Postmatch Quotes vs. Iowa
Nov. 23, 2016
UW Field House - Madison, Wis.

Head Coach Kelly Sheffield
Opening Statement:
"I thought it was a really good match, so many positives out of this. I thought we came out and played really well. Iowa came out in the second (set) and upped their service game a little bit and we got kind of knocked back on our heels. I thought we responded great.
 
"That's probably the most important quality. I told the team afterwards, that's probably the most important quality going into the tournament is how do you respond because you're not going to keep a good team down for an hour and a half or two hours. I thought we responded in a great way.
 
"I'm happy for these four (Blake, Carlini, Kriskova, Nelson). On senior night you certainly want your players to go out with a win and I thought all four of them played really well. It was a fun night."
 
On what the team did well today:
"All three middle blockers put up some pretty filthy numbers. Nelly (Haleigh Nelson) I'm sorry but you were the low hitting-percentage player out of the middle court hitting .647. I thought they were really working hard. I thought they were working hard in transition.
 
"I thought Lauren (Carlini) did a really nice job running the offense, and I think she made a concerted effort there in the latter part to really find those guys and they were finishing. They were going up there, they were driving, they were taking big swings and they were hitting open areas of the court. All three middles had a lot of success coming in."
 
Senior Haleigh Nelson
On how senior night felt:
"Up until the end of the match I'd say it felt like a regular match. Our teammates decorated the locker room. They made it nice. It was a special day because our families were here for us and in that sense, it wasn't just your average match.
 
"As far as how we approached it as a team and how we approached it as seniors, I wouldn't say anything really felt different about it until we got to go out there and hear the fans thank us at the end. It isn't just any other match, but the way we went out there and competed is how we compete any other night."
 
On the second set:
"We just got a little bit tight in that second set. We stopped playing loose and together. We didn't go for a few balls here and there and I think we were just forcing some things a little bit too much. They're a good team so if we are not all the way locked in and clicking then they are going to come back.
 
"I wouldn't say it wasn't a huge let down by any means to drop that set but I would probably say that we didn't come out and play how we should've. But I think the best thing about that whole thing is that we responded really well in the third. Even though our play dipped a little bit and we weren't connecting, we weren't going for a few balls. I think the way we responded really says a lot."
 
Senior Lauren Carlini
On how senior night felt:
"I think the whole day, the whole match, it felt like a normal match and another Big Ten team coming at us. I thought we handled it pretty well.
 
"At the end it was cool just being able to have all of our teammates support us, walk out with our parents, and just see how big of an impact we've had on the fans in this program, so it was a pretty cool moment."
 
On being where the team wants to be with the NCAA tournament approaching:
"Yeah I think Wisconsin volleyball is usually very strong at the end of the year. We always finish off the Big Ten season on a high note, so I think we are doing that right now. I think we're getting our connections down and getting some things figured out, tweaking things here and there. Overall I think we're in a great place. Let's just keep rolling with it."
 
Senior Tori Blake
On how coming in in the fourth set felt:
"Any chance I get to go out on the court it's a great opportunity. Tonight it was a little bit louder when I went in and it was nice to be able to kind of enjoy that a little bit. At the end of the day it's just trying to do what I can. I know everyone really wanted to make sure, everyone did everything the could to get the game in a position where I would be able to go in and I did as much as I could. I just have to thank everyone who made it possible."
 
Senior Romana Kriskova
On how she's feeling after going down in the match:
"I feel good. Just ice it, I'll be fine."