Settling in with Amber Igiede and Jess Mruzik

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Tiffany Oshinsky and I'm Kato, and this is serving pancakes with League one Volleyball. The inaugural 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 sport. Today's episode features two love Houston players, outside hitter and recent NCAA title winner, Penn State grad Jess Muziic and former University of Hawaii All American middle bloker Amber Igd. But first, Cat, let's talk week five going on.

00:00:35
Speaker 2: I'm doing so good. How are you?

00:00:37
Speaker 1: I'm doing great, another week in the books.

00:00:41
Speaker 2: I know it's coin. It's going kind coming quick right now. I feel like I think the season is starting to really take off a little bit. And I'm tired right now. Like like I said, last two plays, last two days, I've been playing middle, so like my body is shocked right now. But I'm doing really good.

00:00:54
Speaker 3: Positive vibes, positive vibes.

00:00:57
Speaker 1: Well, let's start with your game on Wednesday was the start Battle of Texas. I know you might not have some good feelings coming from this, because Love Houston did beat you guys, Love Austin in four sets in Austin on your home course. They won thirty three, thirty one, twenty five, twenty three, twenty one, twenty five, twenty five, sixteen. So talk about a cat What happened in that match? What did Houston do to forge through and get that w.

00:01:27
Speaker 2: You know, Houston's a great team. I also think this ATX Austin team, we have a lot of utepping to iron out right now. I think right now we're going back and forth with starting lineups and different things are kinda happen on the court right now. I think the last set for US was very disappointing. I think the score was like sixteen twenty five, I think something like that. At one point it was like seventeen to eight. So it was just wasn't a good fourth set. But Houston brought their best that night, and because you saw Jordan Thompson, she went off.

00:01:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, well let's talk about Jordan Thompson. She was named player of the match. She truly did. She did it all that much actually, including getting forces because two of which came when Houston went without a setter in the third set and Jordan finished with twenty three kills, hitting three seventeen.

00:02:05
Speaker 3: She had four blocks, nine.

00:02:06
Speaker 1: Diggs plus those assists, So what was she doing that made her fairly unstoppable?

00:02:11
Speaker 2: So the night before the game, actually Jordan, Maddie and Micha came over for dinner at my house. And when the team found out that I fed them before the night before the match, they were like, Oh, that's why they're all fueled up for the game. You fed them good. JT's a great, great athlete, She's phenomenal. She's on the national mink, you know, and she's just going to be her every single night. I think she performed really well. She's only going to get better. One thing about j T I would say is that she's finding a more of a better rhythm with the cross court shot. I think normally you don't see her hair a lot of the very sharp cross courts the two to two, and she was ripping it off that night. So she did a great job. Kidoza JT.

00:02:40
Speaker 3: Gotta ask what'd you make for dinner?

00:02:43
Speaker 2: You know, I'm a chef, I'm a cook. I had a whole spread. We had two veggies, we had salmon steak, chicken little ice cream afterwards. You know, I hooked it up for the girls. Those are my friends. I hooked it up for them. Molly and Chiaka were very upset because I didn't even think to invite them. I just like, you know, Maddie's one of my best friends. I can't want to come over into your apartment. I was like, yeah, great, come over. She's like, oh yeah, by the way, JT and Michael want to come to and I'm also friends with them. I was like, yeah, sure, bring the girls. So my mind, I'm like prepping dinner for five people. Also, my boyfriend was in town at the time, so I was like trying to figure out, like you know what. I was trying to figure out what to do, and Molly and Hiaka were my best friends, Like, they didn't even cross my mind. So they were like, cat, what the hell you know? So I was like, I'm sorry. So now coming up for a Valentine's Day, we're going to like a Gallentinees We'll have doing here at my house next two days.

00:03:25
Speaker 3: So oh I love that. Oh my god, you fed them superfood? Literally like yeah, yeah.

00:03:29
Speaker 2: All that like I want, I want. My love language is acts of service, and so I love to cook and make people feel great, and so we came here, had a glass of wine, each just caught up, not even really about volleyball, just each other, our lives and that kind of stuff too. So it was just it was a great night. It was a really good night.

00:03:43
Speaker 3: Oh that's amazing.

00:03:44
Speaker 2: That sounds and they beat us?

00:03:45
Speaker 3: Yeah right, I was going to say they beat us.

00:03:48
Speaker 1: Well, not only did they beat you, but that first match. Can we talk about that first match for a second, because that match won forty minutes, which as of now is the longest match in the Young League One volleyball history.

00:03:59
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:03:59
Speaker 1: But at one point, you guys were up with like five set points and then Houston came back and then they had four set points. So besides the super food that you fed those girls the night before, what goes through your heads exactly when you're dealing with such insane back and forth.

00:04:19
Speaker 3: Especially in such a late overtime match like that.

00:04:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's something we talked about last week about closing out and really finishing. I think a lot of the teams recently have been struggling with that, and Houston has been an amazing drop that night doing it as well as us. You know, this week after playing Houston, a lot of our practice time mus have been like, you know, certain score points and just trying to close out a certain side out. So that game was long, you know it. I think it went up past thirty points, and even sitting on the sidelines is like, okay, like you know, we got to finish. You gotta finish too. But to watch Houston come back and play the game that they played, it was great.

