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NCAA WOMEN'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPDecember 18, 2013Jim McLaughlinKylin MunozJenna OrlandiniKrista VansantSEATTLE, WASHINGTON THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Jenna Orlandini, Kylin Muñoz and Krista Vansant and Coach McLaughlin. Coach, an opening statement. COACH McLAUGHLIN: I think it was about three years ago that I was called into a meeting. Stephanie Rempe was there, Ralph Morton from the Athletic Commission, Seattle Athletic Commission, and we talked about hosting the Final Four. And Seattle was ready to take on this big deal. And as a coach, I just remember thinking, wow, our administration is thinking like this and then for Seattle to step up and do it the way they've done it, it's remarkable. And as a coach you're very thankful. And you've gotta be there. And you've gotta work real hard and take advantage of this opportunity that some other people gave you. So it's a very, very special thing to be here in front of our fans and then have the whole United States volleyball come to Seattle which is kind of neat. These guys have prepared for every week for every challenge, and the challenges have become more significant. I think they know they have prepared. I think they know what preparation is, and they know that they're ready for this. It's nothing a coach can tell them. It's something that a player has to understand, a team has to understand. But they're ready to play well. And that goes back to deep preparation, sound mechanics, and then having an energy level which we will have at the highest level. So we're excited. We can't wait and it will be a fun thing. Q. Krista, my arm is tired just watching you. How is your arm? KRISTA VANSANT: It's good. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to compete. It's going to be a battle, and I think that we're ready. Q. Jim and the players, does a match like last Saturday night take anything out of you, or are you just so young and strong you can come on back and ready to go? It's grinding, I would imagine. KRISTA VANSANT: I think we were completely exhausted after the match. We put all of our emotion, every ounce of energy we had, into that match. But we had a day off and we had a few practices. I think we're feeling good, and I think we're all pretty back to normal, I guess, when it comes to how our bodies feel. I think it's pretty good. And I think we'll have to give it all tomorrow night. Q. Kylin? KYLIN MUÑOZ: I think it's more mentally than physically. Because we're prepared. We can play five set matches. But mentally we had a day off, and we've had a good week of practice. I think we're ready. And if anything, it gives us also momentum coming into tomorrow's match. JENNA ORLANDINI: Kind of hit on everything. Like Ky said, it's mentally draining and you are exhausted, but that doesn't mean that there's not more energy left in the tank. And it doesn't mean that we're not ready to give just as much if not more. Q. Are you drained, too? COACH McLAUGHLIN: A little bit. But we recovered. And you go through a season. You have some challenges. You overcome adversity, and just listen to them talking about the emotions, that's the deal. They were spent. They were tired. That's when you grow as a player. And I think it gives you some confidence that you can do those things. And you have to do them before you really believe. So we've been there and done that. And we're ready for the next challenge. Q. There's a thought that just getting to the Final Four would be good enough for the team. I wondered if that's something you have been able to talk the players through: Surviving what‑‑ seemed like it was certain elimination there in Los Angeles. It's almost like you've hit sort of a finish line already. But are you able to keep them focused on still driving forward at this time? COACH McLAUGHLIN: Yeah. Your thoughts are the key to the thing. Your thoughts are tools and do they serve you well. And that's not in our thoughts. That's not‑‑ we never said we gotta get to the Final Four. We said we want to win the thing. That's become the standard. So if we're thinking the wrong thoughts, that can hurt you. But I haven't seen the behavior. The behavior makes me think they're thinking the right thoughts. How we're preparing and watching film and going to practice and doing the things that we do, they're staying in their routines; it's business as usual. And so their thoughts, I think, are pretty good right now. Pretty strong. Q. Do any of the players feellike‑‑ I get drained just watching it‑‑ do you have it far enough in your rearview mirror, it's now back to going full bore? JENNA ORLANDINI: Yeah, that game's over with. We're on to the next one. And we just gotta keep that mindset, just on to the next. Next opponent, next match, here we are. KYLIN MUÑOZ: Yeah, same thing, celebrate it that night and then it's on to the next match. And that's all we've been focusing on. We haven't really struggled yet. So we're not that concerned. KRISTA VANSANT: I agree with them. I think we're not satisfied. I think ever since January we've been talking about what's our goal. It's never been to make it to the Final Four; it's been to win a national championship. So I think we're not being complacent. We're in the gym working hard every day to get better. Q. Krista, when was the first time you guys, you, the players, said Final Four‑‑ not necessarily this year‑‑ but how many years ago did you say we've got to be there when it's here in 2013; do you remember the conversation? KRISTA VANSANT: I don't think we ever