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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN VOLLEYBALL MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 17, 2014Kelly SheffieldTHE MODERATOR: We have Coach Sheffield. Comments, and then questions. COACH SHEFFIELD: Looking back at the past week, against Iowa we challenged our kids going into the match, that we needed to be more aggressive serving, we needed to execute at a higher level. I thought we did probably our best effort behind the service line that we had all year. I thought we did a great job of keeping them off balance last week. I thought we got great production out of Haleigh Nelson and Kelli Bates, those two specifically, and I thought, you know, our last match, I thought our ball control was really good. Looking ahead we've got two Top‑20 opponents this week. Illinois on Wednesday, and they're probably as physical of a team as there in the country, certainly at a system these guys are really, really good. Going back and looking at how we played them earlier this year, we've got to do a lot better job defensively than what we did previously. Birks and Criswell and McMahon those are there as physical of a pin hitter as you will find around. So big challenge this week going against those guys. They've moved from a 6‑2 to a 5‑1 which has allowed them to do some different things offensively than what we were doing previously, and we're excited to get after it this week. Q. How hard is it to win 15 in a row in the Big Ten? COACH SHEFFIELD: It's been very challenging, the schedule has been very, very challenging, you know? And the travel has been tougher than what‑‑ listening to the other coaches that have been in this league a lot longer than I have, this has been the most challenging schedule as far as the travel, you know, trying to keep your kids rested, and improving. That has been tough. You know, our kids are‑‑ there is a lot of energy to them. I can see that. I think we've done a really good job, the coaches, Britt and Gary specifically have done a really good job of challenging our players to continue to find ways to get better. I don't know, we haven't really looked at how many wins in a row we've done, but I think we've done a really good job of continuing to try to find ways to get better. I know that doesn't answer your question too much but that's kinda where it is. Q. Not only are the 15 games impressive but 13 of those have been sweeps. What can you say about that type of dominance? Is it in practice? On the court? COACH SHEFFIELD: I don't know. It doesn't feel that way. You know? You're at Michigan and, you know, they've got a swing or two away from winning the match, or you've got Illinois and they're jumping all over you at the very beginning. At the end of the day, you look at some 3‑0 wins, but it's certainly‑‑ it's a point here or a point there. You know, you look at Illinois, we won the match but they actually outscored us, they had more points in the match than we did. Game 3 they put an absolute beating on us and game 1 and game 4 that could having either way. It doesn't feel like the stats that you're throwing out for the coaches or for the players. Q. You have a tendency to start off slowly in matches. Is there a common thread to that, and a way to try and turn that around? COACH SHEFFIELD: Yeah, I wish we had an answer for that. You know, ball control has been kind of an issue, the first few points. I'm not sure what it is, but like with the Illinois match, I thought after the first‑‑ or the Iowa match after the first 6 or 7 points, our ball control was great. I'm not really sure what it is. The key is nobody is really panicking. We know the matches aren't won in the first five minutes that we play, you know, it's usually two hours. Nobody panics, our players aren't panicking, they usually tend to figure things out along the way but to find an answer why we're not good those first three or four points, I don't know. It's been a recent thing. It's not a thing we're too worried about. Q. Is your team in decent health? We remember last year, you guys were totally banged up. You guys in good shape? COACH SHEFFIELD: Yeah, obviously we've Romana and Caroline for the season but other than that we're in really good shape. The medical staff has done a great job‑‑ the kids have done a great job of keeping, you know, just taking care of themselves. We're good. I look out there and we're not‑‑ we don't have to hold back practices, you know, mentally these guys are pushing, they're actually wanting more than what we're probably doing. We're as good of a place mentally and physically as what we have been since I've been here. Q. With the schedule, a lot more games on television, Big‑10 Network and what have you. There are pluses to those minuses, aren't there? COACH SHEFFIELD: Yeah, we're playing in front of big crowds, we're on TV a little bit more. I think a lot of us would like to be on even more than what we are but they've been great. We've got two more home matches, both of them are really, really close to sell‑outs, the fan support has been awesome and hopefully we will be able to sell out both of those matches. The travel has been tougher, you're on a plane a lot more than what you have been, but the pro is you're in front of a nationwide audience a lot more than what you have been in the past. THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Coach. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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