LOVB Salt Lake’s Sophie Fischer and Skylar Fields are the Perfect Roommates

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Speaker 1: As a volleyball player, I trust Adidas to meet my own court needs, but they'll also offer the ultimate in everyday's style from trendy platform sneakers, vibrant track pants, and cozy, chic flea sweatshirts from their zny collection. Adidas has everything I need to feel comfortable, stylish, and confident. Explore all that Adidas has to offer at Adidas dot Com or through the Adidas App and receive fifteen percent off your first order when you sign up for Atti Club, getting access to fantastic perks, including free shipping. Unlock your style with Adidas Today. Hi, I'm Tiffany Oshinsky and this is serving pancakes with League one Volleyball. The inaugural Love season is finally here. Each episode will be going over the matches from the week to keep you up to date on everything League one Volleyball. Then stick around after the analysis for interviews with some amazing people in and around the story. Today's episode features Love Salt Lake, Sophie Fisher, and Skyler Fields. But let's first recap what all went down in Week ten. Love Madison continued their hot streak, winning their fourth match in a row over Love Omaha. In four sets twenty five, sixteen, twenty five, seventeen, twenty six, twenty eight, twenty five sixteen. Not only is Madison hitting their stride, they are hitting spectacularly. In Thursday night's match, they hit a League one volleyball high four point fifty with fifty eight kills and only nine errors in one hundred and nine attacks. And no surprise here. Lefty Annie Drew Schumacher and outside Sarah Franklin led the team with nineteen and eighteen kills respectively. To Sarah Franklin, does she go down the line?

00:01:48
Speaker 2: She does?

00:01:50
Speaker 1: Of course, those numbers don't appear just out of nowhere. Ceder Lauren Carlini, who earned Player of the Match honors, has been placing the ball all over the court for her hitters, accumulating fifty assists plus a kill of her own. She also had an eighth, two blocks and nine digs. After the match, she talked about the offensive weapons on the team that have made them so successful.

00:02:12
Speaker 3: Just so many fats of the game that we've been getting better at week by week, and it's clear here in how we play, we just have so many weapons.

00:02:18
Speaker 2: I feel like it's pretty hard to make a game plan against.

00:02:20
Speaker 4: Us, Well, it's pretty hard to beat you.

00:02:22
Speaker 1: Your condition of that ball around to everyone, So congrats. This win plus the outcome of the rest of the weekend propelled Madison to third in the standings. Madison will be back on the court Thursday night versus Love Salt Lake. Meanwhile, Omaha has now lost seventh straight, falling to four and seven. Their next match is Friday against Austin as they kick off the weekend with Love at home. Friday night, we saw what I dubbed the best rivalry in League one, Love Houston versus Love Atlanta, with Houston winning in five sets twenty five, twenty three, twenty five, twenty three, fifteen, twenty five, nineteen, twenty five, fifteen eight. Houston held off the reverse sweep, something that they just did to Atlanta last week, and are now three to zero against Atlanta this season. Opposite Jordan Thompson was player of the match, finishing with fourteen points from thirteen kills and a block. She also had nine digs. JT's biggest impact came in the fifth set, where she had four kills and this big block. Despite her impactful plays, Jordan did not think she deserved the player of the Match honors and said so after the match, citing teammate Jess Mursey who helped get her out of her own head. At one point.

00:03:39
Speaker 5: Jess was like, Bro, you have to stop looking like you're not a two time Olympian. I was like, girl, I'm trying my best out here. By It was rough tonight, but I think like you have to just keep playing through it and know that's gonna come. Like I've been playing for I don't know how many years now, I'm gonna have rough games. I think we all do, but just thankfully I have amazing teammates who continue to support me in the rough moments.

