LOVB Finals Preview with Khat Bell and Claire Chaussee

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Hey, Serving Pancakes listeners, Tiffany here with a quick shout out from our friends at Adidas. We're in the final weeks of our Love Pro season, which means it's your final chance to grab the limited edition inaugural season player jerseys. Show your support for your favorite players now at Adidas dot Com slash US Slash Love. That's Adidas dot Com slash US slash l O VB. Hurry, these things are going fast and once they're gone, they're gone. Don't miss out on your chance to be part of history. Hi, I'm Tiffany Oshinsky and I'm Capo, and this is serving pancakes with League one Volleyball. The inaugural Love Finals are almost here, and in today's episode, Kat and I will be going over all the matches from the final week of the regular season to get you ready for the final showdown in Louisville next week. Then, after the analysis, I sat down with Love Madison's Claire Chafe where we talked about matt amazing turnaround, clears, volleyball journey, and so much more. The cat we are one week away from the season.

00:01:07
Speaker 2: Believe that gosh, I can't I think by so quick?

00:01:11
Speaker 3: You know, we're in the first week and we're talking about the recap is the first few matches and then here we are at towards the end.

00:01:16
Speaker 1: So yeah, and you guys get to Louisville early, right.

00:01:19
Speaker 3: Yeah, we travel out on Tuesday. So we came back from Salt Lake today and it's a quick turning round practice tomorrow and back on the plane on Tuesday.

00:01:26
Speaker 1: Let's go one final showdown.

00:01:29
Speaker 2: One last draw.

00:01:32
Speaker 1: Here we go. It's the big one and the first one ever, so it's like extra historic, which is super fun fun.

00:01:41
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:01:42
Speaker 1: All right, Well, let's do these week thirteen recaps and then we'll get into what we are going to expect in the finals next weekend. So let's start with Thursday night's match between top seeded Love Atlanta versus Love Omaha. Atlanta swept the Girls of Nebraska in Nebraska twenty five, twenty three, twenty five, twenty three, twenty five, nineteen. So what stood out to you most about how they handled this one on the road, especially knowing that they already locked up that top seed.

00:02:09
Speaker 3: Hey, you know, Atlanta's like a good product you want to keep buying. You know, they're keep pushing out the same thing every weekend, and it's a great product you want to keep using.

00:02:16
Speaker 2: They're consistent with what they.

00:02:17
Speaker 3: Do as attackers, as a defense, as an offense, obviously running the offense from the great Header, so they're just being Atlanta. It doesn't matter they're home or away, They're going to be Atlanta.

00:02:25
Speaker 1: Opposite Danielle Katina delivered another player of the match performance with twelve kills in all three of Atlanta's aces, and she became just the fifth player the season to hit two hundred points, another milestone in this inaugural season. What did you love about her game Thursday night? And how big of a weapon is she heading into the finals.

00:02:42
Speaker 3: I'm obsessed with Danielle. She is such a great opposite as also as a opposite as well. I love enjoying watching her play just how she reads the game really well. Attacking from both pens also something I like to do as well, so she is just so great at that. And we can see a lot of her in the beginning because Tests was playing, and then once Tess got hurt, you know, Danielle was able to step to the play and player performance.

00:03:00
Speaker 2: She's been doing well padlines so far well.

00:03:01
Speaker 1: Speaking of Tessa, she returned after, like you said, missing a few games, missing eight matches actually, and even though she played a limited role, just having her back is a huge development for Atlanta. So how dangerous is this team now with their full arsenal going into the finals.

00:03:17
Speaker 3: I mean it's dangerous now tested being back, you have options. The bench obviously is a lot deeper and still working on trying to get her part of the offense. She was a major part of the offense before she got hurt, and I'm sure they want to be able to.

00:03:27
Speaker 2: Use her this next weekend, and I think this is what matters.

00:03:29
Speaker 3: This last week is what matters, and potentially I feel like everyone should be healthy, everyone should be able to go in and do what they can do. So it's going to be a great You're not up front having Tessac on the cour with Atlanta.

00:03:38
Speaker 1: And another player that we need to shout out Tia Jemmerson middle Tia Jefferson. She quietly made history by becoming the first player in love to record fifty blocks this season. Congrats to Tia.

