Colorado University Athletics
USC - CU Quotes
October 10, 2015 | Volleyball
USC - CU Quotes
Head Coach Liz Kritza
On The Competition Against USC
“When you're playing a team like this, they'll never go quietly. Credit to both teams. It was a really good match. Some of the scores were lopsided, especially in the last two sets. But there was a lot of really high level volleyball being played. Volleyball is a game of momentum so when they press us and they get a lead when we're stuck in some rotations, a lot of times it's hard to get things going again. When we did get them going, we just ran out of time. Especially in that set of 15, we didn't get them back and firing quickly enough. In that fifth set, you can't go down four or five points and expect to pull it out every time. We can and we have before. I think everybody up here and in the locker room and on our staff, they get it. They know that there were opportunities and that we created chances tonight. We just didn't close the door on them, we didn't finish them. That's a really valuable lesson. We tested this team probably more than anybody else has. We crossed paths with USC's coach afterwards and that's what he said to me. I'm very appreciative of that. It's a great compliment for our players but we're not satisfied with that. We're not satisfied until we come away with the win and playing a complete match all the way through.”
On Containing USC's Samantha Bricio
“Number 2, [Samantha Bricio] is leading the country in aces. To go away from a match of five without a single ace from her is a pretty great feat. That's something that's one of their strengths. We worked on it. Cierra [Simpson] did a very good job of controlling that service and trying to pass as many of those balls as possible as our experienced libero. We did a really good job of containing that. Did we finish the side out play? Not all the time. But typically that player [Bricio] goes on runs of points and she didn't serve more than two or three times in a row. That's different and something that other teams have not been able to do against USC. That is definitely one of the highlights and the pluses from that match.”
On Bouncing Back
“That's why we play in this league; we love the challenge of playing a number one team, and another top-ten team a couple days later. This is what volleyball is like in the best conference in the country. It's not so much hanging our head, it's about doing our job and preparing at a high level; making sure that we immediately take the positives out of this, get over any sort of negative, because it doesn't help us. These are great players and great competitors. They're not happy, I'm not happy, but we have to make sure that we turn the page and we take forward the positives and get ready. Our minds right now are on UCLA. They've (the players) got to do their work, recover, and make sure their bodies are prepared. We'll get back in and practice and scout tomorrow, and make sure that we're ready for another really tough team coming in here. This is what our program is used to, and we relish the challenge. We like playing tough teams after tough teams. Granted, we would like to be going into that with a little more of a positive, jovial celebration, but we'll take the good play. We are disciplined and intelligent enough in this game to know what went well out there. There was some really high-level volleyball, and that's a good thing. We're playing at a high level, and it helps us to prepare to take on another top team coming in in 48 hours.”
Player Quotes
Junior Cierra Simpson
On the difficulty of defending
“I mean you have to give credit to them; they're all great players; they were recruited at a really great school. I mean it's difficult, but I felt like when we really honed in on the game plan we were able to slow them down a little bit—so that helped us a little bit. But like I said, they're great players and they're going to get their kills here and there.”
On the serve-receive from Bricio
“I'm really proud of the team. I thought we did a good job of handling the ball on her, especially compared to years past. I felt like, I don't think she aced us actually at all. I know we're really confident with it, kind of just unflappable when she was serving; she has a great serve. Like I said, I'm really proud of my teammates for just really dialing in and helping get Eddy a ball that she can set.”
Senior Nicole Edelman
On take away from match
I think it shows again that we can play with anyone. And I think the way that we played as a team is something that we need to do all of the time. I think, just reflecting back, I mean we just finished a little while ago, but I really see the second set as the key to that match. We did have a couple of set point there. I think it's just, when the opportunity is there you just to take care of business because it really is a game of inches. But we'll be ready for Sunday.
Senior Alexis Austin
On take away from match
It's just us still getting our connections right and being able to go out and play and stay consistent with it throughout the whole match no matter how many sets we go to—if we go to three, four, five—like we have to have that endurance and be able to hold it out no matter what.
