thought that was a really good win against a team with a coaching staff that I've got a lot of respect for and the year that they've had and the direction that they're heading.That's a hard conference to make the move up like they've had and they've had a lot of great wins and a lot of talented players over there. With that firepower that they have and you hold them to hitting zero those last two sets and under one hundred for the match, I think you have to feel good about how our defense is playing, how our serving is doing. It's really good blocking team and they didn't really get going with their blocks but on the other hand I think we did a really good job of getting our hands across the net and finishing our blocks so we were excited about the opportunity that we had tonight and we're certainly very excited about the opportunity to continue playing."
On the team's attitude
"I like the confidence that our team went into this match with. I thought we played each point as it was. I don't think we got ahead of ourselves, I don't think we got overly frustrated with things. I thought we just kind of figured things out.
Molly Haggerty's a perfect example. She hits .042 after hitting for a pretty high percentage last night. They targeted her more than anyone else and the kid passed a 2.5 (based on 3.0 scale), which is a really high number. That's really mature for a first-year player. To go up against that block and her not having a whole lot of success like she has been but to make other plays, other impacts on the match like she did. Gilly (
Lauryn Gillis) came out and passed a 2.4. I thought we competed hard. I like the maturity that we had. We can play better, but when you hold a ranked team from the PAC (Pac-12 Conference) under .100, you're really nit picking if you're picking at too many things. I thought we played really well tonight."
On the team's serving:
"I thought it was the first match all year that from the first point all the way till the end, that we did a really good job of serving. I thought we varied our planes really well. I thought we drove them deep. We put some short, flat balls in front of them. We put some true short serves in there in there. We were working the sidelines. I thought we served with a lot of confidence and we executed for the most part. Seven errors is a little bit. We were 90 percent in (play), just a little over that. But I thought the constant pressure that we were putting on from behind the service line was a big factor tonight. The first contact I thought we did a really good job. The first contact passing and the first contact serving."
Senior S Lauren Carlini
On trying to lessen the impact of Washington State's front line:
"I think a lot of it stems first from our passing. We passed great tonight so I had a lot of options available to me and I think our hitters were hitting the right shots. We knew that they had a big block so being able to work that block, find the open spots on the court. Honestly the passers made my job easy and whenever a team is passing well, it's going to be way harder to defend them."
On getting to continue playing at the Field House:
"I think it's just fun that we get to play in front of our home base again and getting that top-four seed was definitely a goal of ours. So when we got it, we were pretty excited about it just because it's obviously still supposed to be a neutral site but our fans help out so much and just being able to have that base behind us and push us through some of those hard points it's a major key for us and we appreciate all of their support."
On making the Sweet 16 every year during her career:
"Every year we want to be having continued success and building on the previous year. Obviously we made it to the national championship our freshman year and that is going to be our goal every year. It doesn't matter who is on the team, it doesn't matter how much turnover there is. We want to help make this a program where we are competing for some sort of championship and have that sustained success over long periods of time."
Junior OH Lauryn Gillis
On trying to find the gaps:
"After the first set, Lauren and I chatted and to pull the set off, it's a huge block and it's easier for me to see the court whenever that sets a little bit off with that big of a block and so we did that, made that adjustment and then just continued to move shots around. If they picked it up, I would go somewhere else and just kind of sticking with it and the adjustments we made kind of halfway through."
Senior MB Haleigh Nelson
On trying to combat Washington State's front line:
"Going into this match we knew that they were the third-best blocking team in the country and that really fired us up as front-row players and that really gave us some motivation. We talked before the match that we wanted to make it a goal of ours to try and beat them in team blocks over the course of the match. I think the pins really stepped up and made some great plays. There were a lot of big stuffs on their part and I think it's just when you go up against a team that has a strength like that, it kind of gives you a little extra motivation to see if you can outdo them on that front and I think we definitely performed."
On coming back after having an easy match last night:
"I don't know people could say it was an easier match but every match in the tournament's kind of tough and after we got that one under our belt, I personally felt a lot more comfortable going into this one because we're back in the swing of what's is like to be in the tournament and loser goes home, winner advances. We have the same mentality now for every match going forward, who ever is in our way we're going to knock down."
On making the Sweet 16 every year during her career:
"I'd say it's great to go to the Sweet 16 and it's always such an awesome feeling to advance in the tournament.There's nothing like it all year long but our end goal is to have the confetti fall Dec. 17. While it feels great to move on, we have a lot of more things in front of us and another team coming up next week. It feels good now but it's time to get back down to it and get to work."
Washington State
Head Coach Jen Greeny
Opening Statement:
"First of all Wisconsin is extremely good. I'm proud of this team for how far we've come into the second round, but Wisconsin is a fabulous team. We definitely couldn't get our offense going tonight against Wisconsin's great defense. Excited for Wisconsin to go on and I'm very proud of our team and what we've accomplished this year."
On if it was surprising to get out blocked:
"Yeah, a little bit. I think they're such a good offensive team and (Lauren) Carlini does a fantastic job of distributing the ball. We had a couple of times that we were maybe in the right place, just we weren't pressed over and things like that. But I thought they did a really fantastic job of blocking, better than anything we've seen on film or anything like that. That could've been a credit to their serving was pretty tough so we got pretty predictable and that always helps your blocking game."
On if Wisconsin reminds her of a team in the Pac-12:
"Yeah, kind of just like Tani (Stephens) mentioned, no one really in particular, but a little Stanford, a little Washington, a little UCLA all mixed in there. I think Wisconsin is a fabulous team. I'll just say right now that they are going to win it all. I can't bet because I'm in the NCAA, so I won't bet, but they could definitely do it."
On if she has a feeling they played a championship caliber team:
"Absolutely and we'll be rooting for them. Tell Kelly (Sheffield), he'll owe me."
Senior Defensive Specialist Tani Stephens
On if Wisconsin reminds her of a team in the Pac-12:
"I'd say not one team in particular but a lot of different parts of a lot of the top teams in the Pac-12. They are really good all around and give them credit for that. From the blocking that they had tonight, there's a lot of teams in the Pac-12 in parts could relate them to but as a whole, not one specific team."
On paving the way for future NCAA appearances:
"I definitely think so. None of us on this team have ever been to the NCAA tournament before and now we have a group of 11 girls who have all seen it now. I think that's definitely going to help them going into the spring as well as next season and just having seen that before is always helpful."
Senior Outside Hitter Kyra Holt
On getting out blocked:
"Wisconsin is a good team but we just kind of fell off on the blocking part and we just needed to be more disciplined."
On helping the program get back to the NCAA tournament:
"It's unexplainable and I'm sad that it came to an end. I feel accomplished and with all the seniors and us coming not to a winning program and changing that, it's a great feeling."
