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Texas Post-Match Quotes
Head Coach Jerritt Elliot
Opening Statement
"First of all I would like to congratulate Texas A&M, they played a great season and really battled toward the end, winning their last Big 12 matches to get into this tournament and showed the strength of our conference. Hats off to them, they have an incredible senior class. They fought and got back to this point. Someone on their staff should be commended for it. On our side, I am extremely pleased. The team fought really hard, we've been fighters all year long. We had a lot of good balance in our offense and we just grinded it out. We got some big leads and kind of took it off the pedal a few times. Overall I am very pleased with our performance. We got some great balance and were able to challenge some players and they were able to respond."
On their style of play tonight
"I think one of our themes this year is to keep chopping and keep going at it. We know and we've talked to our team about this. Each opportunity, whether it is a side out opportunity or more so when we're serving, is to give us an opportunity to go on big runs. We're good enough to be able to do that. We did it in different ways. We had a few times where it was blocking, one time with Jen Doris, our middle blocker, serving the ball, a few times with some really nice digs and transition swings that allowed those runs. When we're able to sustain that kind of level, it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on teams."
On the success they had in the match
"I think we got a little bit heavy with Destinee (Hooker), but that was early on. I thought we were able to get Juliann (Faucette) and Ashley (Engle) involved in those situations. Our passing broke down a little bit. We got pretty one-dimensional as far as having to go to Destinee in those times and that is where I feel like the balance kind of got off. When we are able to get 24 swings from Juliann on the right side, then we got Ashley 10 (swings). It's important and our middles do a really nice job of controlling ball. The left sides are always going to have more swings because you are out of system more often than not. You look at the numbers tonight and everyone, except for one player, is hitting over .400. It's a good balance and it stresses teams out in knowing how to defend you."
Outside Hitter Destinee Hooker
On her ability to play with so few errors tonight
"I just think I was working more on secondary shots. You don't want to kill the ball every time. They were starting to read the goals really well, so I used the secondary goals."
On why she plays off the net
"I want to be off the net more than I am on it because they can block the ball and when I'm off the net I can see the court more."
Texas A&M Post-Match Quotes
Head Coach Laurie Corbelli
Opening Statement
"Well, we're somewhat disappointed in how we finished our season because we felt like the team that we've been over the last month, we just didn't quite get there tonight and it stunned everybody and it frustrated a lot of us. It was a little bit of an unusual feeling. It was really hard to get into what we would typically like to show of Texas A&M volleyball. I think regardless of who was on the other side of the net, we were really trying to be concerned with our side, and I think that's where the disappointment is more than anything, but I'm so incredibly proud of my team and the season we have had. The ups and downs of playing in the Big 12...three of our 11 losses are to this team that's going to go and probably compete at the national championship match, a great possibility, or one of these teams out here now (Iowa State or Nebraska) who is going to go. In the Big 12, you're going to get to play every night against one of the best teams in the nation and it's made these girls better people. It's always a joy for me to get to play the best and it helps brings out the best in us, and I wouldn't want it any other way. It's just frustrating sometimes that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves."
On what she was specifically disappointed in
"I suppose it was our server-receive. Last time we played them it kind of broke down a little bit as well. I thought our first match against them in Austin, our serve-receive was probably at its best at that point. We really weren't as sharp and crisp with our passing, which then carries over into the next two touches. I thought that's where we struggled a little bit. And then our hitters couldn't get into a rhythm, our setters couldn't get the offensive rhythm going, and so, if we couldn't go hard at this team then you have to be able to find a way to block and defend them when they are all touching 10 feet and over, and trying to come at you very, very powerfully, and I thought we did our very best at defending. We knew what they were going to do. We had people in the right spots. It tends to be difficult to keep the ball in control many times when they are going off your block and at your diggers. But overall, it was more our side. Like I said, I felt like we really didn't display what we can do."
On Destinee Hooker
"I don't know how many of you would raise your hand if you want to go out there and play against her. It's really challenging. The range that she has up there. The different speeds they set her. It's not easy. There are not a lot of athletes like that in this nation. I think she should be in track actually, but she stayed with volleyball so bad luck for us. What a phenomenal athlete and she had a great match. This is the ninth time I've played against her and the last time."
On if she is disappointed that's the last time she has to face Hooker
"Not at all. No, I've admired watching her compete. I know she'll be on the track this coming spring. I don't know if there will ever be a player that can do the things that she does. I suppose I'm supposed to say it was a joy to play against her, but I'll be careful with that one."
Outside Hitter Sarah Ammerman
On the run they have made to finish the season
"I couldn't be more proud of our team and these past three weeks of volleyball that we've produced. We hit a pretty tough spot in the middle of the season and hit some really tough five-game loses, and loses we definitely didn't think we should (have). To be able to come back and turn that around and still be able to achieve our goal of getting into the tournament and making it to the Sweet 16, I couldn't be more proud of my team. We haven't made it to the tournament since I've been here, so this means a lot to me. To get to the Sweet 16 is pretty special, but losing is tough, but in the big picture you have to look at what we've done these past three weeks. We have all fought really hard and played some pretty incredible volleyball."
Outside Hitter Jennifer Banse
On if you have to overcome something mentally when you go against Texas
"That's a bunch of really confident girls. There is nothing else in their head other than beating balls and beating whoever is on the other side of the net. I think they are a great team. I think the rivalry is fun."