00:04:48
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, And I want to talk about your other best friend on your team, Chiaca real quick. Yeah, Chiaka finished with seven kills, four blocks, and a dig. Now, although you ladies didn't win, just talk about Chiaka in general, her veteran presence both on and off the court, and how it helps your team kind of overcome these losses.

00:05:09
Speaker 2: You know, Chiaka is just a phenomenal woman, you know, on and off the court. She's such a great leader. She's so inspiring. Even in practice, she brings the same type of energy she will bring into a match. Going to that game, I know she's just trying. As a middle blocker, you can't do a lot. You know, middle blockers aren't going to take over games. But They're going to make sure the issue really important points. And I love at Chiaka every match she's triving to get better, help the team, make make some really important blocks, and just being the great lead best she is. So she had a phenomenal night like always, like she always does, and I love it. She always being consistent, energy reasing.

00:05:38
Speaker 3: No night, love it.

00:05:39
Speaker 2: That's my girl.

00:05:41
Speaker 1: You're gonna have to tell us about Gallentine' Day in the next episode.

00:05:43
Speaker 4: Oh, yeah, for sure, we will.

00:05:44
Speaker 2: I love for sure.

00:05:45
Speaker 3: All right, Well, let's move on. A Friday night's match.

00:05:48
Speaker 1: We thought Atlanta extend their wind streak to five straight after defeating Salt Lake in four sets twenty five, twenty twenty three, twenty five, twenty five, eighteen, twenty five, eighteen. Now we've been saying her name for I don't know how many weeks now, but rugs. Yeah, finally she finally got a recognition as we go.

00:06:08
Speaker 2: No, we've been hereing for you, Tess. We have been We've been waiting for this moment for you. You know, it's like three weeks in a row. Now, it's like three weeks in a row. So finally, finally.

00:06:18
Speaker 1: Well, she had twenty three kills her highest so far this young season plus two blocks, four digs. Tell me, I mean, I know we've talked about tests before, but tell me what did she do in this match that made her stand out the most?

00:06:29
Speaker 2: So Test is just being consistent and she's being confident.

00:06:32
Speaker 5: You know.

00:06:32
Speaker 2: I love that she's catching her rhythm as the week's progress on and she's just being you know what the opposite you want them to be. You know, she's dominant, she's putting balls away, she's making get blocking positions, touching a lot of balls. Like, she's doing great, And I'm really really happy for her that she got the recognition she got this week, like well deserved, well deserved.

00:06:48
Speaker 1: Now looking at the stats, at Leanna dominated all categories of this match, but especially serving.

00:06:53
Speaker 3: They had ten aces in this match.

00:06:57
Speaker 1: Now at the pro level, how difficult is it to get an ace because you guys have some of the top passers out there in that.

00:07:04
Speaker 2: Back You know, number one thing in the Scotter report is that you don't want to serve Libero. So as a server going to the back line, you want to serve you know, your pen attackers or short ball to the middle blockers. I think Atlanta did a great job serving Kelsey Cook is one of the best services I've ever seen as well. And she went back there and believes have a lot of balls up. So I think, you know, going back there and being a server, do what you do, be confident and serve that ball. But that's Libera.

00:07:26
Speaker 1: Speaking of Libero's Minami, Kojama was.

00:07:29
Speaker 2: Don't want to serve her? Yeah right, you don't want to serve.

00:07:32
Speaker 1: Don't don't want to serve Mena me. But you know I've praised her. I'm a stan of Kodma of Minami. But she returned after being six, so you know, just talk about her and how she looked coming back after an illness.

00:07:46
Speaker 2: You know, as a bro, it's a huge presence to be on the court, and Manami is just that presence. Like I said, I had an example, a great time playing with turdring Au and just saw how great an apple that she is. Being back on the Clover Salt Lake. She definitely helps balance a defensive position for them and just doing things that used to do as Liberro, that's what you want to do, and she did a great job.

00:08:03
Speaker 3: Did you call it a bro bro bro?

00:08:05
Speaker 2: Yeah, I call it Baro's bros.

00:08:06
Speaker 3: Is that like a common term, because if not, I kind of love.

00:08:09
Speaker 2: It, honestly, I think kind of sort maybe it's a Cali thing. Eric Sullivan was my coaching University of Texas, and like Eric says bros. So like, I don't know if I got it from Eric maybe, but like I've been calling Libero's bros for the longest time. So yeah, and that's kind of cool too, like, yeah, I'm a bro. Like, yeah, she's a great bro.

00:08:25
Speaker 3: Yeah, I love that. That's great new terminology. Put it in the books. Yeah, all right.

00:08:33
Speaker 1: Moving to Saturday's doubleheader, Love Atlanta Sweat Love Madison twenty five twenty twenty five fifteen twenty five twenty one. Atlanta once again proving that they are the team to beat. They are now six and one in the standings. They get the number one seed in the Love Classic coming.

00:08:47
Speaker 3: Up this weekend.

00:08:48
Speaker 1: We've talked about this before, but with more game tape, now, how do you stop them?

00:08:53
Speaker 2: You know, Atlanta wasn't showing what they're showing in the beginning, I think, And they're also a team that's constantly developing every week. They have a phenomenal obviously captain like Kelsey she's amazing, So it's very easy to rally behind someone like that. I think, like I said, the confidence is there. Test is fying her confidence. Danielle Contina when she comes in, she's doing her thing as well. They're heard they're a tough team to beat, and right now, you know, I think they're just being confident and they're just making sure that they're just taking progress for themselves and just focus on the games ahead. I don't think they think too far ahead. I think right now they're just kind of focused on their team and just being the best they can do every night. So it's very remarkable, honestly.