talked about it just because it's in Seattle. I think getting here has been a goal every single year. And this year we've worked a lot harder and I think we've created a really good opportunity‑‑ like we've been saying it doesn't matter exactly where it is. I think it just adds to the motivation that it's here, but if it was in Florida, if it was in wherever we would want to be there no matter what. Q. But all things being said what does it mean for you to have it here, to be here finally? KRISTA VANSANT: I think it means a lot. I hope we have a huge fan base that comes out. The community has been coming up to us since the beginning of the season saying: We bought our Final Four tickets, we hope you guys are there, kind of thing. We just take it as a motivation factor, I think. It's never added pressure. Q. Every team, usually they can look back at the season and say there was a moment that happened during the season, a big win or usually it's more often a loss, where you finally said, okay, we've gotta do something and this is who we are. So let me start with Jo and I'll shoot across. Did you have a moment like that, I'm guessing maybe the weekend at Colorado‑Utah might have been a significant thing in terms of what you guys felt about yourselves and where you went from there. Do you agree with that, or is there some other point that you can say you became the team you are? JENNA ORLANDINI: For sure that loss at Colorado was a wake‑up call for us. That week we were ranked number one and we got in the wrong mindset, and at any point a team can beat you. And that was the first time I think we were like: You guys, our backs are against the wall here; we've gotta change something. And from then I think that was just‑‑ I mean, I don't know, for me and for us as a team, I guess, we just got in the gym and we're like we can't let that happen again. So we just went in there and started to get better and improving and just kept going. Q. Kylin, would you agree that weekend was significant and, if so, what changes did you make? KYLIN MUÑOZ: Yeah, I think that weekend was significant. And even prior to that, our first weekend we played Gonzaga. We went to five with them. And for us, yes, we pulled it off and we won. But just the way we played, that wasn't Washington volleyball. And we knew we needed to upgrade in order to be where we are today. So I think that kind of was motivation for the whole season. We'd always reflect back on that match and just say Gonzaga, and we all knew that it was time to play our way of volleyball. Q. Krista, would you comment on that? And I have a follow‑up. KRISTA VANSANT: Yeah, for me personally it was the Utah match. I know that was a big turning point in my own season as well as the rest of the team. You probably read that Jim got on me pretty hard after that match. I think if he wouldn't have done that I wouldn't have had the season I had. And I think that was a big turning point for me personally. It was really a big wake‑up call. Q. Were those lessons that you learned in that weekend or Gonzaga for you specifically, do you think that was reflected in what you guys were able to bring in this tournament so far, especially in Los Angeles last week against SC, did those things translate into what that match ended up being? KRISTA VANSANT: I think it does. And I think remembering that‑‑ we remembered what it feels like to lose and we don't want to have that feeling again for the rest of the season. We have two more matches. We don't want to have the feeling of a loss. I think I can speak for the entire time we all hate losing more than anything. Even if it's a random drill in practice, we get pretty upset. And I think we just don't want to feel like we've lost again. We don't want to have any regret when we come out of it. Q. Penn State obviously needs no introduction. You all know their credentials, and certainly not to downplay your program, but some small part of you has to be intimidated. Yes? KYLIN MUÑOZ: Me? Sure. I'll answer it. I think we need to focus more on ourselves. And we've played against great competition. Being in the Pac‑12 is just full of great competition every single weekend. So we're focusing more on how we play not necessarily what the other teams do but how are we going to perform. KRISTA VANSANT: Jim always said it's not about who we play, where we play, when we play, it's about how we play. And obviously I think they've had great seasons in the past, and they're having a great season this year, but just because they've won in the past doesn't mean they're going to win tomorrow night. So I think that I'll give credit to them where credit is due, but I think they haven't technically won anything this year yet. They're in the same place we are, so... Q. What is a weakness‑‑ this can be for anyone‑‑ what is one weakness of Penn State that you're looking to exploit tomorrow? JENNA ORLANDINI: I don't know if you want to use the word "weakness," I guess. But there's just going to be little subtle variations in our defense that we do. Just like any other team. It will be our side of the court mostly. So, yeah. KYLIN MUÑOZ: I think we're just going to play our volleyball. We have certain things‑‑ they have certain tendencies that we know about that we're going to take a hold of but I think we're going to focus mostly on ourselves. Q. I apologize for the timing, but I was going to ask this before the last question. What does it mean for you personally, I know what the match means, but what does it mean to coach against Russ in this match and his program and all that the two of you have done together and