Postgame Quotes - TCU vs. Texas (Dec. 4, 2009)
12/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 4, 2009
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
POST-MATCH QUOTES
TCU
Head coach Prentice Lewis
On the match overall: I felt like there were a lot of balls that we should have been digging and Texas out dug us. It's tough when you don't dig those shots and the easy balls. I also think we were in awe of the whole environment. Even though they saw it all last night as well, it is just a little tougher to play in it.
On matching up against Texas at Texas
We have played high-caliber athletes and have played in big time environments. But this is different, if you are in Texas, everybody talks about UT.
On how the tournament will help recruiting and next year
With our athletes that have been involved and have been able to play and participate, it is a building stone. Hopefully, the athletes come out and are ready to pursue the same goal next season. I don't know about 27, but I think that is the goal obviously. We will have a good team next year. As we have been, we are young, but we are old in our lineup, so it will be a good team again.
On the loss overall
It wasn't one player. We were not digging the balls. I think we ended up having only 31 digs and Texas had 41, and we did not serve as well tonight as we have most matches. We are number one in our conference in digs, and number one in service aces. Things just didn't click all the time tonight, and for us to win at Texas, those things have to happen. Also, we didn't challenge ourselves the same way defensively. Even the easy balls, they weren't going for. But honestly, Texas is the best team we have seen this year.
Senior outside hitter Lauren Otto
On the mindset coming into the match: I don't think we ever had a doubt in our mind that we could play with Texas. So, we just prepared the same as we did for every game, and were ready to fight when we stepped out onto the court.
On how the match served the future program:
I think for the younger classes, they know what it feels like to make it here, and they know what it feels like to sit on the sideline and not have their name called. I really think that will motivate them that much more.
On the match overall:
Obviously we knew Texas was a good team, they are the best in the nation, so we knew that we were going to have to play the best that we could to give them a game. There were a lot of balls that we should have been digging that we didn't, and it was things like that, that slowly knocked the wind out of us tonight.
Senior defensive specialist Katelyn Blackwood
On how the tournament served the future of the program:
We paved the way. It was the first time we have ever been to the tournament; we are the winningest class TCU has ever had. We set the bar for the team's after us, if not at least to do the same, then hopefully, to do better. We were picked to finish fifth in our conference and we finished second. That will get a better recruiting class.
On the game overall:
I think there was a lot of over-pursuit tonight. I think because we knew we could play with them, there was a lot of over pursuing the balls that we usually wouldn't have tonight and that hurt us.
On matching up against Destinee Hooker:
We have played a lot of teams that usually have that one great hitter. And when you are over, you are going to get your kills, but one person can't win a game. So we still played the match the same as any other. We rolled the ball back and played the game.
Texas
Head coach Jerritt Elliott
General statement:
First of all, congratulations to TCU and (head coach) Prentice (Lewis) on a fabulous season. I've known Prentice since growing up in my club days. She took that program over, and I know how hard it is to get a program to be good, and to get her team to the first time in the tournament and to the second round is a fabulous job and a great job by the coaching staff. I was very pleased with our team's performance tonight. I thought we were very focused and came in prepared. We did a really nice job on the offensive side and at the service line. We knew TCU was hot and they just finished a really good swing in California. We have a lot of respect for their team and their program and I was proud of our team for how prepared they were because this is a very important time of the year.
On Sha'Dare McNeal:
Sha'Dare is a phenomenal player and I think our staff had the most difficult time with the middle blocking crew. Sha'Dare has been good enough to play. We keep asking ourselves how we are keeping her out of the lineup, but we are very talented at that position and Sha'Dare has been better for us off the bench than she has as a starter. She's been able to play a lot of different roles for us in terms of the left side and middle, and serving. We can use her in a lot of different aspects. We have so much confidence in her. We've been throwing her in a lot of matches when we've been struggling with other team's middle blockers.
On the extent of Jennifer Doris' injury:
She'll be okay, she's in good hands. We have got the best trainer in the country and they'll get her ready to come back and play. Sha'Dare was more than capable of playing off the bench.
On how they were able to build leads:
I think our team stayed focus. They continued to play and our side-out percentages were extremely high.
Freshman utility player Sha' Dare McNeal
On her thoughts just before coming into the game:
I was just prepared for anything to happen. We're always on the bench telling each other to "be ready, be ready" and then when that moment came I was ready to go.
Senior setter/opposite hitter Ashley Engle
On having a friend on the other side of the net:
It was awesome. I love Christie (Hudson) so much and I'm so proud of what a great player she already was, but you can tell she has matured so much. She has always been a really smiley girl and I love just looking over the net and still seeing her smile. It was cool to finally know someone on the other side of the net.
On setting Destinee Hooker the last two balls of the night:
I knew that I wanted to go do Destinee, it was the last point in Gregory Gym so that was a given. It has just been such a great ride and I know that the last match was senior night, but since we did have these last two games it was great to be able to put a good win together for our fans. We are definitely going to miss them.
On the injury to Jennifer Doris:
It's always a scary thought. Is it your knee, is it your ankle? It's tough, it happens all the time with people coming under and landing funny. I'm glad she's okay and I have so much confidence in Sha'Dare and all of the other players on our bench because we are all working hard and we're playing against each other all the time. I know I don't like playing against her, so it's great having her on our side of the net and I don't think we skipped a beat.
Senior outside hitter Destinee Hooker
On the importance of knowing that the set will always be there:
It definitely starts with having trust in your team and starts with practicing in the gym. Working hard, building trust in your teammates, coming to the court and seeing your teammates do well.
On receiving the last two shots to end the game:
I'm honored that Ashley gave me the last ball to hit over the net. She gave me the eye contact that signified to hit the ball and I did. She gave me the ball and I think it was blocked, then it came back over and I hit it again. It was a great finish to have at Gregory Gym. I'm sad I won't be back, but all the while I love Ashley Engle and am really thankful for that.
On being prepared for certain situations:
You would definitely have to say a rhythm. You play like you do in practice to get ready for these kinds of situations. And when those points come in the game I am ready for it because I worked so hard in practice.