00:09:25
Speaker 1: And in this match, Gia Day was named Player of the match. She hid three thirty three with nine kills, two aces and eleven digs. Now watching her, she was all over the court, especially in the back row. But what do you see from Jia.

00:09:38
Speaker 2: You know that's Gia. I watched you to play at Baylor. She was a phenomenal attacker and defensive player as well as pastor when she's in Korea. You know, we didn't get see her a lodger in agues because again, AU is one of those things you have to kind of know people to kind of really see the floor a lot, so, you know, towards the NGS, Sorr, I get out the a little bit more and you can kind of see what weh she can do. But I'm so happy for her, her being able to be out and play in Atlanta and doing what she does at a really, really good level. She's great. Gia is what you see. Gia is that all the time and sometimes even more so. Kudos to Gia all right.

00:10:05
Speaker 1: In the last game of the week was another five set thriller, with Omaha coming out on top twenty five, seventeen, twenty five, twenty one, eighteen, twenty five, nineteen twenty five, and then the final set was fifteen twelve. Outside hitter Jailly Winters was named player of the match with twenty kills and twenty digs.

00:10:21
Speaker 3: And she's so fun to watch.

00:10:23
Speaker 1: I love watching Jally, So what means Jaylle so tough to defend.

00:10:26
Speaker 2: She's so dominant. You know, she's very aggressive, she has a lot of energy and also just like she's very consist about where she puts the ball. She's very smartble her shots. Her position to the ball is really great and she puts up a really good part of the offense for Omaha.

00:10:37
Speaker 1: That match also marked the debut of recent Nebraska grad Liberro.

00:10:41
Speaker 3: Yeah they've been waiting, yeah, bro.

00:10:46
Speaker 1: Now, at one point, Omaha had three generations of Nebraska legends in the back row. They had Jordan Larson, Justin Wangorantis and Lexi. How much of a force will that back row be from here on out?

00:11:00
Speaker 2: You know, it's amazing. I can't even imagine what Lexi was feeling being back there next to those two amazing players. It's going to be a force to reckon with. Honestly, Like you know, having such a great position of passing, it's going to be hard to serve who you're gonna serve, you know, Jordan Larson don't think so. Actually, you wouldn't serve any of them, so it might as well just serve a short ball. That's what you can do. Ser So, serve the middle, Serve the middle. So it was a great night to see them all three out there together, and I'm sure Lexie had a great time. I'm very happy for her as well.

00:11:26
Speaker 1: On salt Lake's side, we got to give a shout out to Haley and Washington.

00:11:29
Speaker 3: You know, she was great in Friday Night's match.

00:11:31
Speaker 1: But against Omaha she had eleven kills, four blocks, three digs and two aces. Now, I know salt Lake is coming off back to back losses, but talk to me about our girl. How is she keeping salt Lake in these games?

00:11:41
Speaker 2: It's the energy. Haley has such an amazing force of energy, you know. Also she's coming back with her with her aggressiveness as far as attacking, She's a big part of the offense they need. Don't think She's only gonna get better as the weeks progress, and that's what you want. It's not how you start, how you finish. And once she gets going, she's gonna be honestly untoppable.

00:11:57
Speaker 1: All right, Well, next week is the first ever Love Class in Kansas City, the league's in season tournament.

00:12:03
Speaker 3: First off, how excited are you for this?

00:12:05
Speaker 2: I'm excited, Like all my friends in one place is really exciting, you know. And I have a great volleyball I have somebody like it's a recruiting thing too as well. So a lot of my friends that do a college coaches are coming in as well. So I'm excited to be one big volleyball party. Honestly, I'm really really excited.

00:12:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, and It's going to be held at one of the biggest club tournaments in the States in Kansas City. What do you think this means for these club girls to be able to watch pro volleyball players while they're competing and playing in front of college recruiters and everything.

00:12:33
Speaker 3: I mean, could you imagine when you were.

00:12:35
Speaker 1: A club player to be able to walk over and watch some pro players like you're what you hope to one day aspire to be just like right over there.

00:12:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, honestly, to be able to witness amazing women's out there and play volleyball is great. I wish I had the same opportunity, you know, and I hope these club players take advantage of that and take the time and they have, you know, time between sets or matches, took not sets matches to come over and witness some great history being made right now. You know, No, there's no other place where you can get Kelsey Cook and Jordan Larson, Chiaco, Obog you all these amazing and Drews, all these Danny Drews, all these amazing like people under one roof to watch them play. So I think it's gonna be an amazing outcomes. It's gonna be really exciting.

00:13:14
Speaker 1: Oh, we know that Atlanta has the number one seed in the tournament. Omaha is second. But as we also know, tournaments can be anybody's games.

00:13:22
Speaker 2: So yeah, prediction. Do you think it's gonna playoffs? Baby, it's the playoffs.

00:13:26
Speaker 5: You know.

