Post-Game Quotes - Hawaii vs Duke
Hawai'i vs. Duke 12/5/2014
NCAA First Round
Alaska Airlines Arena
Head Coach Dave Shoji
Opening Statement:
I thought we started to play our best volleyball last week. We had a week of really good practices. I had a good feeling we were going to come out and play well tonight and we did. We were pretty solid in every phase of the game and I thought we dominated the match. We took away what Duke likes to do and I think it is just a tribute to our players that they followed the game plan and prepared very well.
How is (Kalei) Greeley?
Our trainers thought she could go back in but I thought Ginger was doing great so there was no need to put her back in. I hope she can play tomorrow. Sometimes overnight it (ankle) can swell. We just didn’t need her to go back in so we are hoping she is okay.
Duke leads the nation in assists, what did you do to keep them out of system?
We served tough tonight and we started to break them down a little bit. At the end I felt like they were a little shaky in the passing department. It is a lot about the serve and pass game and tonight that was true.
Assuming a Washington win, what do you know about them?
I have probably watched them 10 or 12 times on the Pac-12 Network. They are a great team. What gives us some hope is that they have lost twice in the last couple weeks and they have some injuries. It gives us some hope. Vansant is obviously the best player in the country so we have to find a way to slow her down. I like our chances. I think we are playing well and we are going to come out firing.
What makes them a difficult opponent?
Their size. They are a good blocking team and I am sure they lead the nation in blocking. We will have to swing high and hard. They run the six too so they are attacking you with all six positions. We know Vansant is going to get a lot of sets but they are pretty balanced otherwise and that is what makes them though too.
You’ve had to come to Washington a couple times now in the last couple of years, is it unfair to have to come play a team like Washington?
No it is not unfair. We were not ranked and we did not get a seed so we expected to go somewhere and play someone really good. I guess it is a coincidence that we have been here three out of five years. I would like to see a little different part of the country but we are here and I don’t think anyone regrets it. We accept the challenge and we are excited about it.
Ginger Long
Taylor looked to you 23 times and you didn’t come in until the middle of the first set, what was going on between the two of you?
I think we still have a connection going from last year. I am just happy she has the trust in me to throw the balls to me. Usually outside hitters need to put the other team in a bad predicament and I think she trusted me to do that.
What did you think when Greeley went down?
I was hoping she was going to be okay but coach always tells me at the beginning of every match to be ready to go in. Just go in and do what I do in practice were my main thoughts.
How did you feel out there?
Feels good to play well for my team. I had a lot of support from the entire team. It is hard for a player to come in off the bench and really gel well so our starting lineup group did a good job of really inviting me in and giving me that positive energy to feed off of.
Olivia Magill
Did you feel like there was enough opportunity to get the ball to the middles as much as was in your game plan?
Yeah, the middle position is also attracting blockers and I think we did that tonight. The offense was really balanced so having effective middles keeps the other side on their toes. I think we were able to move the ball around and it was good.
You have faced Washington 6 times, tell me what do you expect from them if they prevail?
They have a lot of pressure on them hosting. I just know they are really well coached and they really try hard for Jim, and they are a really good blocking team so expect them to put some hands across the net.