00:03:57
Speaker 1: It was a rough match for both teams, as Houston only hit one a eighty six with one ace and eleven serving errors and Atlanta hit two sixteen with seven aces and twelve errors. Ultimately, Houston was able to come back and come out on top, which leads us to Saturday's doubleheader, which both teams participated in. We start with Atlanta versus Love Salt Lake in another five set battle, with Atlanta holding on. So when this match twenty five seventeen twenty three, twenty five twenty five eighteen twenty three twenty five, fifteen eleven. Atlanta isn't a stranger to these long matches. This was their third five setter and four matches and sixth all season, and despite playing in one twenty hours earlier, Atlanta showed that they can persevere. Kelsey Robinson Cook was named player of the match thanks to her season best eighteen kills in team high twenty one digs, Robinson perfect ball in transition. Atlanta has a two game lead over Houston with only three games left to play, so they've secured one of the top two spots in the Love Finals, which rewards teams with a bye. Their next match is Saturday in Omaha against Love Austin. Salt Lake is five and seven with four more games to play. Their next match is home on Thursday against White Hot Madison. The last match in Week ten was the Battle of Texas, with Houston defeating Love Austin in four sets twenty seven to twenty five. Twenty five eighteen nineteen twenty five, twenty five, twenty two. Houston improved three to one over their cross state rival, and after a tight first set, the two teams each showed their strengths, alternating who would win over the next three sets, Austin opposite Madison Skinner had twenty three kills, tying her season high, and middle Chiaco Gago hit four hundred with ten kills, but despite their best efforts, Houston still managed to battle back for the win. Jordan Thompson had another great performance, amassing nineteen kills, three blocks, eleven digs and an assist, but it was outside Jess Murzik who earned Player of the match with fourteen kills, including the game winner to down Houston comes back in the Horn with the season nearing the end, just shared how they're going to keep improving and fighting to stay ahead.

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Speaker 6: As we get deeper into the season and going into the finals. We know every team and they know us, so it's about who's going to do the little things better more consistently.

00:06:22
Speaker 1: Both teams' next matches are against Omaha during the weekend, with Love with Austin playing Friday night in Houston getting the first match of Saturday's doubleheader. Well, we're going to take a short break, but when we come back, Love, Salt Lake, Skyler Fields and Sophie Fisher join me to talk about learning from the vests on their team, what their experience has been like this first season. Who on Salt Lake is the best cook and so much more?

00:06:45
Speaker 4: Stay tuned.

00:07:01
Speaker 1: We are back and we're excited to have Love salt Lake, Sophie Fisher and Skuyler Field on the Pod today. Sophie hills from Fort Mill, South Carolina, and had a stellar collegiate career at the University of Georgia as a middle blocker, where she earned a spot on the ABCA All Southeast Region team and the twenty twenty four All SEC Team, her third All SEC honor. She was also named the twenty twenty three SEC Player of the Year, and before joining the Bulldogs, she was part of the national championship team at the University of Kentucky in twenty twenty. Sophie is one of the Love six going straight from the college game to the pros, but she's had experience on the international stage, representing the US women's national team at the twenty twenty four North Sekapan American Cup Final six, where she helped secure a silver medal. And Skyler is an opposite hitter from Missouri City, Texas who is a three time All American. She earned two while at USC and one while at Texas in fact, she is one of only thirteen Trojans to earn multiple First Team All America Kids. Skyler's international experience dates back to twenty sixteen, when she went silver at the Norseiica U nineteen Championship as a member of the US youth national team. She also won gold at the twenty eighteen Norsica U twenty Championship, and Skyler has also played professionally in Italy. Now they're both playing for Love Salt Lake and they're here on the podcast. Sophie Skyler, Welcome to Serving Pancakes.

00:08:22
Speaker 2: Yes, thank you, going us.

00:08:25
Speaker 1: Very excited to have you too. How long have you been friends?

00:08:27
Speaker 2: We weirdly like have known each other for like a really long time.

00:08:30
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:08:30
Speaker 6: So I'm from South Carolina and I actually was originally committed to you and see and her sister played there, and so her sister, I think became friends with my sister because they would do like camps. Yeah, and then we were introduced and then like just seeing each other at Club Turgus and then we've kind of just kept in touch ever since.

00:08:45
Speaker 2: So it's cool, like ending up in the same place and like living together.

00:08:48
Speaker 1: Now, did you have any idea you two were going to be playing together in the pros.

00:08:53
Speaker 3: Not originally, I kind of you know, just was in contact with Sofy, like, oh, what are you.

00:08:58
Speaker 2: Gonna be doing? After column?

00:08:59
Speaker 3: She's like, I'm thinking going pro and I was like, oh, like, we need a middle of like and then it worked out perfectly and so she came to Soungwake and it was great.

00:09:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's awesome. How has your experience been so far with Love.

00:09:09
Speaker 2: It's been good, honestly.

00:09:11
Speaker 3: Like you mentioned, I've played in Italy last season, so I've graduated college and then I went to the end of their season, so it was three months there and it was really challenging. But I think it really helped push me and shape me as a not only just a player, but a person as well. And I think that just being able to come home and play high level volleyball in the United.

