University of Minnesota Athletics
Creighton-Minnesota Postmatch Quotes
12/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Creighton-Minnesota Post-Match Quotes
Minnesota coach Mike Hebert
Opening Statement:
"It's obvious there are a lot of really good volleyball teams playing in Division I right now because we just played one of them. [Creighton is] a very well-coached team. The things they were doing against us were very stressful. We didn't respond at times because they were just really good at what they did. They out-served us in the match. Our passing was solid at times, kind of on the edge at times, but most of that was due to some pretty good serving by Creighton. I thought Ashley Wittman was outstanding on the left side tonight. I thought that without that kind of performance, we were probably going to struggle more than we did. I thought it was maybe her best hitting night of the season. We thought our middles would be in good shape against their middles. It turned it was an even matchup. I was just really impressed with what Creighton did. We're really happy to be moving on to the Sweet 16 out in Seattle."
On impressions of team after the two sweeps:
"I'm impressed not only because won, but because in neither match did we play our best. We were out of sync a lot, but I like the fact that we didn't let that bother us. Early in the year, we were letting those kinds of matches get to us. We would get ahead 2-0, 2-1 in a match, and we would start to lose our composure. But now they're holding their ground, they're not yielding. . . .We kept swinging hard, even though we got behind late in each set."
Freshman outside hitter Ashley Wittman:
On carrying momentum from Friday to Saturday:
"We're in tournament time now, and I just want to give it my all, because every match could be our last match. I just go with the mindset of 'Do the best I can,' and get the points for my team, because most of the balls go to the outside anyway, so I need to help out and just go for it."
Senior middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer:
On finishing sets:
"I definitely think that's one of our strong points toward the end of the season. We're really good at fighting, especially at home. We kind of have this mindset that we're not going to be pushed over at our home gym. . . . I think that says a lot about our team and how we don't give up, and how we're going to fight until we accomplish our goals."
On significance of playing last match at the Sports Pavilion:
"It was awesome. Obviously going out with a win is the way to go. I'm very thankful that everyone has stepped up toward the end of the season, and we're all playing for each other. It's not an individual game anymore."
Junior libero Jessica Granquist:
On tough competition on consecutive nights:
"I think it was a good matchup. Definitely the Ohio State and Penn State [matches] were our toughest of the year, but [Creighton] definitely was a great match-up."
Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth:
Opening Statement:
“Minnesota is a great team. We knew we would have to battle hard. We purposely did not tell our players what kind of run Minnesota has had lately as far as beating everyone. We knew we would have to play stellar ball. I told the players that I feel the same tonight as I did last night. I am extremely proud of them. I think the exciting thing for our program was that we were playing a team that, I would guess, Coach Hebert is talking about being a Final Four team this year. I thought we were competitive in every single game and I don’t think it was Minnesota making errors or us getting lucky. I thought we competed with a great team. It has been a great season. I am proud of the team.”
On making it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history:
“We have been close two other years where we were on the bubble and didn’t get in. This year we were on the bubble again and fortunately we got the nod this time. We’ve tried not to make too big of a deal about it with the players. We approached it as any other week. The expectation was to win Friday and the expectation was to win tonight. I think afterwards you try to cushion that and let them know that they played hard and they played a phenomenal team. I really liked that we came in to win. I think a lot of teams are excited just to have the experience. I thought we seemed the same as we have all season. I don’t think we did anything special. We practiced the same and came in. I really think they thought they could beat Minnesota tonight, which is a great statement for the mentality of this team.”
On the competition of the match:
“I thought the whole match was really close. Obviously set two could have gone in either direction. The thing that was big for us and I think where we lost was if we served and got a free ball back or were able to defend, we had to terminate on the next ball because if we gave Minnesota any off-speed ball and they were back in system, they terminate at such a high level that we really struggled. We really keyed on Gibbemeyer and we contained her hitting under .200. We didn’t expect Wittman to eat us up as much as she did. She got a boatload of swings. We really had trouble containing her tonight.”
Junior middle blocker Laurel Sanford:
On being back in Minnesota:
“It is so surreal. You never think that as a college athlete, you will be able to go home and play where you always wanted to be when you were little. I grew up with Minnesota volleyball, dreaming I would be a Minnesota volleyball player. I went to camps at the Minnesota volleyball camps. Just being able to be back in the pavilion and playing in front of my Minnesota crowd, and in front of the Minnesota volleyball players is pretty fun. It is disappointing when obviously it doesn’t turn out your way.”
On coming out of the timeout before Creighton’s run in the second set:
“We had no emotion in the beginning. I think when our team plays with emotion and energy and excitement, we play well together. We play as a team. We play with heart and passion. I think after realizing that that is what we needed. We needed a spark. We played together and we fought. We weren’t going to give up. That is for sure.”
Junior rightside hitter Karisa Almgren:
On the team making it to the tournament:
“Like Laurel said, it is completely surreal to be here. When we found out that we were even going to be in the NCAA in the first place, we were all crying and so excited that we made it. Making Creighton history is kind of a big deal. It was really, really exciting to find that out. I just wanted to play and to win. It doesn’t matter about individual awards or anything as long as every single one of us comes out as a team because it was all 16 of us that got us here. I think there are a lot of people that don’t get a lot of press. I think every single one of our girls deserves it. Our bench was crazy. It is just incredible to be here and have this opportunity. We feel completely blessed. It’s incredible. It was awesome. I am glad last night went as well as it did. We were all on cloud nine. And tonight, we fought hard. We know we can make it here. We know this is where we belong. So Laurel and I as seniors next year, we’re going to have to follow up this year.”
On the team’s mentality before their run in the second set:
“I remember coming out of that timeout and everyone was just silent. We were just sitting there like it wasn’t a big deal. We came in and we said we had no pressure on us right now. We are the underdogs. We have absolutely nothing to loose. We just need to go out there and play with our hearts and make this the biggest run ever. We knew we weren’t even playing to our best. No one was playing with very much emotion. We just needed to come out here and play with our hearts and do what we did last night.”