00:03:52
Speaker 2: Shout out. How would you.

00:03:53
Speaker 1: Describe the impact Tia has defensively at the net?

00:03:57
Speaker 3: Tia has a major impact, you know, being able to be a bit middle blocker and BS dynamic because she is creates so much opportunity as an offense. Even middle blocker that's able to slow balls down, it's a g opportunity to score. So having Ta up there using her long arms and getting up there and stuff in balls or just slowing balls down.

00:04:11
Speaker 2: Gid you a great opportunity. So that's she did a great job, well deserved.

00:04:14
Speaker 1: She's so fun on watch, Yeah, she is so fun.

00:04:18
Speaker 2: All right.

00:04:19
Speaker 1: Well, Friday night we saw Love Madison win their seventh match in a row over Love Salt Lake in four sets twenty six, twenty four, twenty five, twenty two, twenty one, twenty five, twenty five, twenty one. Even on a night when you know they weren't at their best, what stood out to you about their ability to grind it out and especially like on the road, a tough road win like this right before the finals.

00:04:43
Speaker 3: The best teams don't how to close out, and I think obviously having and injuries on the team is always gonna be an amazing opportunity to close out a win. But just staying steady even though they're backs against the wall, being able to contribute to each other, on the core and to find some things out of not things. You know, they were defending balls, they were the slowing balls down and they were able to tick it off and it's going through Louren Carliny.

00:05:01
Speaker 2: So they did a really good job versus salt Like.

00:05:03
Speaker 1: So, Sarah Franklin earned Player of the Match honors. But Madison had three players in double digit kills and a really balanced attack overall. How dangerous does that make them heading into the postseason, especially in a tournament format.

00:05:16
Speaker 2: Really dangerous.

00:05:16
Speaker 3: If you can get three players in double digits, it's very hard and difficult. Normally you want to be able to slow down at least one player and kind of maintain another two. If you can slow down two players and let one player kind of go off and do they need to do, was great, But having three players in double digit is very difficult and it's hard to slow down. So they can keep up that momentum, it's going to be a great look for them coming up into the finals.

00:05:36
Speaker 1: Now. On the salt Lake side, Ronnie Jones, Perry and Heidi Castanova had solid nights and Tory Dixon made a big impact at the net as well.

00:05:44
Speaker 2: She was yeah, right, it was great.

00:05:45
Speaker 1: So what does a salt like need to do to tighten up to make a run in Louisville.

00:05:49
Speaker 3: You know, they have so many options. Even though I've got a chance to catch against our match, stay and obsessed stubbing in scholar fields to play outside just for a few points. And she did what they needed to do so using their offense, using their bench, using all their player and to give themselves more opportunities to, like I said, get some points on the board defensive lies.

00:06:04
Speaker 2: Minami is just the best bro in the league. She's amazing.

00:06:07
Speaker 3: So she's having her back there is like having an eighth player playing defense for you.

00:06:13
Speaker 2: So it's been great.

00:06:13
Speaker 3: I think Saltlake has a really good chance to compete and this week along with everybody else.

00:06:17
Speaker 2: And continue on building on them with Minum.

00:06:19
Speaker 1: All right, Well, it was the first match of Saturday's doubleheader that finally we learned the seeding fates of Love Houston and Love Madison. And it came down to the final week of the regular season to learn that Houston is the number two seed going into the Love Finals. They get the bye after sweeping Madison twenty five twenty five, nineteen twenty five twenty one. So let's start with Houston here. They were locked in from the first serve and really never let up. Mike Hancock was everywhere, and they controlled the match with both tempo and physicality. So what stood out to you the most with Houston's performance and how did Mike U set the tone for them?

00:06:54
Speaker 3: I think it's just well deserved. I think Houston has been, like you said, great all season long. I mean only makes sense for them being that number two spot, having instead of like Micah Hangogg be able to run her offense as well as the fen the ball the way she was doing versus and drews, and this last match was great.

00:07:06
Speaker 2: It was almost like a learning curve for them. They're able to kind of.