00:09:29
Speaker 2: States has been something that we're very fortunate to have because.

00:09:31
Speaker 3: A lot of people do go overseas to get that high level type of volleyball. But I think having a competition here has been super helpful, and then getting to play with and against some of the best player in the world.

00:09:39
Speaker 2: So it's been amazing. Yeah, I mean I'd said the same thing.

00:09:42
Speaker 6: I don't have any like international professional experience, but I think it's really cool that I got an opportunity to play at a super high level with like great teammates on my team in the United States for my first year of professional volleyball and then also just like learning from like great middles in my position too, So I'm really enjoying it.

00:09:58
Speaker 1: I mean, now, Sophie, you straight from college guy there, like we said that you got to play in Italy for a year, So what made you guys ultimately want to join and play for love?

00:10:07
Speaker 6: I think for me, I just like had a great opportunity and like good coaching, like we have Tama and Bruno who are incredible coaches, and then like in my position like Haley Washington and Tory Dixon and strindergreat like both like all great medals and stuff who I can learn a bunch from.

00:10:23
Speaker 2: And then just like being able to play in the United States too. So I feel like there was just so many.

00:10:26
Speaker 6: More pros than cons, which they say ere my stripes, but I think that this is a great like almost like dipping my toe in the water, but also getting a super high level of competition without having to go overseas.

00:10:41
Speaker 3: So for me, I think just being able to be a part of history, you know, kind of start the league, open it up.

00:10:48
Speaker 2: And also, just like Sophie said, is just being around really great people.

00:10:53
Speaker 3: And you know, we have a great staff and also a really good team, great people off the court as well, so it really helps.

00:10:59
Speaker 2: I think they have.

00:11:00
Speaker 3: Put us under their wings with kind of like the freshness. Yeah, like maybe literally that children on the team. So I think it's been super helpful to have like great people around us helping push us every day. And then also if you people have been kicking out that you can see anybody can win them any night. So I think having that level of competition is super cool because you know, like in Italy and Turkey, it's like the top six teams are killing the rest of the league. So it's nice to have each team, like the levels be kind of the same so that maybe, like I said, anyone can win on any given night.

00:11:32
Speaker 2: So it's good to have to bring your a game every day. Definitely.

00:11:36
Speaker 1: Now you guys said it, you guys are the babies on the team. Have you found like a mentor someone who has taken you under their wing? To kind of show you the ropes of like this world of professional volleyball with you know, these Olympians on your team and throughout the league.

00:11:51
Speaker 6: For me, especially Hilly Washington, because whenever I came in, like she was not really able to play as much, so she really took me under her wing and like I feel like I was annoying her with questions, but she was very well to them and wanted to be doing something. So it was really nice to have her and then all the other middles in my position too. But then even playing with Jordan Poulter, I think that she provides a bunch of like high level IQ and so yeah, it's just a great kind of fit.

00:12:16
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure.

00:12:17
Speaker 3: I'd also say Poulter for me, Haavier said her like, you know, give you the confidence and just telling you to like go get it. But also I think the other opposite of on my team, Haiti, She's ben't really helpful for me because she's played the opposite of her whole career. I'm just getting into it, so just you know, getting some insight from her on what.

00:12:34
Speaker 2: To do with certain situations has been super helpful for me.

00:12:37
Speaker 1: We had Haley and Jordan on the podcast. Jordan I got to interview back in California over the summer before the Olympics. Haley came on right around Halloween actually because her background was all decked up for her Halloween party. So I have a good understanding of their personalities and you know who they are as people. Have they shown you their like true colors off the court with like Jordan's guitar, piano playing and Haley's reading and all of that.

00:13:01
Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, we know them in and out. Two great people. They're hilarious, they're honestly agreed.

00:13:08
Speaker 6: Yeah, Hayley's actually gotten me into reading, and I'm really not a big reader, but I'm on my second book now.

00:13:15
Speaker 1: So congratulations. What have you read? Oh?

00:13:18
Speaker 2: I read The Silent Patient. Yeah, she let me choose that one.

00:13:22
Speaker 6: But then once I finished that one, she was like, Okay, I'm gonna pick this one from you. And now it's a Misery by Stephen King. Scary, but she said it's a great book, so I'm just gonna it's good so far. Actually, I'm pretty deep in it. I'm like one hundred pages when I started two days ago, so that's.

