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Miami Coach Nicole Lantagne Welch:
Unfortunately, we came up against a big opponent and didn’t
play our best. We didn’t play as well as we could, and
we got tentative. Nebraska is a great opponent and they don’t
make it easy on you. We’re a young team, and this is a
new experience for us. We’re just learning as we go. I
thought we got great play out of our libero (sophomore) Jamie
Grass, she dug a lot and she played hard.
On the
Coliseum environment:
I was an assistant at Texas A&M, so I’ve been here,
seen it and lived it. But for our players, it was a first for
them. Nebraska has a knowledgeable volleyball crowd, it’s
fun, and I wish it was like that everywhere in the country.
On Nebraska’s
style of play:
For us, being young, we don’t have a lot of depth. When
our key players struggle, we don’t have many options. But
we have to play through it. In practice you can try and duplicate
it, but you really have to experience it. We had players swinging,
and Nebraska always had someone on the third ball.
Sophomore
outside hitter Elizabeth Tyson
On her expectations of the match:
It wasn’t anything we didn’t expect; Nebraska is
great team. I don’t think played to our capabilities, because
the match wasn’t out of our reach.
Sophomore
libero Jamie Grass:
We knew Nebraska would come out and pound balls. We’re
young and we’re going to keep fighting.
On the
Nebraska atmosphere:
I think it’s awesome. Nebraska has a great crowd. It helped
us prepare, playing at Wisconsin last weekend. I liked it; it’s
hard to play in that environment, but it’s also fun.
Nebraska
Head Coach John Cook
On the game:
I thought the Huskers gave a great effort tonight. I thought
the key to the match was stopping their outside hitters, which
two of them (Marcela Gamarra and Valeria Tipiana) hit a negative
and the other one hit .170. That is how Miami was so successful
last week. Our players did a great job of executing the game
plan.
On the
difference between Hawaii and Miami:
The difference is going to be how much more physical Hawaii is.
They hit the ball harder at sharper angles. But we have been
preparing for that, and I think we probably enjoy that more than
the smaller teams that try to use us off our block.
Tomorrow
night is going to be great for our fans and great for volleyball.
There is no doubt that these are two teams that deserve to
be in the final four. It is going to be a great match.
Laura
Pilakowski
On the match:
I think overall as a team we played great together. We communicated
well and trusted each other, and that is what we needed to do
to win these types of games.
Lindsay
Wischmeier
On tomorrow night’s match against Hawaii:
I think it is going to be a great matchup. When you look at their
team, they are very physical and they have a great team. But
you look at us and we can match them All-American for All-American.
It is two great programs going at each other and I don’t
think you could ask for a better matchup.
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