00:07:07
Speaker 3: Put together their puzzle little pieces to get on the court to perform well and continue on that like height of like just playing at a high level. You have Jess Mrzic, who's an amazing rookie player, and this year for them and just you know, being Houston, they've been great elseason long, so it wouldn't be anything different.

00:07:21
Speaker 1: We had a little watch party on Saturday night with some of our friends and their daughter and my daughter are very close in age. They're both very young, you know, like six and under. But her daughter was cheering for Houston and my daughter was cheering for Madison. So it was like super cute to watch them go after like kind of after each other, like.

00:07:40
Speaker 2: Go Houston, go Madison.

00:07:42
Speaker 1: So cute, Like I just love that they're loving the game.

00:07:46
Speaker 2: What was the reaction after Madison lost? What was the reaction?

00:07:50
Speaker 1: My daughter she does this thing where she does like a foot stamp all the time, and she put her hand. She's like, boom, Madison dy lost. It's okay, baby girl. Time Like the finals are coming up. They can still win it all.

00:08:05
Speaker 2: Yeah, just wait, just wait. I love that.

00:08:09
Speaker 1: Going back to Houston, you know, their blog was dominant. They had a thirteen to two advantage, and I felt like Madison, you know, never really got into rhythm. So what does that kind of pressure at the net do to a team's offensive flow? And how hard is it to overcome as a hitter.

00:08:25
Speaker 3: I mean, it can be hard, especially if you get block onceful of times, or you know, you're hitting a few balls long. Trying to find that court to be able to dig yourself out of that mentally plays a big part of the game. I think just able to sustain what you do know from the past and building off that and new performances before these matches will definitely be helping you towards now and towards the end. Again, just relying heavy on your pin hitters, relying heavy on defensive schemes, the slow balls down will definitely.

00:08:47
Speaker 2: Help you if you just can stick with the system and go with it.

00:08:50
Speaker 1: Madison's seven match win Street came to an end and they lost the first round by with this loss, so they're now the three seed heading into the finals. After a match like this, how do you regroup quickly and get back to the confident team that we've seen all season.

00:09:05
Speaker 3: My favorite thing to say is the goldfish memory thing, Just to let things go, you know, the pass of the past, move forward and put your best book for like right now, we've been talking about it all week long, Like what we've done now and before, this doesn't matter.

00:09:18
Speaker 2: It's all about what we're doing.

00:09:19
Speaker 4: You know.

00:09:19
Speaker 2: Then thanks coming up in the next few days, so I mean they can just kind of let it go and push forward, they'll be fine.

00:09:24
Speaker 1: I always call it like the ted Lasso mentality, because that's where I first.

00:09:27
Speaker 5: Ever heard that be a goldfish. Be a goldfish all.

00:09:46
Speaker 1: Right, And finally another wild match for you ladies, has Love us Sorry, salt Lake did squeak out a win against Love Austin in five tough sets at eighteen twenty f five, twenty five, sixteen, twenty three, twenty five, twenty five, seventeen, fifteen thirteen. Salt Lake came back from down twelve to eight in the fifth set to close out the regular season with a huge momentum win. What impressed you most about how they stayed composed and executed when it mattered.

00:10:19
Speaker 3: You know, my friend's majority of my friends also on the Salt Lake team, and it was an energy, I would say. You know, we were all kind of talking trash each other and before the game started and the servent pastor early that morning, and then it just kind of bled into the match and there was a few like wards being exchanged amongst friends. Obviously let's keep the game more entertaining. And there was a I think there was a post they actually posted on Haley Washington.

00:10:40
Speaker 2: They took it down because it was just a little bit too much.

00:10:42
Speaker 3: But Haley being Haley, you know, there was a ball that was called in and it was actually out and she's looking at you know, our most of the starting six are you know, younger players, and she looked at them and she was like that.

00:10:54
Speaker 2: Ball was so out. Hahaha.

00:10:56
Speaker 3: I'm like, gave them the sorry, gave them the middle finger, and it was on camera.

00:11:00
Speaker 2: It was hilarious.