00:13:38
Speaker 2: Good for me.

00:13:38
Speaker 1: Both kind of like horror psychological thriller books right there that she's given you. Is that your genre?

00:13:46
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean that's probably I need something a little bit thrilling, Like I don't really want to like love stories are beautiful and amazing, but I'll fall asleep if I read that, Like that's not my thing.

00:13:55
Speaker 2: I need something a little bit like action, keep me, keep me reading.

00:13:58
Speaker 1: So, Sylvie, I got a whole bookshelf of books that I could recommend to you because that was literally like all I read.

00:14:05
Speaker 6: This is kind of like I think I'm starting to like it, So I.

00:14:12
Speaker 2: Drops some recommendations, will do.

00:14:15
Speaker 1: What about you this guy? Are you a reader?

00:14:17
Speaker 3: Yeah? I actually start reading, I think, like during my first professional season, just because that's so much down time.

00:14:24
Speaker 2: So yeah, I'm inter reading too.

00:14:25
Speaker 3: I also take Oh, we have a team full of readers, so I should be taking the recommendation from my teammates on books that they've read, and you know, just picking those up and reading. I'm actually not reading anything right now. I'm going to take the salivation from Sophie and we'll go from there.

00:14:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you'll like that one. I remember my mind was kind of like when I finished that one. I want to go back to the team. I want to talk more about like you're off the field ventures and all that kind of stuff, but I want to do that a little later. I want to go back to just love Salt Lake right now. You know you mentioned coach Tama and Bruno. What is it like having them as coach. Toma was also on the podcast, you know, a few months ago, and she's just so cool and calm and collected. Is she like that as a coach too.

00:15:08
Speaker 2: Yes, she really is.

00:15:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, she's super calm, cool and collected, and I think that it's nice to have that from a coach because you know, as as athletes and we just sometimes get super so having a coach who's been where we want to be competed at the highest levels, and then also just being able to give back to us. I think she's done a great job relaying information but not letting her emotions get into it so that way we can hear the reason is that she's saying but not feel a certain time of way.

00:15:33
Speaker 2: And then Bruno, on the other hand, he's a great contrast.

00:15:36
Speaker 3: I think he brings a lot of energy for our team and he shoots it straight, which we need sometimes.

00:15:40
Speaker 2: You know, and I think he's just great.

00:15:44
Speaker 3: I think everyone needs a Bruno in their life because even when he's not coaching, he's just goofing around and you need that sometimes you need a little light in the gym.

00:15:51
Speaker 2: So he's been great. Yeah, I agree.

00:15:54
Speaker 6: I think that they both like so clearly like care about us so much as people too, and not just as acthletes. I think that's very refined at the professional level, sometimes even in college. But yeah, I think that they're both incredible and like, like you said, like everyone needs a Bruno. He's no matter what day it is, he's always like joking around, but I mean he has a very serious Yeah he is get the ball bro, like block the.

00:16:15
Speaker 2: Ball, do it bro. But yeah, they're both incredible.

00:16:21
Speaker 1: So that's amazing. Now, as of this recording, SELT like has won three of their last four matches, including the last two. So how are you ladies feeling about that, especially with only a few more weeks left in the regular season.

00:16:34
Speaker 3: Hey wing always feels good, right, But I think you've kind of turned a new leaf here, just trying to focus on one day at a time and taking advantage of the day. I think that's kind of helped shift our focus and not really look too far ahead and you know, think about the end of the season or like the end of the season tournament. Where we're standing right now. I think that just being where our feet are has really helped our team. For Chris, you know, day to day of practice and then when it comes to the match, just taking.

00:17:00
Speaker 2: What we do throughout the week and implementing it in to the match. Yeah, I agree.

00:17:04
Speaker 6: I think just taking it one day at a time and kind of we've been seeing each day I was like another opportunity to just get better and improve and just fine tune some things.

00:17:12
Speaker 2: And I think it's looking good for us so far.

00:17:13
Speaker 1: Have you guys, and now I've asked this question or it's come up in conversation with some of the other girls I've interviewed, but this idea of like a rivalry or rivals, they say it's a little tough because everyone's so supportive of each other and for the most part, really like each other. Have you found that you do have a rivalry on the court, especially at this point where we're you know, ten weeks into the season, you've seen each other, like you've played each other a lot. Is there any sort of rivalry that you have.

