2004 VBW vs. Penn State -- Notes & Quotes
11/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Mark Rosen
On senior Alicia Boswell ... "Alicia is a special part of our senior class. She made our team better with her hard work and commitment. It is hard to make an impact as a defensive specialist because if you don't serve well you get pulled out of the game pretty quickly, but Alicia performed excellently in that situation. She is a tremendous athlete and has been invaluable to us."
On senior Sarah Allen ... "Sarah is one of my favorite players of all time. She is a self-made player who worked hard to get where she is. She came here as a setter and worked hard to become a defensive specialist. She graduates as one of the best passers I have ever coached and it is a credit to all her hard work."
On senior Jennifer Gandolph ... "We all know about Jen's records at Michigan, but it's what she does with the team that has made the biggest impact. She loves to train and works hard at all times. That is something that her teammates see and new players notice right away and it earns her a lot of respect. They see what it takes to play Division I volleyball. She will make a great coach someday and I'd love to coach with her down the road."
On senior Lisa Gamalski ... "I am thankful that five years ago Lisa took the risk of switching from an outside hitter to a setter and choosing Michigan over a number of other programs. That risk has paid off for us and for Lisa. She has taken this team to another level and in turn become one of the best setters in the conference. We'll never forget what she's given us because she is such a special person. I don't think we'll know just how special she has been to us until she leaves, which is a shame. Lisa will do great things in volleyball and in life and we wish her all the best."
Senior Jennifer Gandolph
On her career at Michigan ... "My years here have been unforgettable. I wouldn't trade any of these experiences for the world. The staff and my teammates are top notch. It has been amazing fun."
On the possibility of a third trip to the NCAA Tournament ... "The season didn't end like we wanted it to, but the tournament is a new season. We might not get the best draw, but in the tournament its anyone's game. We'll go out and leave it all on the floor."
Senior Alicia Boswell
On her career at Michigan ... "It's been great -- the most challenging experience of my life. It has also been one of the most rewarding experiences as well. I'm going to miss everyone when I'm gone."
On the possibility of a third trip to the NCAA Tournament ... "Even though we didn't finish as strong as we'd like to, we play against some of the best teams in the country. I am confident that we can compete with any top 10 team in the nation, and if we get a bid to this year's tournament I have no doubt that we can be successful."
Senior Sarah Allen
On her career at Michigan ... "I have learned so much by being a part of this program. The coaches have made me the best volleyball player I can be -- coaching me to my full potential. I've loved being a part of Michigan volleyball and watching our team improve every year and watching this fanbase grow."
On the possibility of a third trip to the NCAA Tournament ... "I would like to see us playing in two weeks, not just next weekend in round one and two. I think we have the potential to take this team where it hasn't been before. We're ready to take the next step."
Senior Lisa Gamalski
On Penn State ... "Penn State is one of the top teams in the conference. They played well, but we played hard in games one and two and just came up empty. They have a great defense and frustrated our hitters and jammed our passers. Last night's loss to Ohio State got to us and we really came back sharper tonight."
Freshman Lyndsay Miller
On Penn State ... "We played well tonight but we fell a little short against a great team. We were able to put last night's loss behind us and come out ready to challenge Penn State. We worked hard on our blocking this week and were effective against their hitters but we just couldn't put them away when we had the chance."
N O T E S
Saturday's attendance of 2,223 fans marked the second largest crowd in Michigan volleyball history. Michigan volleyball set a new weekend series attendance record as 3,947 fans witnessed the Wolverines host Ohio State and Penn State this weekend.
Michigan tied a program record with 11 home wins.
Senior Lisa Gamalski recorded her 14th double-double of the season against Penn State. Gamalski had 12 double-doubles in the 2003 season.
Sophomore Megan Bowman is one block shy of tying for 10th all-time at Michigan. She has 282 blocks in her career.
Senior Jennifer Gandolph competed in her 121st match for the Wolverines, fourth all-time in the Michigan record book.