understanding what he's done and all that? COACH McLAUGHLIN: Well, it's tough in a way because he's a good friend. And we go way back. But you prepare like you do and you put the emotions aside and you just want to play as well as you can. But to beat the guy, with what he's done, you know, is a good deal. You want to play against people that know what they're doing. And Russ knows how to do it better than anybody. So I just hope we beat them so I can bug him the rest of the summer about it. But we have a lot of fun, but it will be business as usual. We won't be talking during the match. Q. Coach, Krista was talking about how you got on her pretty hard. Can you talk about that, when you have a player that's so talented and has such a high ceiling, what you were looking for her to do more for you and how she's responded to that? COACH McLAUGHLIN: Well, that's a great question. And you have your ceiling. And you can play great when you need to play great; but when you become great, you never fall below a low standard. There's a minimum standard that you gotta meet every day you perform. You're not always going to be in the zone like people say. But you study great teams and successful athletes and they never fall below a minimum standard. And so we had won the match but we really didn't win it. Utah kind of gave it to us. So I held Kris because who she is and she can handle it. I said you can't do that, you can't fall below the standard, regardless. And these guys know the worst thing you can do is not be who you are for whatever reason. And they shouldn't fall below a minimum standard in their life or volleyball. And so it was just a nice opportunity to learn that lesson for her. She took it real hard but it was the truth and people can handle it. But the way she responded to it was the deal. And she was different in practice and held herself to a much higher standard. And standards are just how you live your life. And she was living a much higher life in volleyball. And so you learn those little lessons along the way and they're very important and the meaning comes at some point for these guys. Q. In your research, what do you see in Penn State that is something that you'll have to concentrate‑‑ what impressed you about their team? COACH McLAUGHLIN: A lot of stuff. They're physical. They can make plays. And so they're going to make plays. We're going to be in a dogfight. It's going to be a side‑out war. And I think it's going to come down to who creates more opportunities defensively and who can finish plays. Volleyball is volleyball. I don't think it changes much. And they fight hard. They've got great intangibles. I like the style of play. But I like the way we're playing. And I like our intangibles. I'll go against anybody with this group. And so there's a lot of similarities. But they're awful good. Q. They really seem to spread their offense around. Do you lean heavily on Krista‑‑ does that concern you, or is that a trend (indiscernible)? COACH McLAUGHLIN: No, the trends are the trends. We're both here. We'll see who is better. But, no, there's a point where I told our setters: Get the ball to Kris; she's hot. Didn't matter how they stacked up against her. But there's been times I've said get the ball to Kylin. Get the ball to Kaleigh. We have to set more quick. So trends come and go. We'll see. And the trends will come and go in this match. So we'll make adjustments if we have to. But for sure it's just about controlling the volleyball and we'll see who does that better. Q. Kylin, I know you're from the area. How many are you expecting tomorrow? KYLIN MUÑOZ: A ton. It's been really nice. I've played basketball at KeyArena when I was a kid and I grew up and this has been kind of like the hub for athletics in Seattle. So it just means a lot to me and having a lot of people from my hometown and family coming up. Q. Do you have an estimate? KYLIN MUÑOZ: An estimate no. We get six tickets. Other than that, I don't know. Q. Jim, I think at the beginning of the season I talked to you a little bit about what it meant from a bigger picture standpoint for volleyball to have this event here, and you said volleyball matters in Seattle. Can you kind of talk about how‑‑ I know you guys didn't want to put so much pressure on yourself that you had to get here, but now that you're here, what that means to the volleyball community in this area? COACH McLAUGHLIN: Well, they deserve it. I mean, they follow us, they're loyal to us. Michelle, you gotta look at this situation. Here we are in Seattle. We got Russell Wilson. We've got Major League Baseball. The NBA will eventually come back. We've got W. We've got the Sounders. We've got it all. But volleyball's big here. We won the attendance again in the Pac‑12. And so we have a nice culture. We've got people that are into volleyball. So it's very meaningful. I don't know how to put it into words. When you're in a place like Seattle and you've got so much stuff going, but people love their volleyball. So, yeah, we feel a responsibility, but then we also, the thing that we control is just how we improve and how we play and all those things. And so you really have to have a tight focus. You can't worry about too much or you're everywhere. And we just worry about playing and putting our product that would make the people proud in Seattle and the University of Washington. And these guys have done that. They've invested so much and they're not normal. They don't want to be around normal people. They want me to push them and to get a return like this, the gratification for all the hard work is‑‑ you can't put that