00:17:40
Speaker 6: Yet, honestly, I think it's tough because, like you said, like League one is all about like love and like refor to Kevin and all that stuff, So I think it's like tough to have a rivalry like that. But obviously we have teams who we want to kind of lose a couple more games so then we could.

00:17:55
Speaker 2: Get up there a little bit. But it's out of like deep rivalry just for like ranking standpoints. You don't want to see anyone fail.

00:18:04
Speaker 6: But at the same time we would like to get out therapy real but I wouldn't exactly call it a rivalry.

00:18:10
Speaker 2: But maybe as more teams come in here, we'll get some more blackberries.

00:18:15
Speaker 3: Well for me, But honestly, I think just people that I've played with before, I think that that kind of is like, Okay, we kind of know each other. We're like, let's see what we can do now on this stage. That kind of gets me going. I just love conversation. So honestly, like even playing against some of the vets like Jordan Larson, Kelsey Cook, like I really like that because I think that challenges me as a blocker and as a hitter to see what I can do against some of the best players in the world.

00:18:44
Speaker 2: So it's been super cool to play against those players.

00:18:46
Speaker 3: But I think, honestly, like I have a rivalry with everyone. Sorry, I we want to win.

00:18:53
Speaker 1: So yeah, we'll be right back with more from our interview with Skylar Field and Sophie Fisher. Well, Skyler, I mean, you're having a great season so far as of this recording your second on Salt Lake in Points. What do you attribute your success to.

00:19:22
Speaker 3: I'd say just my teammates trusting me, trusting the training that we put in. I think that we do a really good job of pushing each other in the practice gym, and I think that that.

00:19:32
Speaker 2: Forces me to have to do the same thing in the matches.

00:19:35
Speaker 3: I think that now, like you said, we have ten weeks into the season, I think teams are starting to watch more film. You know, you're playing against people still, They're starting to know your tendency is a little bit more so. I think that having to switch up what I'm doing in the practice gym will also help me just do that in Mattress too, because my teammates are knowing me, and I'm pretty sure everybody else in the league is starting to figure out what it is.

00:19:53
Speaker 2: That I'd like to do.

00:19:54
Speaker 3: So I think just having those tools and my tool kit to help me switch things up.

00:19:58
Speaker 1: And Selphy, you said that you know you're still earning your stripe, So what are you doing weekend and week out to improve I just.

00:20:04
Speaker 6: Am a very technical person, so I usually have like one to four things maybe depending on what Wade is that I just like really try to focus on and hone in on. So just kind of trying to take steps to get to where other people are around me. So yeah, I'm just trying to focus on more of like little things that maybe like Haley has had down Pop for like years now, exaing with Tori and Srina's young, but she's really good and just things that she's learned.

00:20:34
Speaker 2: Just learning off of them too. Something on man trying to do now.

00:20:36
Speaker 1: Also at the time of this recording, so salt Lake is second in points, kills, blocks and assists, third and aces and in most of those categories, Atlanta stands at the top of them. I know you said there's not really rivalries, but pardon me's kind of thinking Atlanta as someone that you guys want to knock off. Also, they are first in the league at this time. But you know, there's still a few weeks, as we've said, in the season, So what does your team need to do as a whole to get past Houston who's now in second, and Atlanta who's still leading at the top.

00:21:08
Speaker 3: Honestly, I think, like we said, just kind of taking a day in and day out, focusing one day at a time. I'm not really sure if we win out our games, if it's even possible to get to first place. But I mean right now, we don't really want to peak right now. We kind of want to wait. I mean, keep getting better as season goes on, but it all matters at the end of the season tournament. So I think that as we continue to take advantage of each day and each our cotinue that we get.

00:21:32
Speaker 2: I think that it'll help us prepare to get to where we're going to be at the end of the season.

00:21:36
Speaker 1: Now, you guys get to play in Salt Lake in week eleven, and then the last week of the regular season you have Weekend of Love in Salt Lake. So what's it like playing over there and with in front of those fans?

00:21:48
Speaker 2: We love it.

00:21:49
Speaker 6: Yeah, we're in the slick right yeah, no, yeah, yes, Okay, Well I personally love our gen probably out of every other gym that we've played in, just because it's smaller, so like the environment is a lot more intimate and like, I don't know, there might be how many people do you think it's in there?