00:11:01
Speaker 3: But I think once in drash talkings kind of started at the net. Our team is not Their response to that maybe is not as normal as multiple would respond to it, and I think that energy shift kind of just brought us down. But they were off that high. You know, Poulter is amazing. She builded a great offense. They also got a chance to bring the Japanese Heider to come in and she did great for the offense as well. Yeah, they were just able to kind of stay what they were doing. The I think majority of the players that came in at first with the kind of their second string players, so to have the opportunity to come out and shook it themselves and the place in volly Bulb was great and that energy was just great on their side.

00:11:30
Speaker 1: If you were at the net when Haley did that, what would you have done?

00:11:33
Speaker 2: Probably did it right back like what I would have entertained it for sure. So I was like on the bench, was like yelling. At one point I was yelling at Polster from the bench, and Poulsters.

00:11:43
Speaker 3: Like what at one point, like even our benches were like kind of like having like a dance fattal kind of thing.

00:11:48
Speaker 2: It was fun. We enjoyed. It was great. It was thick. It was a long night, but a great game.

00:11:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, great game. Well, speaking of Haley, Haley Washington had one of her best all around performances at the season and an salt like got major contributions from a lot of different players. Like you said, Jordan Poulter, they're Japanese that are Tamaki Matsui. So with the lineup constantly changing, what does that say about their depth and adaptability heading into the playoffs.

00:12:16
Speaker 3: They have so many puzzles and so many opportunities to be a great team from their starters, mixing in their second string players coming off the bench, they have a great chance of just mixing things up. You know, I said there was a chance that they sub installers and outside, and she played outside for a few points and got the points that they were looking for.

00:12:31
Speaker 2: Their blocking schemes are work great.

00:12:33
Speaker 3: Heidi is just amazing defensively picking up balls for them behind the block. Just being able to have players coming in off the court and off the bench is just great for them to fall around.

00:12:41
Speaker 1: Well, you ladies Austin had a block party on Saturday night. We didn block anything.

00:12:46
Speaker 2: We can all out block any team. We're all blocked it. We may not outscore, but we're gonna out block everybody, that's for sure.

00:12:52
Speaker 1: And blocking is so fun to watch when it just goes straight down like yeah, hell yeah. But unfortunately, you guys just still couldn't squeak it out in the end. It was so close, but couldn't get it out in the end. So as a hitter, you know, what kind of mental challenge is it to go up against the front like that? And what's the key to finding ways to score anyway?

00:13:12
Speaker 3: I mean, just being confident. That's the majorest thing we're trying to like talk to each other about. Just like you know, in those tough moments, swing you gotta swing. The best thing that can happen is you score or hit high hands or get them out of system. Is being confident yourself and what you've been doing the entire match and your whole career at that and just being confident, like go hit the ball, go get that point.

00:13:30
Speaker 1: Confidence is key, for sure.

00:13:32
Speaker 2: It is the key. All right.

00:13:33
Speaker 1: Well, now we have to look forward to the Love Finals this weekend. They begin Thursday, April tenth in Louisville. The first game is at four thirty pm Eastern Time, which is you guys, Love Austin versus Love Salt Lakes'. Starting with Salt Lake. They've had an up and down season, but you know they always seem to find a spark, right exactly.

00:13:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, they find a spark.

00:13:55
Speaker 1: When it matters. So what gives them their edge in high pressure matches like this one against you ladies in Austin Some.

00:14:02
Speaker 3: Of the I told to Chiako Ramali this morning. I said, their chemistry. You know, they have a great relationship. You can tell like through the Internet and of course like you know them personally on off the court. Having that chemistry and be able to rely on each other and have those friendships definitely can take you a long way. But the spark is just what they all have, you know, individually as players and as athletes and be able to come together and to play at a high level is what they have.

00:14:22
Speaker 1: So you ladies obviously just played Salt Lake, so this is a rematch of Dip. This is a redemption match after that five set one.

00:14:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, we need we need to collect our coins back.

00:14:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, I actually looked it up. Salt Lake has played the most five set matches of the season. You ladies have played the second most five set matches. So you guys have practiced and you have been through the weeds to try to win those games. But you know, when it comes down to it, right, you guys have shown that you guys can win and that you do have high level volleyball players on your team. And Tiffany, of course, what needs to click for you guys when it comes to breaking through and making a postseason run.

00:15:06
Speaker 2: I'm just like, let's just shock the world. Why don't we?

