Volleyball

Postgame Quotes: Wisconsin vs. Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

Coach and player quotes

Volleyball

Postgame Quotes: Wisconsin vs. Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

Coach and player quotes

Post-match quotes vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016
UW Field House - Madison, Wis. 

Head coach Kelly Sheffield
Opening statement: "One of the things that we thought going into this match is that (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) really did some things that can make you really uncomfortable.

"First of all, their setter does a lot of attacking – she can really stretch you out. Defensively, you can potentially be really strained if you're in their system. I think we did a pretty good job serving and keeping them out of their system. Our blockers were quick with their hands over the net. I think we did a good job pressing and getting it over.

"We were able to bring some other people into the match today and they were tuned in. They played Wisconsin Volleyball. Tori (Blake) is up here and I thought she was very, very active and making herself available. They taught her to come right out of the gate when she comes in with a short serve and she nailed that and then terminating a transition kill. She did a lot of positive things.

"Mallory (Dixon) got her first action and she came in and got an ace. I like the fact that Mallory came in after struggling for the first week-and-a-half of practice and put some good ones in there today.

"Good match against a good team. That's a good team that's going to win a lot of matches. We have the first week of school coming up here and I'm sure the girls are excited about that; then we head to North Carolina."

On the team's development on defense: "I thought both of our matches this weekend we pursued balls. It's not just running, its balls hit outside of your range, are you going to go and get it? I think we can do a better job of controlling those balls, but I thought we pursued those well.

"I thought we covered our attackers this weekend a lot better than what we did last weekend. It's a work in progress, but I thought our effort was better in the back court than it was last weekend. I thought we got a lot of really good positive touches out of our block.

"With our block, we've been working really hard. With [Haleigh Nelson] here, I thought we got a lot of positive touches there and I'd be remised to not be appreciative of the fans. We were almost at 6,000 tonight and I would've thought that number would have been a little bit lower maybe as people kind of slept off the effects of the big football win last night. We're appreciative of this weekend and how many came out both matches and it's really cool to play in front of a fan base like this."


Senior Middle Blocker Haleigh Nelson

On bench play: "What makes us so excited is that we get to play against them and with them all the time in practice. We know what they're capable of and it's so exciting when they get to go out there and all the Badger fans can see what they can do. I just love when they get to go out there because we get to see how hard they work. They deserve to be out there in front of the fans so they can see what they can do too."

On the development of the younger players: "I think their biggest asset for all of them when they came in was that they really came in with a positive growth mindset and they were open to coaching. They were willing to learn our culture and change even if it was a little uncomfortable at first, which is kind of rare for at least all of the freshman and for that many to come in and be ready to play with us the way we've been playing here for years. They just came in ready and so open-minded and just willing to learn and willing to stumble along the way because they know that if they trust the process they'll eventually be where they want to be.

"Molly [Haggerty] is one of the ones that is making a big stats impact, the fans can see it, but she's put in a lot of work in practice on passing and things like that but she struggled. For all of them, their biggest thing is that they're willing to learn. It hasn't been easy, but they're doing great and they're all performing very well. It wasn't easy, they just trusted the process and trusted us as their teammates and coaches and that's really been probably the best thing for them."

On the team's 12 blocks: "I think probably the focus, at least for me, on blocking was that both the teams that we played this weekend ran pretty quick offenses, so pretty much all I focused on was getting my hands over and quick, not so much high or anything like that. It ended up that we got a lot of touches and a lot of stuff-blocks just because the two teams we played hit pretty low to the net so if we were able to get our hands where they needed to be then we wouldn't be too old and we would be more likely to get pretty good blocks. I think the pin blockers did a really good job with locating their blocks and setting up. Tionna [Williams] also did a really good job and Tori [Blake] and Julia [Saunders] came right off the bench so everyone kind of knew going in that the teams we were playing ran a quick offense. We knew that we had to change our blocking philosophy a little bit."


Senior Middle Blocker Tori Blake:

On what it's like to play for extended periods of time: "Those first few points it's extremely helpful to rely on your teammates. I know Lauryn Gillis every time I come in she tells me exactly what plays the other team is running and she gives me little reminders along the way. As soon as we get everything together, it's just the cheer after every point and the minor things that happen during the game that you pick up on and you keep going so it's a lot of fun."
 

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Players Mentioned

Lauryn Gillis

#3 Lauryn Gillis

OH
6' 1"
Junior
New Castle, Ind.

Players Mentioned

Lauryn Gillis

#3 Lauryn Gillis

6' 1"
Junior
New Castle, Ind.
OH