00:13:27
Speaker 2: Having that bid is sweet? Yeah, you know, having that bid is really cool to go in and not have to worry about, like you know, kind of fighting your way through. You know, it's gonna be it's gonna be tough, you know. Right now, I think we're coming at fifth, so we have to win those first two games to even be in that championship match. But it's gonna be My predictions are about to go. Pick someone. It's gonna be Austin. It's gonna be Austin, gonna it's gone. Hey, I'm praying for our team. I'm pulling through for us, Like I hope that we just really get our stuff together and really just bide into what we're trying to do right now and find the rhythm we're looking for. But if not us, my deficacy Atlanta, Atlanta or Houston up there as well. You know, Omaha is amazing great. I think it can be Honestly, it can be anyone's game. But honestly, Atlanta, Omaha, Houston, those are my top three Love It. I have no idea Top four. Austin is like, I have no.

00:14:13
Speaker 1: Idea who I would choose to win, because it's honestly, it's a coin toss to me. I feel like any given day, anytime on the court, like you have no idea who's gonna win, And all these teams have shown up every week, and so I'm just excited.

00:14:25
Speaker 3: To see some good volleyball exactly.

00:14:27
Speaker 2: It's gonna be fun.

00:14:28
Speaker 1: Well, Kat, it's been so much fun talking about Week five. Excited to see what happens with the Love Classic. And for those of you listening to stick around for Jess Musik and Amber Iged, we are back and we are here with Love Houston's Jess Musick.

00:14:56
Speaker 3: And Amber Iged.

00:14:57
Speaker 1: Jess is a Michigan native who earned three av All American honors while playing for the University of Michigan before transferring to Penn State for the twenty twenty three and twenty twenty four seasons. In twenty twenty four, she led the Nitney Lions to an NCAA title and was named most Outstanding Player in the finals. She made her US national team debut at the twenty twenty four North SAIC of Final six Pan American Cup and led the US in scoring while taking home the silver medal. As a member of Team USA, she was named MVP of the twenty nineteen FIVBU eighteen World Championship and helped lead them to a gold medal. And Amber is a Baton Rouge, Louisiana native who played at the University of Hawaii all four years, where she was a two.

00:15:39
Speaker 3: Time All American.

00:15:40
Speaker 1: She earned the twenty twenty three Big West Championship MVP honors after leading the team to their fourth straight Big West title. In twenty twenty two, she was selected for the US collegiate national team and was invited to the US national team training the next year. And she's also played professionally overseas in Italy.

00:15:56
Speaker 3: Now Jess and.

00:15:57
Speaker 1: Amber are both here playing in the States for loveth Jess Amber, Welcome to Serven Pancakes. Actually, Amber, welcome back to Serving Pancakes.

00:16:04
Speaker 4: Thank you, thank you, thanks for having us.

00:16:07
Speaker 3: So excited to have you two. Did you guys know each other before you started playing on Houston?

00:16:12
Speaker 5: Okay, so for me and Jess, we I think cross paths in the summer for USA summer when we were in college, so that's how we kind of.

00:16:22
Speaker 4: Knew of each other.

00:16:23
Speaker 5: But yeah, I was so excited when I found out Jess was coming on our team.

00:16:26
Speaker 1: So yeah, Jess, when I mean you're one of the Love six, you were actually the last player to be introduced to the league.

00:16:32
Speaker 3: How exciting was that for you?

00:16:33
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:16:34
Speaker 6: It was awesome.

00:16:35
Speaker 7: And I had worked with Love a little bit in college, just doing some different things through like NIL and club activation, So I was just really excited to be a part of their journey as well.

00:16:46
Speaker 1: Now you guys are pretty new to the professional scene obviously, Jess. You just finished college, you just won the national title, Amber, you had a year in Italy. How has this pro season been like for you guys.

00:16:57
Speaker 4: Jess, you can go.

00:16:58
Speaker 7: It's been Honestly, the transition has been very easy. The league has made it very easy. My teammates have made it really easy, and our coaches have done such a good job, and it's just been such a whirlwind. And it's so exciting that we're playing some really high level volleyball right now. But we know that there's still a ton of room for us to go and there's a lot of time left for us to do that. So it's just really exciting because this group is awesome off the court, but on the court as well.

00:17:25
Speaker 4: Yeah, I just want to piggy back off the jets.

00:17:28
Speaker 5: I feel like it was a very smooth transition because obviously League one is a new league, you know, and with anything, starting something new can be scary. So I really enjoy how the perspective of all the girls is and everyone's just kind of dove in and bought into this new league.

00:17:44
Speaker 4: And like just said, the competition is great, the level.

00:17:47
Speaker 5: Is great, and it's so nice to think about that the level could even be higher as well. So yeah, I feel like the perspective of the girls is really what is making the league great. And yeah, everyone is bought in.

00:17:57
Speaker 1: So jes you joined a little bit after sure, everyone kind of already got together in.

00:18:02
Speaker 3: Houston when you arrived. Was it like National Champion is here?

00:18:07
Speaker 4: You know what?

00:18:07
Speaker 3: Did they welcome you with open arms?

00:18:10
Speaker 7: Yes, they were very welcoming, but also at the same time, like I knew, I just had to move on quickly and like switch gears pretty quickly because this isn't college anymore, and honestly, like, nothing about it is even remotely similar to your experience in college. So but they were super welcoming, and yeah, they've they've been awesome. I definitely wouldn't be able to have transitioned as smoothly as.

00:18:36
Speaker 6: I did without them.

00:18:37
Speaker 3: Were you nervous at all?

00:18:38
Speaker 7: Yes?

00:18:39
Speaker 2: I was.

