Postmatch Quotes – UCLA 3, USC 2
UCLA 3, USC 2
Los Angeles, Calif. (Galen Center)
Nov. 24, 2023
UCLA Head Coach Alfee Reft
on the biggest shift he saw after set one
“I think we missed about six serves in the first set, so we were giving (points). I like that we were being aggressive, but we’re giving to many points, I think. In a match this tight, you can’t give up too many errors from the end line. I thought we shored up our blocking. In transition, we were getting used a lot on the outsides and we made some adjustments. But really, the kids hung in there and just played cleaner volleyball as the match went on.”
on what put the team in the correct mindset for tonight’s match
“Our women were phenomenal. We knew it was do or die right now. We were fighting to get a bid into the tournament. Tonight, if we lose, it’s very likely we are not in. So, motivation wasn’t an issue. What was really impressive was the focus under this environment and these stakes. Our players have been working tremendously hard all year to cash in, and they did today in one of the biggest matches of the year for us.”
on Iman Ndiaye’s performance
“Iman is a tremendous athlete, physically. What were seeing is just the heart of a champion. She is taking a lot of swings for us this year. She’s been the go-to player under some big moments. None bigger than tonight. What makes her special is her heart. She’s just a fighter. She showed it tonight. She took some big cuts. She’s not just hitting for us. She’s blocking. She’s doing everything for us. We’re not winning without her. That’s for sure.”
on limiting USC setter Mia Tuaniga from the service line
“(Mokihana Tufono was) sticking. Yeah, Mia is a great server. She brings a lot of heat. The fact that we held her to (three) aces tonight is a real win for us. I thought our passing line is just tough with her tonight.”
on Audrey Pak’s three straight service aces
“What can you say? The kid goes back and deals (three) aces? She’s got ice in her veins. She just creates.”
on the middle blockers Anna Dodson and Desiree Becker’s performances
“It’s a lot to handle for teams. Six rotations of two of the best middles, I think, in the country. They work so hard. People don’t even see any of the work, I mean the routes that they’re running (and) the way they work off the ball. For the amount of times they get set, they are working tremendously hard.”
on what he hopes the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee sees from UCLA’s season
“I think we have shown that – especially at the right time – we’re playing the best volleyball that we’ve played (all year). I’d put us toe-to-toe with any team in the country. We took some losses earlier, but that’s part of the year. We learned and got better and I hope they see the momentum our team is putting together at the right time.”
Senior setter Audrey Pak
on her three consecutive aces to take the lead in the fifth set
“I felt very peaceful and confident to just hit a solid serve and it just happened to work out really great. Amir (Lugo-Rodriguez) calls our service areas. He did a really great scout that put us in a great spot.”
on beating USC in her final rivalry match
“So good. We wanted it so bad. After the first game we played against them, we were ready to beat them.”
on preparing for USC’s Skylar Fields and Mia Tuaniga
“Preparing for Skylar, I think it’s a lot of scouting because she’s really athletic and has the ability to take over a game. Definitely just looking for her hitting tendencies and adjusting mid-game to where she’s hitting it. And the new people on the court, our coaches just tell us what do normally.”
on the biggest growth she’s seen in her team since the last time UCLA played USC
“I think we have grown a lot volleyball wise and just communication wise. If one of us is struggling mentally, we’re really vulnerable with that and we’re able to have each other’s backs and sustain that. I think that really helped us tonight just to stay together. Each of us had moments where we felt bad and we were just able to lean on each other. It really helped us win.”