00:22:05
Speaker 2: Like when sold out? Maybe the thirty five untrue, Yeah, but it feels like a million people are in there.

00:22:09
Speaker 6: Like it just the fans are so good and it's just a small environment so it's really fun to play there. And also like we're not traveling, so it makes it really nice.

00:22:20
Speaker 2: But yeah, I love playing in Salt Lake. Yeah, I agree.

00:22:24
Speaker 3: I wasn't really sure what to expect, you know, playing here in Salt Lake City, but I think that our fans have done a great job coming out and supporting us. But they also are very interactive with the game, and having found out that a lot of other gyms the crowds are not like that at all, I think we have the most interactive hands. So it's been super nice to have them behind us when we're you know, doing well, they're getting rowdy and helping disrupt the other team that we're playing, so it's been really nice to have them support us. I think they're super excited to have us back at home next week and then at the end of the season, you know it's gonna be a great way to go up.

00:22:58
Speaker 1: Yeah. It's funny because Haley told me when I interviewed her, but she really wants to see this season. Was the fans not treat this like a tennis match where it's like silent as it goes back and forth and then the crowd cheers at the end of a point or whatever. She's like, I want them to know that volleyball is like fun and intense and are you're so you're seeing that right?

00:23:18
Speaker 6: That's as like, I mean, we have our little chance that we do and like we probably just started from them anymore, Like they're on it, and yes, they really get into it, so we love them.

00:23:29
Speaker 1: Have you had any fun interactions with fans.

00:23:31
Speaker 3: Yeah, we've done club pro integration, so like a lot of the girls from our club team, we get to see them when we do those when we go to their club practices, but also just like after the game, getting to interact with them, exchange bracelets, I autographs, take pictures with them.

00:23:48
Speaker 2: They've been super cute, So just getting to talk to them.

00:23:51
Speaker 3: You know, it's been really nice because I feel like everybody wants to you know, meet their favorite player, get to take a picture with them. So I think that for us to be able to do that for them is like makes it more excited for them, and it also makes them want to come back because they're like, okay, like she actually pour it into me, so like I want.

00:24:06
Speaker 2: To go support their team and just keep going.

00:24:08
Speaker 6: We're obviously super grateful for like them coming, so we want to invest in those relationships. And I do think like the little things of just like taking a picture and like signing the ball or like whatever, like means a lot to them because I know that like whenever I was younger, if this was going on, that would be like super cool.

00:24:23
Speaker 1: Has it hit you? I know that you guys have experienced this in college with this idea of you know, like women's volleyball, women's sports in general, but like especially women's volleyball is on this rise. There's a lot more fans, there's a lot more people paying attention, there's a lot more girls who play at these club levels who look up to you. Has it kind of hate you that like you are this face of this movement.

00:24:44
Speaker 3: I mean, it's not something that I really think about that Like when I actually do sit down and like think about us, I'm like, wow, we really are like a huge impact. And I think just for seeing the support for the league for the beginning of it, because you know, dates all the way back to like twenty nineteen and they started planning it, I think just having all of those support from everybody around is really just put into perspective to us how big this really is.

00:25:05
Speaker 2: This really is a huge deal, and you know, a lot of people didn't think it was possible, so for us to be exceeding expectations has been awesome.

00:25:12
Speaker 3: And I think that we're seeing that with people showing up to matches, whether they're home matches, away matches, even at the Love Classic where we had at the same place as the club Durning was. I think just having it in places where people are has been super good, and I think that we're attracting a lot of more fants, not people who are like playing this work, like people who've never heard of Vallao.

00:25:33
Speaker 2: I know, especially in Salt Lake City, a lot of people are like ohhoh, I like blub.

00:25:38
Speaker 3: But like now that we are protein, Like I'm really loving it. So I think it's been super nice to be a part of this movement and we're grateful for it.

00:25:45
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think it's also really cool, like kind of like what you said, Like I don't just like think about all the time, but when I do sit back and think on it, like even especially with our age and like how much it's grown since like because like I said, when we were little, we didn't have anything like this, or like we didn't have any like players to really look up to or like follow after college. So now that we have that, I think it's just like super cool, and like I wish that I had that when I was younger, Like whenever I think of it that way, it kind of means a lot more to me. Maybe I could remind myself that more they but uh, yeah, it's a really cool opportunity.