00:18:39
Speaker 7: I mean it's super intimidating walking in here mid season, but also walking into a group of veteran players who have Olympic experience and a ton of international experience. But I've just kind of embraced that and I'm lucky that I get to be in the same gym with them every day and learn from them and watch them.

00:18:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you guys have Jordan Thompson and like a Hancock on your team. Were you guys kind of like, oh my gosh, I can't believe that they're on the team. Because Amber, I remember when I interviewed you with Kim Hill over the summer during the Olympics. You were like, it's Kim Hill, Like did you kind of have that same feeling walking on the corridor?

00:19:16
Speaker 3: Has it kind of settled in? Like these are just girls? I looked up to, but now I get to play with them.

00:19:21
Speaker 5: Well yeah, it's for sure settled in, But at the same time, it's just a feeling of gratitude and me growing up. I think I've spoken to you about this before too, Tiffany, that I just watched a lot of volleyball growing up, and I enjoy like the competitiveness of the sport and all the different type of girls.

00:19:40
Speaker 4: That play volleyball.

00:19:40
Speaker 5: So me knowing of a lot of the girls in the league, it just holds a sense of gratitude that me watching them when I was younger, and like playing against them in college and now seeing everyone here like full circle. It just it's the feeling I have is gratitude. So yeah, that's that's what I feel like every day.

00:19:58
Speaker 1: When you guys joined the team, I know that you know, in college, you guys are pretty close in age, but when you get to the pros, all of a sudden you could be twenty one, twenty two and be playing with thirty year old Did you guys find the transition from playing in college to playing with older women easy?

00:20:16
Speaker 2: Like?

00:20:16
Speaker 1: Off the court? Did you guys find your common ground pretty easily?

00:20:19
Speaker 6: Honestly?

00:20:20
Speaker 7: Like with our team, I feel like there is no age gap.

00:20:26
Speaker 4: No age gap.

00:20:26
Speaker 7: You have people on our team who like have kids, and then we have the people like right underneath them. Then we have people who are around like twenty seven, and then there's like me, Amber Grace.

00:20:39
Speaker 4: Who are younger.

00:20:40
Speaker 7: But honestly, I feel that there is no age gap on our team, which is kind of weird. Like we all just get along so well, and we're all very different, but like we all mesh like perfectly on and off the court. So that was really surprising honestly to me.

00:20:55
Speaker 5: Yes, I was gonna say, I think the reason Jess is saying that is because everyone gets long so well, and I don't know, no one makes you feel like, oh, like you're so young or you're so old like everyone everyone just I don't know, you don't have to be so relatable. But at the same time, I feel like the conversations we have like it's almost like getting good advice.

00:21:14
Speaker 4: From the older ones.

00:21:16
Speaker 5: And also, I don't know, we do a lot of team bonding, So I agree with you as with that, you.

00:21:21
Speaker 3: Know what, some of the team bonding stuff.

00:21:23
Speaker 1: I love hearing this because, like real quick, just to give you a little fun story when I was interviewing Sarah Franklin a few weeks ago. I was telling her about like when I was going to college and I graduated in high school No.

00:21:32
Speaker 3: Four, And She's like.

00:21:33
Speaker 1: I was too, and I'm like, oh gosh, but like she's so sweet. I feel like, you know, just talking to her, I'm like, I could still hang out with you.

00:21:40
Speaker 3: Like, so, what were some of the bonding things with you guys?

00:21:43
Speaker 5: M Well, okay, so we did a secret stand obviously on the record. We did a secret Santa, which was really fun. I don't know if you can see this little plant in the background, but Kaisa got me the other the setter on our team, she.

00:21:59
Speaker 4: Got me this plant. And yeah, we did Seekristanda. What other ones? Just can you think of the top of your head. I don't know.

00:22:05
Speaker 7: We're playing one for the super Bowl, Yeah, super Bowl a lot of Yeah, well just like dinners exploring new areas.

00:22:16
Speaker 4: Yeah, we're I'm a big foody.

00:22:18
Speaker 5: I think Jess is a big footy as well, and so anyone that can come meet with us we happily welcome, honestly.

00:22:23
Speaker 1: So I love it, and I feel like food is kind of the thing that can bring people together for sure, Yeah, talking about you know, the age difference and you know the fact that you're playing with some legends. You guys are crushing it with these legends. I mean, Jess you are i think fourth overall in points like in the whole league, and Amber your second in for middles and points. Like, you guys are crushing. Did you guys kind of expect to be a force like this or were you kind of unsure of how you were going to play into your positions when you first joined.

00:22:59
Speaker 5: For me, thank you for bringing up. But for me, it's like, I don't know. I just like feel like our team is very fun. We're very competitive. Competitive is the word, and I feel like we push each other during practice and that really helps to translate during the game.

00:23:15
Speaker 4: But yeah, it wasn't easy at first.

00:23:17
Speaker 5: You know, like there's a bunch of different parts, you know, everyone getting to know each other styles of play, and it's becoming like a beautiful thing, I feel like. But we're only a few games in, so, like, you know, we're trying our best.

00:23:28
Speaker 4: I think I'm so far, so good, So you know, it's only four games in.

00:23:38
Speaker 7: Yeah, yeah, I would just reiterate what Amber said, like we are very competitive, and I think we do a good job in the gym of pushing each other every day. And it's also not even like the other outsides pushing me. It's like Michael pushing me to be better, like Amber pushing better. And we're always talking and communicating and analyzing.