00:15:08
Speaker 3: You know, we have such a great team and on paper obviously a great roster, and we should be literally at the top of this list.

00:15:15
Speaker 2: But that's not the case right now.

00:15:16
Speaker 3: So I think right now for us, it's just like continue to put our best forward and try to find a rhythm together. You know, right now we have come some players come in and out, switching and out. We got to find something that works fast, you know, and then players that are coming in we got to score.

00:15:31
Speaker 2: We have to squareut a system.

00:15:32
Speaker 3: We got to find better resolutions when it comes to finding putting points on the board, you know.

00:15:38
Speaker 2: So right now it's pins.

00:15:38
Speaker 3: We're trying to do our best in practice to figure out ways to do that because' where's coming from the middles of the problem.

00:15:44
Speaker 2: The middles are doing their tea.

00:15:47
Speaker 3: So as attackers on the pin, we got to find no better solutions to do better for Austin.

00:15:52
Speaker 1: To shock the roster, find a roster than shock the world.

00:15:55
Speaker 2: I love it off the world. All right.

00:15:58
Speaker 1: The next quarterfinal match on that same Thursday, we'll be Madison versus Omaha. Now, starting with Madison, they've been one of the hottest teams as we know down the stretch, right, how do they bounce back from the Houston loss and recapture the rhythm against Omaha.

00:16:15
Speaker 2: Hey, it's just a loss. It's a minor setback for a major comeback. Not too much stuff.

00:16:19
Speaker 3: Don't do too much it don't do too much major comeback, I think again, it's just you know, forgetting about what happened before. You know, it's a new time, a new day, and just do what they've been doing. You know, they've been great this whole time, the next the last eight matches anyway, So just keep doing that and it's moreking well for them.

00:16:33
Speaker 1: Omaha has been scrappy and fearless late in the season. So what gives them the best shot at pulling off the upset against a tough Madison team.

00:16:41
Speaker 3: They also have great leaders. They have what a last thing as your pent hitter, who's amazing. They have Justine who's an amazing bro for them as well. You know, they're kind of like us trying to find those pieces, scriminal those pieces these last few weeks, last few days actually, and just trying to find the rhythm networks and having to put points on the board. I think they can just kind of come together collectly as a group and figure that part of it out.

00:17:01
Speaker 2: They'll be just fine, all right.

00:17:02
Speaker 1: Love Atlanta and Love Houston get an extra day of rest to see who they will end up playing in the Semis. So let's look at these two teams for their final push. Starting with Houston. They had a fight for that semi final buy and look locked in down the stretch. So what makes them such a dangerous team heading into the finals and what will be key to keeping that edge.

00:17:22
Speaker 3: I think both teams they have a rhythm, they have their key players are locked in, they have that ninjhafar as like chemistry, and you know they know those are doing offensively and defensively, they're insane. You know, it's almost like playing against three Libaros Masson Kingdom. Rochelle is back there, scoop and everything, and they just have a great flow about them.

00:17:39
Speaker 2: So continuing and doing that will definite kind of put at the top of the list for sure.

00:17:43
Speaker 1: And in a similar vein Atlanta has been the top of the class in the league all season, So what do they need to do or keep doing, maybe do even better if that's possible to finish this off and when the first ever League one volleyball title.

00:17:56
Speaker 3: I would say, by position, try to be better than your position in front of you. I think Houston and Atlanta are very well match teams. They both have great opposites. They both have two great outside attackers, have great setters, great defensive scheams and bros and stuff.

00:18:09
Speaker 2: So I think they're very real match.

00:18:10
Speaker 3: But they can come into the court defending if it is them back to back in a championship match. Going head to head and being the better player in your position, we'll definitely try to keep your points close.

00:18:20
Speaker 1: And lastly, Kat, I know that you're playing in this tournament. I know that you probably or most definitely want Austin to win, But I gotta still ask, who do you think is gonna hoist that trophy in the end.

00:18:30
Speaker 2: You know we're gonna shock the world. I'm gonna go Austin. But let's just say we miss our flight.

00:18:37
Speaker 3: And we can't make it to the party. I'm probably gonna go Houston. I'm probably go Houston.

