Creighton head coach Brian Rosen, together with seniors Kiara Reinhardt, Ava Martin and Annalea Maeder met the media previous to the staff’s 90-minute observe inside Memorial Coliseum, which is able to host the motion.
First serve between Creighton and Arizona State is ready for 12 p.m. Central. The competition will probably be nationally-televised on ESPN2.
NCAA Volleyball Lexington Regional
Historic Memorial Coliseum – Lexington, Ky.
Creighton-Arizona State Pre-Match Information Convention
Creighton Head Coach Brian Rosen
Opening Assertion …
“Clearly, simply actually completely happy to be right here to nonetheless be enjoying, to be within the Candy 16. We have had these objectives for a very long time now, particularly two of the seniors have been right here 4 or six years. They got here right here and selected Creighton for alternatives similar to this. I’m simply actually happy with them and our entire staff to get thus far. I’ve really by no means been to Lexington earlier than, so this has been enjoyable. I did not know that Creighton and Kentucky have a protracted historical past of enjoying, eight straight years of enjoying in these tournaments collectively. I used to be there for the final 12 months of that, however it was at Creighton. That one did not go very effectively. So hopefully if we acquired an opportunity to play them, we did not be slightly totally different. Arizona State’s an incredible staff. Numerous firepower throughout, actually good block. We have gotten to observe them fairly a bit on movie and issues like that, so it needs to be an incredible match. We now have very related resumes, related RPIs, identical finest win, I really feel like, in Kansas. So a variety of similarities, it needs to be a enjoyable.”
On working offense towards Arizona State’s protection…
“I believe these are two of the strongest blocking groups within the nation. Final week, we really led the nation in blocks throughout the first rounds of the match, so it is undoubtedly a significant power on each side. Finally, I believe this match will come right down to which staff stays in system extra constantly. Each staff, regardless of how good, has holes of their block once they’re out of system. So for us, it is about getting them into one- and two-pass conditions so we will set our block and benefit from these alternatives. And the identical is true for them—if they will get us into these conditions, their block is extraordinarily powerful to beat. On the highest stage, that is what volleyball turns into: creating holes within the block and stopping the opposite staff from doing the identical. Hopefully, our serving stress and our capability to win first contact would be the distinction.”
On Kiara Reinhardt setting this system document for NCAA match appearances and the way that drives her…
“I would like to start out by saying that she completely earned this. She’s now the winningest Bluejay in our volleyball program’s historical past, and I like that every one of those longevity information are going to belong to Kiara. I really do not suppose there’s anybody who embodies Creighton Volleyball the way in which she does. Her selflessness, her management, her consistency, she units the usual for what our program is all about. Convincing her to return again for a sixth 12 months undoubtedly wasn’t simple, however I hope she is aware of how grateful all of us are that she did. And actually, who she is as an individual will at all times matter a lot extra to us than any of the kills or blocks she’s put up, though she’s had a ton of these too. I like that these information and awards are hers, and I am unsure anybody will ever break them. until possibly Ava decides to return again for another 12 months.”
Creighton Scholar-Athletes
#8 Ava Martin, OH
On not dropping since September…
“I believe one in every of our massive issues has simply been respecting everybody this 12 months. I imply all of the Large East groups, they offer us their all, and it is at all times a battle with all these groups. We all know coming into it, we respect each staff and deal with them like they are a top-25 staff, so I believe that is actually essential for us. Particularly this 12 months, we noticed a ton of upsets inside school volleyball, so simply taking it one sport at a time and treating everybody prefer it’s an important sport has been actually massive for us.”
#17 Annalea Maeder, S
On not dropping since September…
“I imply, all the pieces that Ava stated is unquestionably true. I simply need to add that we’ve got not misplaced since September, however we have undoubtedly discovered ourselves in conditions the place we needed to combat again from being down, the place we misplaced units. Final week, we have been down to 1, and needed to discover a strategy to sort of recuperate and are available again from this. Although we’ve not misplaced, we undoubtedly have been in very versatile conditions that I believe will assist us with this weekend.”
On Arizona St. middles…
“Sure, as Brian talked about, they are a actually good staff. I additionally suppose we’re simply nearly as good, and we current our personal challenges. I believe our teaching employees does an outstanding job of scouting different groups, and giving me a sport plan of who we begin with, setting, and what we need to run. We for or than we anticipated.”
#5 Kiara Reinhardt, MB
On the final time she was in Lexington…
“Yeah that was enjoyable. I wasn’t enjoying that 12 months. That was my redshirt 12 months. I simply keep in mind enjoying at Kentucky, they introduced an incredible fan base, and so they’ve had such a effectively established program right here. I believe the followers like it and actually carry it, and need to assist this system right here. I am simply actually excited. I believe they’re going to pull an incredible crowd right here. It was a extremely enjoyable match, from what I can keep in mind. We additionally did get meals poisoning that weekend, so I do not forget that, however we did win that match that weekend, which was actually thrilling. I keep in mind strolling away, we felt good about that, though bodily we did not.”
