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NCAA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

December 21, 2019

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Stanford - 3, Wisconsin - 0

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Wisconsin, Coach Kelly Sheffield and student-athletes Molly Haggerty, Dana Rettke, and Sydney Hilley.

KELLY SHEFFIELD: Hats off to an unbelievable Stanford team. I mean, there hasn't been anybody that's done that to us this year. An unbelievable senior class that just 1, 3, or 4, they'll go down as one of the great classes in the history of our sport. And Kathryn Plummer might be the best non-All-American in the history of any sport. That was an unbelievable performance.

We got them out of system a lot in serving. I thought the serving numbers that we put up were really good. I mean, they were really struggling with it. And it didn't matter. We haven't had too many teams that have beaten us in our transition game, and they were able to do that.

But I'm proud of our team and I'm proud of the players here to my right and the ones back here in the locker room. There wasn't any quit. There wasn't any quit out there. And that's been their character all season long, the journey they've traveled.

We just ran up against a team that is unbelievable. And it's a little bit humbling, but it's a credit to them.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. It's not what you were thinking of as you came over here tonight, but does it make easier to swallow knowing that it wasn't a point or two, a play or two that separated this thing?
DANA RETTKE: I personally don't think so. I don't think it's one point or two points that determine anything. It's going to sting just as much.

MOLLY HAGGERTY: I feel the same way, I hate losing, whether we got swept or lost in five. I just hate losing it. Doesn't really feel any different.

SYDNEY HILLEY: And we feel courageous and together, and we didn't stop fighting, which we're proud of. Either way, losing is really hard, and I think the worst part is realizing it's the last time playing with the senior class that we have, and they're absolutely amazing.

The three that play and two that don't play, they don't get talked about a lot, but they have all given their heart and soul into this program. And that's the hardest part, is saying goodbye to them.

Q. Sydney, there had to be times where you had to get frustrated just knowing no matter what you tried to do they had an answer for, that you were trying to direct things, am I right?
SYDNEY HILLEY: Yeah, I mean, we're used to hitting a high percentage. They're up there being some trees, and our hitters, they did what they could. They tried to be courageous, out of system quite a bit. Taking quite a bit of swings. They're just a great team, and credit to them on that.

Q. Kelly talked about Plummer. Dana, you've seen her a lot over the summer, maybe. Your take on what it was like tonight across the net from her?
DANA RETTKE: She's just an credible attacker. She has such great court vision and can see the things that we really couldn't see I guess at times. She's an amazing, amazing player.

Q. You mentioned, Syd, the seniors who won't be back. You three have a new shot. This is a new experience for you. I know you've had ten minutes; what do you take from this that you would bring back to maybe have a different outcome?
SYDNEY HILLEY: Yeah, I mean, it's hard to think about right now because it just happened and that's so far away. But I think it's going to drive us every day. We're not going to forget this feeling for a long time. And I think that will be something that motivates us every day in practice, just to work a little harder to close that gap between them and know we can get back here. We've just got to keep working hard.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach.

Q. As somebody who pays a lot of attention to what happens in this sport over a long period of time, where do you put them in terms of -- I don't want to use the word "dynasty," but not a bad four-year run.
KELLY SHEFFIELD: It's not a bad four-year run. It almost feels like it got started against us a few years ago at our place. And they've had their foot on the gas pedal ever since.

I thought Kevin did a great job of managing his team this year, I think, you know, you come back after winning last year and Kathryn is banged up early on and then going to the meat of the schedule without her and still being able to find ways to win.

And not feeling pressure to bring her back too early. I mean, that kid looked really fresh ever since she's been back. We're not the only team that those guys have made look like that. Penn State's a really good team. Minnesota's a really good team. We're really a good team.

And they just plowed right through us. But where do they rank? I don't know. But they're champions, and they'll be able to carry that with them for a long time. It's an unbelievable team.

Q. First two sets you really couldn't do much at all, couldn't get anything rolling. The third, you were even up to 19, and you had the lead a few times. Did you find something different? Was it just kids relaxing, playing better? What happened to make it more competitive for a while?
KELLY SHEFFIELD: You know, I think there was some frustration with our kids. I mean, usually when the setter is on the run as much as she is, all right, it's go-time for us. And they're just chucking the balls up there and Plummer is threading needles. And she's got the Midas touch a little bit.

And I sensed there was some frustration a little bit from our kids. We changed the matchup. It felt like we had to. But the thing that we were talking about between the second and third is at some point they're going to give us an opening. They're going to give us an opening and we're going to go bursting through that door.

And there was a sliver of it. And we couldn't work our way through there. But it wasn't just Plummer. She has some unbelievable -- it's a pretty good stat line and it's everybody doing their job. And a credit to them.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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