Junior libero Peyton Dueck
on what excited her for tonight’s match
“Games against SC are always fun. We always get pumped up. This game was extra special because we just wanted to end the final game in Pac-12 and end the season super good on a good note and go into the (NCAA) Tournament. I think we all just were pumped up for this game.”
on her reaction after her kill in the fourth set
“I actually didn’t even know what happened, but everyone was hyping me up. So, I was like, ‘Okay!’ And they were like, ‘You just got a kill.’ And I was like, ‘What!?’ It was so exciting and it was super fun on the court. The environment we created tonight was just crazy.”
on the biggest growth she’s seen in her team since the last time UCLA played USC
“I think we’ve really upgraded in the tight moments at the end of sets. I think that’s really helped us in-season, especially in the fifth sets.”
on how her and Mokihana Tufono handled USC setter Mia Tuaniga’s serving
“Mia is just an amazing server. She has a hard, tough top-spin serve. We definitely had to prepare for that and we just went back there and had great communication. I think it all comes down to that, especially with a fast-paced serve. ‘Get it up’ to Audrey [Pak] and go from there.”
on playing alongside Audrey Pak and seeing her deal three aces in the fifth set
“It’s amazing. I’ve been playing with Audrey since club, so I’ve been playing with her for a while. I’m so proud of her, especially this year. She has earned this moment and earned this position so I’m just so proud of her.”
Senior outside hitter Iman Ndiaye
on how USC’s defense made it difficult to close out big points
“I was definitely trying to hit the edges of the corner on the block just because they’re a rally good team, they have a big block. I was just thinking of finding new ways to score they haven’t scouted me on yet.”
on working to beat Skylar Fields and Mia Tuaniga
“I just know the feeling of getting roofed, and I don’t like it. I do everything in my power to hit high hands (and) nothing they can stuff me on. That’s just my mentality going up against a big block.”
on what this season thus far has meant to her
“It’s so special being the first team under Alfee and the new staff. I think it’s great. We made so much progress this season. Hopefully, it’s not over yet and we can make more strides. We know our full potential and it’s right around the corner.”
on Audrey Pak’s progression and beating USC in her final regular-season match
“It’s incredible seeing Audrey’s progression. She’s been talented, but this year she’s blossoming into the player that we’re seeing. She’s an offensive threat, setting up our hitters to do great things. I think it’s so awesome to see her enjoy the game. And then beating SC (on the road), we’ve been wanting that forever. It’s such a good feeling that we can beat these teams and play our best volleyball when it matters.”
Los Angeles, Calif. (Galen Center)
Nov. 24, 2023
UCLA Head Coach Alfee Reft
on the biggest shift he saw after set one
“I think we missed about six serves in the first set, so we were giving (points). I like that we were being aggressive, but we’re giving to many points, I think. In a match this tight, you can’t give up too many errors from the end line. I thought we shored up our blocking. In transition, we were getting used a lot on the outsides and we made some adjustments. But really, the kids hung in there and just played cleaner volleyball as the match went on.”
on what put the team in the correct mindset for tonight’s match
“Our women were phenomenal. We knew it was do or die right now. We were fighting to get a bid into the tournament. Tonight, if we lose, it’s very likely we are not in. So, motivation wasn’t an issue. What was really impressive was the focus under this environment and these stakes. Our players have been working tremendously hard all year to cash in, and they did today in one of the biggest matches of the year for us.”
on Iman Ndiaye’s performance
“Iman is a tremendous athlete, physically. What were seeing is just the heart of a champion. She is taking a lot of swings for us this year. She’s been the go-to player under some big moments. None bigger than tonight. What makes her special is her heart. She’s just a fighter. She showed it tonight. She took some big cuts. She’s not just hitting for us. She’s blocking. She’s doing everything for us. We’re not winning without her. That’s for sure.”
on limiting USC setter Mia Tuaniga from the service line
“(Mokihana Tufono was) sticking. Yeah, Mia is a great server. She brings a lot of heat. The fact that we held her to (three) aces tonight is a real win for us. I thought our passing line is just tough with her tonight.”
on Audrey Pak’s three straight service aces
“What can you say? The kid goes back and deals (three) aces? She’s got ice in her veins. She just creates.”
on the middle blockers Anna Dodson and Desiree Becker’s performances
“It’s a lot to handle for teams. Six rotations of two of the best middles, I think, in the country. They work so hard. People don’t even see any of the work, I mean the routes that they’re running (and) the way they work off the ball. For the amount of times they get set, they are working tremendously hard.”
on what he hopes the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee sees from UCLA’s season
“I think we have shown that – especially at the right time – we’re playing the best volleyball that we’ve played (all year). I’d put us toe-to-toe with any team in the country. We took some losses earlier, but that’s part of the year. We learned and got better and I hope they see the momentum our team is putting together at the right time.”