00:23:58
Speaker 6: Like how and where we can be better.

00:24:00
Speaker 7: So that's great, like just to have in our gym and to see that kind of translate on the court in the matches that we've played and the matches that we are playing. But honestly, like I coming in, I wasn't really sure how I was going to do because I had never played professional before, and you kind of have this image in your head of like what it's like, but then when you get there, is that really what it's going to be like.

00:24:20
Speaker 6: So, I mean, I'm still learning.

00:24:22
Speaker 7: I'm still taking it day by day and just trying to soak in every experience that I get this season. So next season when I come back for a second professional season and it's full like, I'll know what to expect and how to handle things.

00:24:37
Speaker 1: Have you figured out how to occupy your time since you're not in school anymore?

00:24:41
Speaker 3: Jess?

00:24:42
Speaker 7: Okay, that because my last semester at Penn State.

00:24:46
Speaker 6: I was only in one class. I got really howard making. It's fun and it's like a little experiment.

00:24:52
Speaker 7: Unfortunately, I did not bring my sourda started down to Houston just because we were in like a little rush.

00:24:57
Speaker 6: So my recent hobby has been coloring. I love coloring.

00:25:04
Speaker 4: Mm hmm, periend.

00:25:08
Speaker 6: Yes, and I like bought some nice markers. It's very couning.

00:25:13
Speaker 4: I like it.

00:25:13
Speaker 3: What's your starter's name for your sour though.

00:25:15
Speaker 6: I don't think I ever named it.

00:25:17
Speaker 4: Honestly, name it right now, name it no?

00:25:23
Speaker 3: No, what about you Amber?

00:25:26
Speaker 1: Because I know that when you play internationally that there's also the schedules are very different, and yes, you do have down time, but I keep hearing from people it's a little more lonely when you're overseas.

00:25:37
Speaker 4: Yeah, and that's crazy. Tipony.

00:25:39
Speaker 5: You bring this up, though, because we were just talking about like doing outside hobbies outside of volleyball. So yeah, we're I think we're still in the process trying to figure that out.

00:25:48
Speaker 6: But it is a.

00:25:49
Speaker 4: Little easier here when you're in America, because.

00:25:52
Speaker 5: I don't know, you could just look up something very quickly like navigate here a little bit easier, but I don't know. For me, I'm really trying to figure out my hobby right now.

00:26:03
Speaker 4: I like reading.

00:26:04
Speaker 5: I like watching Netflix when I'm not like, you know, in practice, I really like being at home. I'm thinking about indoor skydiving, so let's just stay tuned for that one.

00:26:14
Speaker 4: But we'll see. Just knows about it. It just knows about it. And I also really like dogs.

00:26:19
Speaker 5: So I heard Jordan Thompson like volunteers or is going to volunteer for like some you know, animal shelter thing, so I'm going to probably ask her about that, so we'll see.

00:26:28
Speaker 3: That's so sweet. I love that I would not be able to do that.

00:26:31
Speaker 1: I'm an animal lover, especially like I'm a cat crazy cat lady, and I would not be able to like leave the shelter without taking a cat home.

00:26:38
Speaker 4: Everything one time exactly.

00:26:41
Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more from our interview with Jess, Mrsy and Amber I Gen.

00:27:00
Speaker 3: So, going back to your Houston.

00:27:02
Speaker 1: Team, I mean, you guys had your first serve in week one, right after the official first serve happened. You're not going to have your next home match your Weekend with Love until the end of February. Do you feel like people are antsy waiting for some more Houston volleyball to come in?

00:27:17
Speaker 4: I would yeah.

00:27:18
Speaker 7: I think our fans that very first week were so fun and so like into it and so electric, and so many people were like, I can't wait to come watch. And it's been a long time since we've played at home, and it's definitely the travel has just been tough, and we're home for like three days and then we leave again. But honestly, I feel like it is building some sort of like anticipation for the fans to like want to come back.

00:27:44
Speaker 5: Yeues, it definitely is building anticipation for the fans and not only them, but for us, Like I feel like everyone wants on our team wants to be able to play home even sooner.

00:27:54
Speaker 4: But it might be a blessing in disguise.

00:27:56
Speaker 5: You know that we're playing so far away, so it'll probably hours up even more so.

00:28:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, how was the first serve? How was it in that first atmosphere? Like with the fans there the first time.

00:28:07
Speaker 4: It was so much fun.

00:28:09
Speaker 5: My family got to come, and I know a lot of people on our team's family got to come as well. Yeah, it was so amazing and to see like the media part of it as well, like the announcers like screaming, like sometimes when you're overseas, like you hear them they're like speaking another language, like the announcers, but like over here, like.

00:28:28
Speaker 4: I don't know, they're just like pumping up the crowd.

00:28:30
Speaker 5: And to see my family the crowd was really like rewarding as well. So yeah, it was it was amazing.

00:28:38
Speaker 3: What about you, Jess, how was your first serve experience?

00:28:41
Speaker 4: Yeah?

00:28:41
Speaker 7: It was awesome, and I think the league did such a good job just making it such a big deal, and the Houston community definitely showed out. We had so many club families, parents, coaches, like so many people came and it was cool just to see how many people like care. So yeah, we're just really eager to get back there and see everyone again.

00:29:04
Speaker 3: Did your parents come down from Are they still in Michigan?