00:26:20
Speaker 1: Now going back to you guys and your you know, things that you like to do off the court, you personally eat, your hobbies and that kind of stuff. I know that you said, Sophie, you're getting into reading again, but now that you have like all this downtime, because I'm sure it's very different from playing in college, and I mean, Skyler, you experienced this in Italy. There's a lot of downtime for you guys when you play professionally, So what are you doing in your spare time when you're not playing volleyball?

00:26:47
Speaker 6: Well, me and Skyler, they couldn't have roamed two better people together.

00:26:52
Speaker 2: We're pretty chill.

00:26:54
Speaker 6: We do a lot of things together too, Like we go out to eat, we go hang out with friends, we'll cook.

00:26:59
Speaker 2: Yeah, Skyler's getting into Hotworks.

00:27:01
Speaker 6: Don't want to see Yeah no, yeah, but that's something I also might be doing soon.

00:27:06
Speaker 1: What's that hot Works?

00:27:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, hot Works. So it's it's like a studio.

00:27:11
Speaker 3: They have like personal saunas you can go to and you can like select what workout you want to do. So they have like cypling. I did cycling today, actually really enjoyed it. It's my first time doing something. They have like hot pilates, hot yoga, hot buns, hotcore. They have look at different a lot of different exercise that you can sum but you just go in there and I like it because it's very personal, Like you don't have to be in a class full of people, so you get.

00:27:34
Speaker 2: To go at your own pace.

00:27:35
Speaker 3: You watch the video that they play in the sauna, set the sauna to your own temperature, and you kind of just go at your own pace.

00:27:42
Speaker 2: I really enjoy.

00:27:43
Speaker 3: Them, not saying that I don't like being around people, but like when it comes to something being hot and working.

00:27:48
Speaker 2: Out, like no, like I need to be in my zone. And I've really been enjoying that.

00:27:54
Speaker 4: I think.

00:27:54
Speaker 3: Another thing that we do a lot is we our teammates cook for each other, so we'll like do dinner at someone's house. So it's been really nice, especially for the girls who like actually live in USA. It's really really cool to like go to the different parts of Utah and like see where they live and like, you know, just like experience like their life.

00:28:11
Speaker 2: Because one thing.

00:28:11
Speaker 3: In Italy that we're like just playing overseas is like we're like foreigners, you know, so like these people have their own life going on. But it's nice because here are teammates who are from Utah and like have a house and stuff.

00:28:21
Speaker 2: Like we get to see their life outside of it.

00:28:24
Speaker 3: So it's nice to just experience that and not just see them in practice like see what they do outside, you know, at the gym.

00:28:31
Speaker 2: But it's been cool.

00:28:32
Speaker 3: I mean, honestly, like I I'm down to do whatever, but also I'm down to do.

00:28:35
Speaker 2: Nothing at all. So it just depends on the day we'd like to do some activities.

00:28:39
Speaker 3: It's starting to get warm outside, so we'll probably be going to the parks more. It's super beautiful year, so getting some cool views and stuff, just like.

00:28:46
Speaker 2: You know, show it really joy. We used to go shopping together, but we're not on to do that anymore. We're just bad. This is yeah on each other. Like I would be like, skuy, this is so cute, like should I get in?

00:28:58
Speaker 6: She's like yeah, and then okay, and then she asked me the question yeah. Then next thing, you know, we keep saying yeah and somebody she said no, yeah, but.

00:29:09
Speaker 2: We stopped going shopping dealer. Yeah. Yeah. We don't shop as much.

00:29:12
Speaker 3: But one thing that we also do enjoys points with the Farmer's Market on Saturday. It's like downtown, so they actually kind of know what's by name now, just because we're there every weekend.

00:29:21
Speaker 2: When we can be getting our particular.

00:29:24
Speaker 3: Items, whether it's kimbucha, sour dough bread, they have flavors, we get salceadus, kim chi, butter, you know, just all kinds of things.

00:29:34
Speaker 2: So we enjoy the farmer's market as well.

00:29:37
Speaker 1: That's amazing. Okay, if you follow up questions first, do you guys watch Parks and Recreation?

00:29:43
Speaker 6: I've seen some episodes at four, but I haven't watched it like fully through.

00:29:47
Speaker 1: So two of the characters Don and Eagle and Tom Haverford do this thing called treat yourself. So one day year they treat themselves and they go to the mall or they do whatever they want and they treat themselves and get whatever they want. And I feel like, you guys need to do that. If your bad influences on each other, designate one day, one.