into words. Q. Krista, I think they always say a lot of times in tennis the very best players in tennis are the ones who swing the hardest when the stakes are highest. The stakes are pretty high for a lot of your swings, especially in that fifth set. Can you talk about that mindset to not shrink at all from the moment? I know you're in the moment, but you're thinking one bad swing here and maybe the season's over, how you keep that out of your mind and how you are as aggressive as you are no matter how high the stakes are. KRISTA VANSANT: I think it has to go back to what Jim always says: If they don't hit clean, if they don't get a kill, we have to make them pay. That's my mindset, every time I get a set towards me is just to make them pay and extend the game a little further. And, I don't know, make them pay, it's kind of like what my mindset is when it comes to hitting and transition and that kind of thing. Q. Knowing this event was going to be here when the season started, was there kind of an underlying drive to be a part of it? Obviously you want to get to the championship every season. Was it unspoken, could you imagine not being a part of this in your hometown? COACH McLAUGHLIN: Well, it would just be a lost opportunity. But I don't think I ever talked about it. I talked about it with some of our fans, like Ky said, people were coming up saying: Hey we've got our Final Four tickets. And my wife I would go home and say we're sitting down on the floor ‑‑ but, again, you've got to stay sharp on your focus and get good. The wins will come. But I had a belief, I had faith that if we did the things we were capable of doing and we controlled our ability to play well enough to win that it wasn't going to be about anybody else. It was going to be about us and if we didn't get here it was going to be about us not doing what we were supposed to do. So that's the mindset. And they responded to it. And we measure progress every week. We continued to get better. And then when they got a little bit complacent, I jumped them and said we've gotta go to another step or we're not going to do this thing. And they were on the wagon going. So it was in my heart. It was in my mind, but I tried my best not to think about it. Q. How can a home crowd help? How does playing in front of a loud crowd translate into points on the court? COACH McLAUGHLIN: I don't know. You just look at home court records. You look at all over the country and all the different sports, and there's an advantage. When you're a teacher, it's a state‑dependent remembering, you remember the conditions you're in. We've been here before. We played the Canadian national team. It's part of learning. So they've got nice control of their emotions. And, again, it's about playing well. But to play in front of your home crowd, you know, that gets you jacked. I mean, you just‑‑ and you gotta control those emotions so you can play. So we've done that in front of our people, and I'm hoping we play the best two matches of our career. Q. Potential risk, getting two hands up, playing in front of a crowd, or is that something‑‑ KRISTA VANSANT: I think it's something you have to control in these situations. You can't come out overly excited or overly amped. It's not just another game. The stakes are so much higher. But it's something that you have to learn to control and you can't overdo it. Like Jim just said, I hope that we play the best two matches of our lives, and just knowing what we want and we just want it so badly that it would be such a disappointment if we didn't play as best as we could in these two games. Q. Jo, watching Penn State often, what kind of pressure does that put on Washington's defense? JENNA ORLANDINI: I wouldn't say there's pressure because our defense can accommodate for anything. But it will just be the same thing, ball set, ball hitter. Just see how the game goes. Q. Jim, anything about Penn State's attacking ability that is potentially unique from what you've seen this year? COACH McLAUGHLIN: No. We'll pass it ahead like we do. It comes down to efficiency and who does it more consistently. It really went into the serve and pass, it allows you to do that, and then just composure plays into the deal on both sides of the net. So I think those are the three things that are going to determine this thing. And, yeah. Q. Your service effectively, especially these last three sets, how vital is it in the game plan for this match? COACH McLAUGHLIN: It's the most important thing we do. But the trick to the thing is you go to the Final Four, you play for the Pac‑12, you just hit your serve. People think you've got to hit this home run, here's the moment. Just be yourself and hit your serve. And that's the challenge. And to me that's greatness, not to let anything change you and just go through your pre‑thought ritual. Get set. You've done it millions of times in practice. And just hit it. And that's the deal. And these guys have been pretty good at that. Q. Krista, talked about your hitting and all that but your serve is also effective. How much will the service game play into the results tomorrow? KRISTA VANSANT: I think it has a huge impact. Kind of like Jim is saying: We've been hitting our serve all season and I think we can't stop now. And I think it can be‑‑ it can sway the game in our direction if we serve to us. And it makes it harder on the offense to run as fast as they want to run it. I think just hitting our serve is going to be a big component to the game tomorrow night. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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