00:29:07
Speaker 6: They are in Michigan and no they didn't.

00:29:09
Speaker 7: My it's like really hard for them to take off work with all the traveling that they did in December and make sense and stuff.

00:29:17
Speaker 1: So do they are they trying to come to any of the more local ones like maybe Wisconsin or Nebraska.

00:29:23
Speaker 7: They will be in Kansas City for the Love Classic, which I'm very excited for.

00:29:28
Speaker 3: Awesome, that's exciting.

00:29:31
Speaker 1: So tell me about the team in general and coaching and what this experience has been like for you guys, because I know we've we talked about before about like how you guys have bonded and everything. But is this experience kind of what you expected or is it different just because of the way that the league is set up, the way that it might be different from college versus, you know, pro practices or international practices.

00:29:55
Speaker 5: I knew that it was definitely very going to be similar to overseas pro because you had so many players that have played there for so long and everyone that's gonna, you know, take their knowledge and try to bring it onto one team. So I knew that it was going to be very similar into that aspect. As for the coaching, I think the coaching is great. I think Maximo really pushes us and I've always honestly wanted to be coached by him because in Italy, like he did great with his team there and obviously the Olympic team for Italy.

00:30:26
Speaker 4: But yeah, he does a great job pushing us. He's like a man. A few words, but at the.

00:30:29
Speaker 5: Same time we know what he's thinking, So you know, I think he does a great job with us.

00:30:34
Speaker 6: Yes, yeah, I would agree.

00:30:36
Speaker 7: Massimo has been awesome And I couldn't think of a better coach to play for for my first professional season because he has seen so much and has been so successful in those so many things, and he wants to win, like he loves to win, which is something that I resonate very heavily with. So he has been awesome. He is a man of very few words, like Amber is saying, but he does his plant costs very quickly. Yeah, he's been awesome. Paul has been awesome, and yeah, I mean honestly, Like again, I didn't really know what to expect. Like Amber had had a season overseas, so she knows what that's like. I have no idea, So like this is kind of like normal to me. So I'll tell you in like a.

00:31:20
Speaker 6: Few years, I guess right there.

00:31:25
Speaker 1: What about when it comes to like the young fans, like when you see the club girls in the stands, how is that experience?

00:31:32
Speaker 7: Like it is so cool because I feel like the best way to like even just be better at volleyball and like learn more is watching. I think watching has always been such a great tool, and like even when we were growing up, the only way you could watch is if you got like volleyball TV, and like it was like a big like process to even just watch professional volleyball. So now that it's so easily accessible to them, and we're in the same gym as them, and like we'll be leaving the gym as there's a huge tournament, so like we're just always kind of in their view, which I think is is really cool and something that I wish I had growing up for sure.

00:32:14
Speaker 5: Guess I totally agree, Like I think that younger players, like watching higher level volleyball or even any volleyball in.

00:32:24
Speaker 4: General is such a good tool, like for them, like just for me.

00:32:27
Speaker 5: Personally, Like watching volleyball when I was younger, it almost even like inspires you and almost like wants to mold your personality to like be like the players that you.

00:32:37
Speaker 4: Aspired to be.

00:32:38
Speaker 5: Like when I was younger, I used to watch so many middles with like exciting energy, and I'm like.

00:32:42
Speaker 2: Oh gosh, I want to be like that.

00:32:43
Speaker 5: Like I don't know, it just makes you, it inspires you. So I agree with jessse on that point too, And.

00:32:49
Speaker 1: I think we talked about this before when you were on the show back in the summer. But for both of you, how did you guys get into volleyball?

00:32:55
Speaker 5: Oh, Jesse, you go first, because I think I've told this similar too.

00:32:59
Speaker 6: I used to be a competitive cheerleader.

00:33:03
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:33:03
Speaker 7: Crazy. It was kind of just putting like a little too serious for like.

00:33:10
Speaker 3: My Wait, were you a base or were tumblr?

00:33:12
Speaker 6: No, okay, I was.

00:33:13
Speaker 2: I was.

00:33:14
Speaker 6: This was fourth grade.

00:33:15
Speaker 7: I was cheering with like high schoolers, so I was like the flyer, like the whoa.

00:33:20
Speaker 6: I know, crazy, that's impressive.

00:33:23
Speaker 7: Yeah, it was just getting like like I I liked it, but it was getting too serious, Like I knew I didn't want to do it for the rest of my life.

00:33:30
Speaker 6: So one day I just.

00:33:32
Speaker 7: Saw a girl like playing in my middle school gym and I thought it looked fun.

00:33:36
Speaker 6: So I begged my parents and I remember like.

00:33:41
Speaker 7: Cutting out these like magazine clippings of like a Michigan volleyball camp ad and like putting them all over my house so my parents.

00:33:48
Speaker 2: Would, oh cool.

00:33:50
Speaker 6: So that's how I really got into it.

00:33:56
Speaker 8: Scenes Yeah, well I love that, but yeah, for me, just really quick, I think I was like in fifth grade or something and a girl runs out of the gym, like, am I pegym?

00:34:09
Speaker 5: Like really sweaty? And I was telling my sister. I was like, because we went to the same school, I was like, what sport did she play?

00:34:15
Speaker 4: And my sister's like, that's volleyball. Like that's way too hard, You're not going to do it.