Senior setter Audrey Pak
on her three consecutive aces to take the lead in the fifth set
“I felt very peaceful and confident to just hit a solid serve and it just happened to work out really great. Amir (Lugo-Rodriguez) calls our service areas. He did a really great scout that put us in a great spot.”
on beating USC in her final rivalry match
“So good. We wanted it so bad. After the first game we played against them, we were ready to beat them.”
on preparing for USC’s Skylar Fields and Mia Tuaniga
“Preparing for Skylar, I think it’s a lot of scouting because she’s really athletic and has the ability to take over a game. Definitely just looking for her hitting tendencies and adjusting mid-game to where she’s hitting it. And the new people on the court, our coaches just tell us what do normally.”
on the biggest growth she’s seen in her team since the last time UCLA played USC
“I think we have grown a lot volleyball wise and just communication wise. If one of us is struggling mentally, we’re really vulnerable with that and we’re able to have each other’s backs and sustain that. I think that really helped us tonight just to stay together. Each of us had moments where we felt bad and we were just able to lean on each other. It really helped us win.”
Junior libero Peyton Dueck
on what excited her for tonight’s match
“Games against SC are always fun. We always get pumped up. This game was extra special because we just wanted to end the final game in Pac-12 and end the season super good on a good note and go into the (NCAA) Tournament. I think we all just were pumped up for this game.”
on her reaction after her kill in the fourth set
“I actually didn’t even know what happened, but everyone was hyping me up. So, I was like, ‘Okay!’ And they were like, ‘You just got a kill.’ And I was like, ‘What!?’ It was so exciting and it was super fun on the court. The environment we created tonight was just crazy.”
on the biggest growth she’s seen in her team since the last time UCLA played USC
“I think we’ve really upgraded in the tight moments at the end of sets. I think that’s really helped us in-season, especially in the fifth sets.”
on how her and Mokihana Tufono handled USC setter Mia Tuaniga’s serving
“Mia is just an amazing server. She has a hard, tough top-spin serve. We definitely had to prepare for that and we just went back there and had great communication. I think it all comes down to that, especially with a fast-paced serve. ‘Get it up’ to Audrey [Pak] and go from there.”
on playing alongside Audrey Pak and seeing her deal three aces in the fifth set
“It’s amazing. I’ve been playing with Audrey since club, so I’ve been playing with her for a while. I’m so proud of her, especially this year. She has earned this moment and earned this position so I’m just so proud of her.”
Senior outside hitter Iman Ndiaye
on how USC’s defense made it difficult to close out big points
“I was definitely trying to hit the edges of the corner on the block just because they’re a rally good team, they have a big block. I was just thinking of finding new ways to score they haven’t scouted me on yet.”
on working to beat Skylar Fields and Mia Tuaniga
“I just know the feeling of getting roofed, and I don’t like it. I do everything in my power to hit high hands (and) nothing they can stuff me on. That’s just my mentality going up against a big block.”
on what this season thus far has meant to her
“It’s so special being the first team under Alfee and the new staff. I think it’s great. We made so much progress this season. Hopefully, it’s not over yet and we can make more strides. We know our full potential and it’s right around the corner.”
on Audrey Pak’s progression and beating USC in her final regular-season match
“It’s incredible seeing Audrey’s progression. She’s been talented, but this year she’s blossoming into the player that we’re seeing. She’s an offensive threat, setting up our hitters to do great things. I think it’s so awesome to see her enjoy the game. And then beating SC (on the road), we’ve been wanting that forever. It’s such a good feeling that we can beat these teams and play our best volleyball when it matters.”