Post-match quotes vs. San Diego
Friday, Sept. 2, 2016
UW Field House - Madison, Wis.

Head coach Kelly Sheffield
 
Opening Statement: "We knew we were playing a team tonight that is awfully good defensively. When you watch them on film, their bodies are flying all over the place. They are covering their attackers really, really well. 

"That was something that we went into the match emphasizing on our end is can we be a more defensive-minded team than a team that was really good at the defense. Be grittier than a team that we felt was really gritty. 

"We put goals up there of trying to out dig them and we put goals up there to cover more balls that were blocked than what they did. That is something we haven't done a really good job with, to be frank, is covering our attackers.

"Tonight I thought Romana really kind of set the tone early with some blocks on probably their best attacker and everybody else kind of followed suit. I thought we were strong up there at the net and getting across and finishing our blocks rather than just being soft with our blocks. We were physical at the net.

"I thought we got better defensively as the match went on. I thought we did a really, really good job of covering our attackers. They got a couple of blocks early on and then I don't think they really got any. I think we did a magnificent job of battling and fighting to keep those balls that were blocked from going to the floor.

"You hold a really good team, that is very, very balanced, to the hitting percentage that we held them to is a pretty good defensive effort."

On beating the No. 18-ranked team and what's next:
"No, I think we can get a lot better. You certainly don't expect the score to be the way that it was. We know that is a really good team. Sometimes this time of the year, the scores can be a little bit kooky because people are still trying to figure each other out. They were bringing in their All-American for the first time and they are trying to figure out how she is going to fit into that.

"We went with a little bit of different stuff tonight than what we did last weekend. You don't expect the score, but as we all are trying to figure each other out, you keep battling. You keep moving onto that next point. You keep your wits about you and I thought we did a good job with that.

"One of the things that I liked about this team is that we came out of the locker room (after the break) and we were still dialed in. That doesn't mean that you have the same score that you had from the previous two sets, it means are you still ready to fight? Are you respecting the game and your opponent in a way you are trying to bury somebody. San Diego, last weekend, they were down 0-2 against Stanford and they come back and win in five. They were down 0-2 against Minnesota and came back and won the third (set) so I think that shows you that's a team with a lot of heart and a lot of toughness to it.

"I thought we came out of the locker room ready to embrace that challenge. Rather than just being arrogant and soft, I thought we stayed with the fight, stayed with the battle. We are trying to get better at that."

Lauren Carlini
On opening home season with tournament:
"I think it's nice that we get to be able play in front of our home base before we get into Big Ten season - just get a feel of playing at home and playing in front of a home crowd, it is just a different feeling than playing away.  I think we did a great job of coming out strong, and like Kelly said, we got better as the match went on. It was cool and it is great that we get to host our own tournament.

On the key to the early success:
"I think we are just connecting as a team much more than we were at the beginning of last year. We had a few freshmen coming in and playing to start the year last year. We are just meshing a lot quicker than last year. It was a hard learning process at the beginning of last year and this year I think we just keep working and keep wanting to get better. We are doing a great job of connecting with each other after plays and not going on strings of making a lot of errors in a row. We are bouncing back quickly and getting back to work. That has been a huge reason why we have been successful this early. I think that's been a huge part of why we've been successful early."

On having a balanced offense:
"I'm lucky because I have a lot of options to go to and I know any of them can put the ball down so it makes my job really easy. As far as game planning, it is being able to mix the ball up and giving them different looks. Not giving them the same plays over and over again. Having them hit some different shots as well makes the game more fun and it is kind of a chess match that way, between me and the blockers or me and the defense. That is what makes being a setter so fun."

Lauryn Gillis
On trying to hit around defenders:
"It is extremely frustrating whenever you are hitting those really great shots and all of a sudden the libero is picking that up. That is just part of the game. You have to see where she was, and where she picked that ball up and you know that she can't be at two places at one time so you go to the other spot where she is not. It makes the game more fun. You have to think more throughout it and it is just more challenging, but it is a lot more fun.

On recording more digs than the Toreros:
"That was our big goal in this game. It was good we came out of that with a win and knowing that we put that work in and do what we needed to do and it paid off. That is kind of why we won."