00:34:19
Speaker 5: And my sister gets now when I tell this story, because she sounds like I hate but she was like, no, that's that's too hard. And so I ended up me and her ended up trying out, and yeah, the rest is journey.

00:34:29
Speaker 4: So yeah, no, I know.

00:34:31
Speaker 3: Like what I used to play.

00:34:32
Speaker 1: It was kind of like I did all the summer camps I could possibly do, or that like my parents.

00:34:37
Speaker 3: Could afford to do because they're not.

00:34:38
Speaker 2: Cheap, you know.

00:34:39
Speaker 1: I tried to play like on all the best clubs that I could. I played off like high school and everything. I started going to the gym as soon as I was old enough and like legally allowed to go to a gym, and we'll start working out. So for you too, what was your process to become who you are today?

00:34:55
Speaker 7: I was an older brother who is six years older than me, and growing up, we did not like each other, like typical brother sister relationship. And then when we both like grew up a little bit, he became my best friend. But I think the like older brother like bullying the younger sister kind of like whipped me, like to go out in the backyard and like be the goalie while he kicks like soccer balls at me. I'm like six, Like, oh my god.

00:35:32
Speaker 4: No.

00:35:32
Speaker 7: But he definitely had like a huge impact on like the athlete that I am today because he was always working out so like I always wanted to be like my brothers, so I always wanted to take after him, and I was like a gym rat.

00:35:45
Speaker 6: Also, I was.

00:35:46
Speaker 7: Doing all the lessons camps. Even like now when I go home to visit my parents, I'm still a gym rat. I still like love to go back into my old club and like playing coach.

00:35:59
Speaker 6: So yeah, is.

00:36:00
Speaker 1: That how your swing is so insane and fast? Is from all that lifting?

00:36:05
Speaker 7: Probably or probably push him off me when I was younger, Right.

00:36:13
Speaker 1: I just remember watching you during the tournament this year and I I like tweeted at Emily Emon and I.

00:36:18
Speaker 3: Was like, how does Jess Mrziic have that arm swing? How do I get a.

00:36:22
Speaker 4: Swing like that?

00:36:24
Speaker 3: She's like she loves the gym.

00:36:27
Speaker 5: Right her brother, No, But for me, I like jess A's story too, because I feel like everything sort of has a root like on like who's pushing you? And I like the idea of family. And my family is just such a hard working family, like from my parents, Like they moved here from Africa, I think when they were younger, like just to start work and they really worked up to provide for us and everything. And they've just instilled like hard work in me and in my siblings as well. And yeah, like sometimes I thought they were too strict when I was younger, but they pushed me like every single like step of the way. And the I think the thing that inspires me the most is that they really don't obviously they care like about like me, like having fun and doing well, but.

00:37:17
Speaker 4: They really don't care about the result.

00:37:18
Speaker 5: Like as long as like one works hard like you, there's gonna be good that comes from it somehow, is what they always taught me. So yeah, I've always looked up to them from that perspective, From all perspectives, but especially that one.

00:37:31
Speaker 1: Yeah, when it comes to like you know, youth players, if you could tell yourselves, like your younger self, some advice, what advice would it be.

00:37:44
Speaker 4: I'll abably go first with this one.

00:37:46
Speaker 5: And it's just the advice I use for myself all the time that my mom uses.

00:37:50
Speaker 4: She always tells me, like not to.

00:37:54
Speaker 5: Not to use my own paint brush, like to paint someone else's canvas, and basically like almost like a story comparison, like just don't compare yourself to other people because like you as an individual, like is good enough, you know what I mean, and it's going to take you far. So that's probably something I would say to my younger self since my mom always says that to me, So you know, I like that. I like that, dang girl, thanks to my.

00:38:16
Speaker 7: Mom, I would say, just enjoy it.

00:38:21
Speaker 6: I think, if any if I learned anything through.

00:38:24
Speaker 7: My last season at Penn State, it was that like, this really is just another game, and it's a sport, and we're so lucky that we get to do this as our job, but like there's sometimes life outside of the sport you're playing, like is so much more serious, and like coach Katie at Penn State was dealing with so much and it just put into perspective that this is just a game. And the cool thing about volleyball is that, like you meet so many amazing people and build so many relationships along the way, so to just like enjoy it and enjoy playing a sport you love with your best friends, and it'll take you super cool places and you'll make amazing memories. But sometimes if you get too caught up in the volleyball, you like miss miss the little pieces along the journey.

00:39:12
Speaker 3: I love both of those. Those are greatful, beautiful.

00:39:15
Speaker 1: Yeah, volleyball is such an awesome team sport that it's like it's it's a beautiful thing, as they like to say.

00:39:22
Speaker 3: Well, ladies, it has been a pleasure speaking with you.

00:39:24
Speaker 1: I wish I could keep talking with you guys for you know, a lot more, because I have so many other questions I would love to ask you. But maybe we'll have you on again so that we can keep going with the conversation. Right, But thank you guys so much, and best of luck.

00:39:37
Speaker 3: The rest of the season.

00:39:38
Speaker 4: Thank you, Thank you.

00:39:42
Speaker 1: Serving Pancakes is an iheartwomen'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 Tifany Oshinsky. My co host is kat Bell. Anya 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 Jess Muzik and amberi GD. Stay tuned for next week's episode, where we'll recap the inaugural Love Classic and talk to Love Omaha's Jaylly Winters and Mattie Cubic.

00:40:30
Speaker 3: Thanks