00:18:43
Speaker 1: Interesting, you know what I was thinking about who's gonna win on my end? Like who I would bet on? Which I'm not a better but like if I had a guess, I kind of think Houston too. I think I think Madison's a game. I like, I feel it could be a Madison Houston rematch, But I think Houston will squeak it out in the end too.

00:19:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree, I definitely agree.

00:19:05
Speaker 1: If you guys miss your plane, of course, yeah.

00:19:06
Speaker 2: If we miss our plane, you know, we all get through poison or something. Yes, it has to be something like that.

00:19:13
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, a lot. I'm so excited to see what happens this weekend. Best of luck to you and your team, and obviously to all the other ladies in the league. I hope you do shock the world. It'll be a lot of fun to watch.

00:19:25
Speaker 2: Thank you so much.

00:19:27
Speaker 1: Well, let's stick around after the break from my interview with Love Madison's Claire Chasse. We are back and I'm excited to have Love Madison's Claire Schasse on the show. Claire is an outside hitter from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, who led the University of Louisville to five NCAA tournament bird As a senior, Claire earned first team All American and acc Player of the Year honors while taking the Cardinals to the championship game. She made her professional debut in twenty twenty three in Italy and has been playing here in the States and now is with League One Volleyball in Madison. Claire, Welcome to Serving Pancakes.

00:20:19
Speaker 4: Hello, thank you for having me.

00:20:21
Speaker 1: Always excited to have someone on the team from Madison, the team that's making a huge comeback the second half of the season. How are you feeling as we're wrapping up the inaugural season.

00:20:32
Speaker 4: It seems like it's gone by so fast.

00:20:35
Speaker 6: But with the little hiccup we had at the beginning and then coming back, I think this whole team, especially me, are just really excited to finish it out in Louisville as kind of just a cherry.

00:20:46
Speaker 4: On the top to finish the season.

00:20:47
Speaker 1: Have you been back to Louisville since you left school.

00:20:50
Speaker 6: I've gone back I think once or twice, but not for long periods of time.

00:20:55
Speaker 1: Okay, so this is going to be a nice little reunion for you.

00:20:59
Speaker 6: Yeah, and do it with Stevie is gonna be amazing and see all the girls and coaches and everything.

00:21:04
Speaker 4: It will be awesome for sure.

00:21:05
Speaker 1: So let's talk about the Love Madison season so far, because, like you said, it started off with a little bit of a hiccup, a little slow. What do you Yeah, I look slow, But it's okay because you guys are the hottest team right now. So talk about this turnaround. What do you guys attribute it to.

00:21:22
Speaker 4: I think it's a lot of things.

00:21:24
Speaker 6: But our strength coach always talks about just winning the day, and from the beginning he has said that. So even through the yuck that went on at the beginning, like how can we keep finding good in the day that we're doing right now. Also, we started double days in the middle of the season, so I think just touching the ball more, being in the gym longer with each other I think helped. We also started to hang out outside the gym more, just creating that chemistry that we needed. So I think there's a lot that contributes to it, but those three main things probably for sure.

00:21:55
Speaker 1: Let's talk about the chemistry for a second, because I love hearing these stories about what you guys do off the court as a team. What has kind of been the big team bonding moment or the big thing that you guys like to do off the court?

00:22:09
Speaker 6: Well, every week now, actually ever since our first win. I think that week we started it, we had a team dinner every single week, whether that's at a teammate's house or going out to eat. Last night, since we got here early to Salt Lake, we made out last night as a team. Coaches support stuff, anyone that can make it is more than welcome. So I think that's been.

00:22:31
Speaker 4: The biggest thing outside the gym that we've been doing.

00:22:33
Speaker 1: That's awesome, that sounds great. What about on the court, do you guys like to goof around when you guys are practicing or is it pretty serious.

00:22:43
Speaker 6: I think half of us definitely like to goof around, make some jokes, but there's some people like to be serious. And I think that ultimately us combining together makes it better. Like having serious people goofy people jelling them together. Everyone's just having a good time.

00:23:00
Speaker 1: You're one of the younger players on the team. So have you found sort of like a mentor to help you.

00:23:05
Speaker 4: I think there's definitely multiple.

