Dec. 11, 2009
Post-game quotes from Michigan Head Coach Mark Rosen, Junior Setter Lexi Zimmerman, Senior Outside Hitter Juliana Paz, and Sophomore Setter Alex Hunt on Michigan's 3-1 win over Stanford to advance to the Elite Eight
MARK ROSEN
Well, obviously I'm very pleased with how we played tonight. Our game plan for tonight was that we felt that we had to be the aggressor. If we sat back and waited for them to bring the game to us we were going to be in trouble, and I thought from the very beginning in game one that we came out and took the aggressive approach to it, and I think it all paid off for us. So I was proud of that. I thought Lexi did an outstanding job tonight, running a balanced offense and being able to put their middle blockers at a disadvantage. But again we're passing the ball a lot. We're passing the ball to her and let her run the offense from a good position on the net. And then I think the attackers did a great job of everybody being involved. When she got the ball, they were productive, so then she'd feel comfortable to be able to go to all of them and use that balance. I thought in game two we did get passive a little bit. We sat back, didn't serve as aggressively, didn't play as aggressively on defense in transition. And then I thought in game three we came out and reversed that. So I'm very proud of how they played.
On Big 10 play preparing the team for the NCAA tournament...
I think playing in our conference certainly sets us up, both for the level of competition because we have so many teams that I think are very strong and challenging, but also that we play back-to-back, Friday-Saturday night, which I think is a real plus. Tomorrow night we've got to go out and play another great opponent, but I feel like our players will be ready. Physically as well as mentally because we do it all the time. There's no question the Big 10, I thought, has been as strong as its ever been, if not stronger. I think that benefits us because once you get out of it, if you can get out of it, you're in pretty good shape.
On playing Hawaii...
We haven't gotten too deep into that yet. We'll spend the next 12 hours thinking a lot about it. They're a very good team. I think they do the things that we like to do, and they do them very well. Their tempo is super fast, and as fast as they go, their ball control is exceptional. They serve the heck out of the ball. Those are all things that we strive to do and they do it really, really well. Certainly we respect that. Their outside hitters are super aggressive and take just giant swings at it. They're not afraid of anything. We know exactly what we have coming at us, and we're excited about that. I think it's going to be a great matchup.
LEXI ZIMMERMAN
On playing Hawaii in the Elite Eight...
I think they're a different team and we're a different team. So I guess similarities are that we're both playing in a big gym, a big venue. But other than that, I don't think we're all too similar.
JULIANA PAZ
On being aggressive against Stanford...
That was kind of our game plan. Go aggressive since the beginning and serve them tough. Being aggressive, we knew that that was going to pay off for us. That's what we did, and we killed it.
ALEX HUNT
On being aggressive catching Stanford off-guard...
I think in the fourth game when we were up 16-3, I think that definitely showed that if you go aggressively on an opponent that it will pay off.
On playing defense...
Defense has been our biggest priority the entire year. Obviously we're not the best blocking team, and the Big 10, we didn't have the best blocking year. So defense has definitely been our main priority.
Stanford Head Coach John Dunning
Opening Comment
"I would like to congratulate Michigan. They played really hard tonight. Obviously, they are a really well coached team. It is really hard to know what to say right now when you're sitting here at the end of the season, and you're on the losing end of things. Obviously, I am sitting next to two great players [Lichtman and Klineman] who had great seasons. If you evaluated us on the beginning of the season, we were fighting for our life on every point, and we have come a long way, in part, because of them. Good "luck to Michigan and Hawaii. We have been there before, and it is a nice road to the final four."
On Michigan's game plan to be aggressive
"I think that is the way everyone approaches us. These two [Lichtman and Klineman] have been part of teams that have won a lot. Every team comes in and wants to play us aggressively. They want to get us. If I were them, I would take the same approach. They really went for it at the service line, and that was a key for them winning tonight. They served a great match.
Stanford Junior Outside Hitter Alix Klineman
On Michigan's performance
"They played great. And there wasn't one person on their team that didn't contribute.This is our gym, and we should have walked in and taken over. Instead, we let them play their game. That shouldn't have happened."
Stanford Junior Outside Hitter Cassidy Lichtman
On the team's improvement during the season
"I think we were not an experienced team, and we showed it the first few weekends. Individually and collectively we have worked really hard to shore up those flaws. We ran into a really good team, and sometimes we lose. I am really proud of what we have done. We have had a good season."
On looking forward to next season
"The season starts tomorrow. We are going to be a lot better next year. I think we're going to take a rest because we need it mentally and physically. I think we are going to be in the gym and be even stronger next year. I think we know some of our weaknesses individually and will be even better next year."