Monday, Nov. 30
Arizona Volleyball Quotes
Pre-NCAA Tournament Press Conference
Head Coach Dave Rubio
Opening Statement:
"Well, we're certainly excited to be invited back to the NCAA Tournament. We feel like getting a chance to go to Utah and staying in our own time zone is a benefit for us. Don't know much about Western Kentucky, I spent all morning scouting those guys and breaking down film. You know, they're 31-3. They've won a lot and they're used to winning. They opened up the season beating Wisconsin, who's an eight-seed in the tournament, at Wisconsin in four. So they're certainly not going to be intimidated by us."
On overall health of the team:
"Well we have two kids still out. Kalei (Mau) and McKenna Painton, so two starters for us. And they'll be day-to-day. But you know know one of the things I'm really proud about, about making the tournament this year is that we added so many new kids. We graduated so many players from last year's team. I thought the team really pulled together throughout the season and I think that was evident when we lost Kalei Thursday night leading into ASU and then we lost McKenna Painton the morning of the match. And so for our players to be able to step in pretty seamlessly and play at a very high level and be able to beat a team as good as ASU speaks a lot about that group. So regardless of whether or not those guys are healthy, of we hope that they will be, but we know also that Kendra Dahlke and Liz Inch will do a terrific job for us."
Key things he expects them to do against WKU:
"Well they put a lot of pressure on you because of the system that they run. And you know they're smaller players. They're not going to be as physical as the teams we play in our conference but they're feisty, they dig, they're emotional and their setter puts a lot of pressure because when she's front row she has a very offensive mind in terms of her own attacking ability and setting abilities. So they're going to be tough for us. And it'll be a different type of match-up for us than what we're used to seeing in the conference. We're used to seeing big, giant kids who can really play volleyball. These guys are smaller, quicker, faster who can really play volleyball. And they're used to winning. And when you play against a ball club that's used to winning as much as those guys have, they they're not going to be intimidated by any means. So we'll certainly have time to prepare this week for that match. But certainly we'll have to do some things and make some adjustments that we haven't had to make in the past."
On not looking ahead in the bracket:
"All year long with this particular group, I've told them, we never talked about the post season. I mean the only time we talked about the post season during the season was that we want to be playing our best when we get to the post season. We never talked about who we need to play, who we needed to beat, how many wins we needed to have. None of those things. So you know for this group, they may on their own take a look at the bracket and say 'here's who we're going to meet later on,' but I purposely never talked about that. In the meetings I'm always, 'who's the most important match of the year? Whatever that next team is.' So I really focus on for the group on just kind of staying right in the moment and not looking ahead at anything. Of course everyone will look at the BYU match because of what happened last year. You know for me, we got our hands full with Western Kentucky and I'm not looking past them because I know they're going to give us everything we can handle that night."
Junior Setter Penina Snuka
On the differences between this year and last:
“I think once the season gets going, you kind of get a feel for how the team is going work out and what kind of approach Dave will take after a win or a loss. You just have to take what is given to you.”
On winning in the NCAA Tournament:
“The team that catches lightning in the bottle at the end (does well in the NCAA tournament). We need to catch that momentum. Last year, against BYU, was a great example. They caught it right at the right time and made it all the way to the finals. The team that catches lightning in the bottle makes it to the end.”
Senior Middle Blocker Halli Amaro
On carrying momentum into the postseason:
“I think it's a different type of emotion that you carry going into post season. We're excited that we ended pac-12 play with a win. Going into the NCAA tournament every game has its own set of emotions. I think a lot of girls are excited that it is their first time going to the tournament, so I think, overall, it is going to be a positive feeling. I don't want to say that we are carrying over the emotions from ASU because it will be a totally different atmosphere. It's not the Pac-12, so you've seen these teams before, you get limited information, and you are expected to preform your best in a small amount of time.”
On how to know when to use power vs. finesse:
“I think that it is one of those things that you practice as you develop as a player, and we have been working on it a lot this season. I am one of the smaller middles in the Pac-12, so I can't get up and bounce balls past these blockers who are like 6'8” or 6'5”. Throughout the whole season we have just been working in me being a smarter attacker, not necessarily a powerhouse. Our managers are a big part of our practices, and we have enough girls to where we have an A and a B side. I go through practice every day and have coach tell me what to look for, so I know if I should tip it deep or tip it in the middle of the court. It is just a matter of being aware that what the other team is going to do on certain plays at certain times will predicate what you are going to need to do to earn that point.”