The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
POST-MATCH QUOTES
12.10.2010 | Volleyball
Dec. 10, 2010
POST-MATCH QUOTES
PURDUE
Head coach Dave Shondell
General statement: It was a really good performance from our volleyball team tonight. I thought our athletes understood Florida very well. I give our athletes great credit for studying the tape and listening to the information and understanding what it was going to take to be successful. They went out and just put on a clinic on serving and passing and defense. They were hitting shots that were going to be effective against Florida. It was a really big win for our program, to get to this level. It's been since the tournament expanded to 64 that Purdue has advanced to this level. We've been here three times before in the last six years and hit a roadblock, so it was great to get past this level. We've got a great opponent tomorrow. Although, we're not worried about that right now. We'll be prepared for that in time. We'll have the information that we need. I give such credit to our players for buckling down. We've been playing with purpose all season long. There have been things that have happened in our team, that will stay within our team, that really led to us playing with great passion and purpose. Sometimes things that are negative on the surface can build great character and great toughness and great desire. We've seen that in our volleyball team this year. Hats off to Florida for a fantastic season. You don't get ranked number one in the country, in both polls, if you're not a really, really good volleyball team. I've been on the other side when I've felt like I ran into a buzz saw, and I feel that Florida ran into a buzz saw. Our team was ready to play.
On the team's defense: I think the biggest part of our defense plan was to serve them very tough. When you serve somebody tough, it makes defense a little bit easier because they have to set an outside ball or a back roll attack. We've blocked outside hitters very well all season, that's kind of our strength defensively. If you can take a team out of system like our team did tonight, and start to break some people down, the game becomes a little more simple. I thought that was the biggest thing. Our assistant coach john Shondell is responsible for all of our serving and passing, and he's just done a phenomenal job.
On coming back from a close first set: I think the real depth point as a coach is to regroup for game two. In a time out, there's not a whole lot I can do at that point, so I'm trying to figure out how to approach things for the next game and get back into it. That's all the players on the floor, that's who brought that [first set] back. Again, there were times during the first game where we were controlling things. I just felt they let us off the hook, with a couple of hitting errors. Once we got one point away, we got on a roll and we didn't stop until the final point.
Senior setter Jaclyn Hart
On if the win has really set in: Not really. We're all still in shock. It's a great feeling.
On if the momentum from winning the first set carried on into the next sets: [It] definitely [did]. After we got that first set under our belt, it just gave us a huge boost of confidence and everyone stepped it up even more after that. During that game, we almost lost it, but we fought it out and stayed tough through that. I think that's always a big boost for us. We were really happy with the way we came through.
Sophomore outside hitter Ariel Turner On how the team got back on track: I think the serves, their play. We started just playing a lot better, with more confidence. I think that we believed that we could win.
On the team's defense and controlling Florida's Kelly Murphy: She was a key as we were preparing for them this past week. We wanted to shut her down, make sure she couldn't get any momentum for them because we knew she could be a big factor in this game. I think us shutting her down was a good accomplishment for us.
FLORIDA
Head coach Mary Wise
General statement: Credit goes to Purdue's defense. I thought the difference in the match was their defense. How well they ball handled, and I think that's the best libero play we have seen all year and we played some pretty good ones. They were terrific at digging balls. There were shots that went for kills earlier and who knows? If we win set one, what happens? It's just really unfortunate that we weren't able to put away set one. It was a major deflation and we never really rebounded but Purdue never gave us a chance. We knew they were a tough match up for us. We felt that there were many other teams in this round that we matched up better against than Purdue. The players knew it when they saw it on video, our staff knew it and we were going to have to get some help from them. We were going to have to play lights out and it just wasn't our night. The tough thing is all that this team accomplished, what a great season it is, it just puts a bad taste in our mouths. At some point we will be able to reflect on what a great season it was.
On their game plan tonight: I thought our game plan was solid. IT was exactly how we thought it was by terms of being very close. Again, we will never know what would have happened if we won set one.
On coaching Callie Rivers: The sad thing is that there is a direct correlation between the amounts of energy that goes into winning equals the amount of disappointment in losing. She's really torn up right now. And to end it that way is really hard but I'll tell you what, she and Lauren (Bledsoe) gave everything they had and she has been our emotional leader. We knew we had weaknesses but I think this team did more with less and I'll look back and think that we over achieved so many things and most of those were because of her leadership.
Junior setter Kelly Murphy
On tonight's game: I just think Purdue played really well. Whenever we got a little burst of energy like one or two points, they would just come right back and they didn't make many errors. It was really hard for us to get energy.
On her frustrations tonight: They just got a touch on everything. Whether it was a block or a dig. We took some aggressive swings and they just brought it right back. When we are usually used to those kind of swings falling, it's hard to get yourself back and keep going.
Senior outside hitter Callie Rivers
On finishing her collegiate career tonight: It's really frustrating since this is the most fun I've ever had playing volleyball with my team. It really puts a sour taste in your mouth to end a great season with great players, and great teammates, and great coaches like this. But it is what it is.