On setting this system document for match appearances…
“Yeah, I imply for me appearances that simply implies that I’ve spent extra time enjoying volleyball with extra of those superb ladies, and so I believe that is what undoubtedly drives me. Identical to not desirous to be achieved, and wanting to maintain these moments persevering with, and wanting to maintain stepping out onto the courtroom with them, wanting to maintain hanging out within the lodge collectively, and all of these issues. I am actually grateful for that. I’ve gotten to spend extra time with all of the groups that I have been on yearly.”
Arizona State Head Coach JJ Van Niel
Opening Assertion …
“We’re excited to be right here. I believe our staff has achieved a very nice job this 12 months and been tremendous resilient. We’re able to go.”
On the staff’s blocking …
“As a result of we’ve got a bodily staff, I believe our plan was to attempt to make investments slightly extra within the blocking facet of issues this 12 months. It’s good to see the time we spent has paid off. We now have some bodily children and have spent slightly extra time engaged on blocking this 12 months than in previous years. It has confirmed off. Having a bodily staff is enjoyable.”
On the depth of his staff …
“I believe it has been large as a result of in any given match gamers are slightly on or slightly off. We now have had a number of matches the place possibly somebody wasn’t fairly at their regular requirements after which different folks have been capable of decide up the slack actually properly. You at all times need a balanced staff, it’s good to have some stability.”
On having related opponents with Creighton …
“Yeah, it was fairly some time in the past. I believe one of many challenges is that was at the start of the season. We are going to take a look at it, however I do know for myself as we began scouting, you strive not to take a look at what the opposite staff did, simply take a look at what they’re doing and what I believe we must always do. We now have our personnel, which goes to be totally different than each different staff. So it’s actually about making an attempt to consider what your strengths and weaknesses are after which what’s your opponent going to attempt to do towards you. Then what you’re going to do to attempt to sluggish them down.”
On their staff plans the remainder of the day …
“We are going to perform a little extra prep and have slightly sport evening tonight. I’m at all times up for some card tips. We are going to perform a little staff factor and play some video games tonight.”
On signee Grace Martin and competing this weekend towards her older sister …
“Recruiting her was sort of simple, she is an outdoor and actually, actually aggressive. I keep in mind watching her at JOs two or three years in the past and I left going, ‘hey, we’ve got acquired to speak to her, even when she is slightly undersized.’ Only a actually, actually fiery and aggressive child, which I’m certain she will get from her household or sister. We now have a textual content thread going and it’s fairly humorous really. I requested her what coloration she was carrying, however I informed her she ought to put on her Creighton stuff and assist her sister.”
On Creighton’s Ava Martin …
“She has expertise. She has been right here earlier than. She is a extremely good all-around volleyball participant. She has a heavy arm and may hit wherever on the courtroom. These are the toughest folks to defend for certain.”
On Brian Rosen‘s teaching job at Creighton …
“I believe he has achieved an outstanding job stepping in. Clearly, he was there and I’m certain that was actually useful. If you end up already there you’re going to already know the gamers and have purchase in faster and simpler. I’ve seen some stuff that they perform a little bit in another way than they’ve prior to now. I believe the flexibility to return in and actually preserve the momentum going, is nice. Creighton has actually been a pleasant program the final 10-plus years. It’s at all times difficult if you step right into a profitable program. You will have folks doubt that you are able to do it and he has been capable of step in and preserve it rolling. He’s doing an incredible job. He misplaced some key items too. He has constructed a pleasant system round what he has.”
Arizona State Scholar-Athletes
#22 Bailey Miller, OH
On how Large 12 play has ready ASU for the regional …
“I believe we’ve got a extremely sturdy convention. We had essentially the most groups chosen to the NCAA Event, so I believe that helps rather a lot as a result of we have had some actually good competitors to get us prepared.”
On having the depth of hitters on her staff …
“I’ve been capable of have some actually high-efficiency video games as a result of the middles are working so arduous and the correct sides are working tremendous arduous. We’re lucky to have a few of the finest hitters within the nation and so it makes it very easy.”
On her setting …
“She’s been so good, it is superb. All of our connection along with her have been so good. She is essentially the most understanding setter that I’ve ever met. She does not care for those who’re asking for it to be greater, decrease, quicker, no matter you want – she’s keen to do it. I believe that helps rather a lot. All people is so snug speaking to her, so I believe that connection is actually priceless on this sport and it helps that she is ready to set the hole after which skip over and set the go and that is probably the greatest elements of our system. She has been so good all season.”
#15 Religion Body, L
On how Large 12 play has ready ASU for the regional …
“Within the Large 12, anyone might have received any of the video games. Each sport you needed to be prepared and ready for something. It actually ready us effectively.”
On having the depth of hitters on her staff …
“They’re all nice. Out of system is fairly simple as a result of I am not going to make a foul resolution going both means.”
On her libero play this season …
“It has been actually enjoyable. I’ve by no means had such an enormous block in entrance of me, so this season I have been getting increasingly snug working across the block and making an attempt to not stand behind it however work round it and with the ability to run issues down that they contact being so bodily.”
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