00:30:13
Speaker 2: Weeks weeks we got them off for practice. Yeah, let's go.

00:30:21
Speaker 1: Going back to the cooking. Who I'm gonna make you guys, you know, call out somebody, But who is the best cook on your team? What does she make that's so good?

00:30:31
Speaker 6: We call it comitabana and it's Cuban food, and so she'll have us over and she'll cook Cuban food and it's just like it's actually my favorite meal, Like I don't think like if I could choose any meal.

00:30:44
Speaker 2: Death ro it would be comedic obana but only bye habi. But it's like it's neat, like kind of like a roast.

00:30:55
Speaker 6: It's like meat, potatoes, olives, rice beans, yucca and.

00:31:02
Speaker 2: Plantings and plantains, and it's just like it's so good. It's a comfort meal. It's home cooked me with love. Like she really puts her foot into it.

00:31:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, we just had it recently, a couple of days ago, but this time she invited us over to watch her cook it. So we got the RECIPEO and we helped her like prep everything and cook everything. So like I was like, Wow, it's a lot of work that goes into it. But now I see why it tastes so good is because she makes everything from scratch and she doesn't use anything. Yeah, everything is from scratching. We're gonna make the meal one day for her. Well we're gonna tip.

00:31:36
Speaker 2: Too, but yeah we know how she does it.

00:31:39
Speaker 1: So yeah we're excited. Yeah, it's amazing. It's made with love for real. And what's the best thing that you guys make? Uh, sour dough bread with butter from the fireside we made.

00:31:56
Speaker 6: We make steak and potatoes a lot, Yeah, and we like make it's pretty Chris. Yeah, like garlic steak bites and potatoes. I feel like that's kind of our we go to we have done it a while because of traveling and stuff.

00:32:07
Speaker 3: But and then also we do let the spicy vodka pasta and someone like crispy bread of chicken.

00:32:12
Speaker 2: So like, that's what if those are two standard meals that work. If we're gonna cook that, we're probably eating one of those two hands for sure. The vodka pasta is the check in. It's just really really all right.

00:32:22
Speaker 1: There is one last question I want to ask you guys. You know, with four weeks in the regular season left in the finals to come, what are you looking forward to the rest of this season, this inaugural season.

00:32:32
Speaker 2: Honestly, I think just seeing what we can do.

00:32:35
Speaker 3: I think that we have had really high highs and some pretty low lows.

00:32:40
Speaker 2: So I think just pushing ourselves and you know, seeing where we can take it.

00:32:44
Speaker 3: It's honestly the first year of this league, so you know, wanting to do our best and like put an emphasis on continue to grow this.

00:32:50
Speaker 2: League and show people that this volleyball can be high level.

00:32:53
Speaker 3: I mean, obviously everybody wants to win, and so when it comes down to that, we will do our best to try and do that. But I think just taking everything that we can from this experience. I mean, it's been what six months, and it's that will have been the fastest.

00:33:06
Speaker 2: Six months in my life. I spent three months in Italy, and I thought I was there for three years.

00:33:10
Speaker 3: So I think that just being able to enjoy every second of this because it's going to be a long time until the team is reunited again, until the next season starts.

00:33:20
Speaker 2: So I think that just being.

00:33:21
Speaker 3: Able to take every single day and not taking anything for granted.

00:33:24
Speaker 6: Yeah, obviously taking every day as an opportunity, but I really excited to see, like I still don't think we've peaked you up as a team, so I'm excited to see when we peak, and I feel like we're gonna peak at the right moment, and just being able to do it together and like you said, like it's gonna be a long time to re see each other again, so just like cherishing those moments with each other.

00:33:42
Speaker 1: Well, Skyler, Sylvie, it's been a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast and bestive luck the rest of the season.

00:33:49
Speaker 2: Thank you.

00:33:51
Speaker 1: Serving Pancakes is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by League One Volleyball. I'm your host Tiffany Oshinsky. My co host is kat Bell. Amya Alvarez is our senior producer. Our executive producers are Carrie Stett, Tamaradike, and Lindsay Hoffman. Our marketing lead is Juwara Parker. Sound editing and mixing by Daniel Gonzalez. Our theme music is Pancakes by Eric W. Mast Junior Special thanks to Skyler Fields and Sophie Fisher. Next week we'll recap Week eleven.