00:23:07
Speaker 6: At the beginning, it was Dolly, but she got injured and then she ended up leaving unfortunately. But now she's back with us, which is amazing. But her, especially with passing more on the court stuff, I would go to her and then off the court, I love going out doing things most of the time, and Annie loves to also do that. So she would always reach out and we would find something to do or just talk on the phone, text, whatever it is.

00:23:30
Speaker 4: We would do that. And I think on the court to chemistry.

00:23:34
Speaker 6: Wise, Lauren kind of gives you the motivation to Like she a lot of times just says like go rip it. That's kind of why you're in here, Like just take a rip on the ball, Like don't play too cute, don't try to just tip it over.

00:23:47
Speaker 4: She's like, just go rip it.

00:23:48
Speaker 6: And that gives me a lot of confidence no matter what I'm doing to just like attack the ball and everything.

00:23:53
Speaker 1: Amy Drews and Lauren CARLINI are, you know, two obviously phenomenal players Olympians. When you first and the team was it kind of a little bit of a starstruck moment for you.

00:24:04
Speaker 6: I actually grew up watching Lauren with the Badgers because I'm from Madison area, so that was really cool. But I actually played against both of them in Italy my first season, so I'd already seen them like on the court, but it definitely kind of struck me. I guess that I was actually playing with them, playing with Olympians and all of that, but my family, so I was like, oh my gosh, it's so crazy that you're playing with Olympians, like they're just all stoked for me and everything.

00:24:32
Speaker 1: It's nice having them actually on your side of the court. Now.

00:24:35
Speaker 6: Yeah, I'm like, I was a little afraid of Lauren, but she is so nice.

00:24:41
Speaker 4: I was like, please, I swear I'm nice.

00:24:44
Speaker 1: I mean, speaking of other players that used to play against you, played against Sarah Franklin in college. So what's it like having her now as your teammate.

00:24:54
Speaker 4: It's awesome.

00:24:55
Speaker 6: She's so dedicated to volleyball, and to see someone that young just always getting a for reps, getting in the gym during the recovery. I think her age, but like definitely her is the next like generation wave of this type of volleyball.

00:25:09
Speaker 4: So I'm excited to see where she goes.

00:25:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, all of you, guys, I'm excited to see where you go because all of you are doing this amazing thing. I've asked a bunch of girls this question before because sometimes I feel like, you know, you can be so in the moment and so into what you're doing, but there's this whole younger generation that is watching you and looking up to you.

00:25:29
Speaker 2: Now.

00:25:29
Speaker 1: I know that you've experienced this in college because Louisville has a big fan base. You know, you played college in the prime era of social media, and you know the rise of women's volleyball on television and everything, so you've experienced it. But is there a different level to the fandom or to like having these club girls come to your games and like look up to you. Do you feel this and notice this.

00:25:55
Speaker 6: Yeah, I definitely feel not that it's any sort of pressure, but I feel volleyball well is now more well known, more people watch it, more people want to play it. So it just feels really cool that they can now look at us and be like, hey, I can play professionalvolleyball in the States, and before I obviously was just oh, I could play college, which is still amazing to do and it's really hard to do. But to have them see this in their hometown is it's really a blessing and it's something we really are grateful for and we don't take it for granted.

00:26:26
Speaker 1: I mean, you get to play in your home town basically, and what's that like.

00:26:31
Speaker 6: It's so surreal, like having my grandma at the match and middle school coaches, teachers from middle school, high school showing up to my games and seeing them in the stands, or people that used to babysit, people who used to play club with me will come to the games and watch, which is really nice. And my family, of course, is amazing and sometimes it's a little hard to separate, you know, but it's.

00:26:57
Speaker 4: Really awesome to be playing in my hometown.

00:26:59
Speaker 1: That's cool, And talking about the fans have you had any fun interactions with any of the fans, because I've talked to some of the girls with you know, the friendship bracelets they've received for the signs they've seen in the stands, like can you can you pinpoint one that really stood out to you or if you that stood out to you.

00:27:18
Speaker 4: Well, the friendship bracelets.

00:27:19
Speaker 6: I don't know whose idea what that was, but I think that's such a cool idea of people just putting like air Claire or whatever it is on the bracelet and give it to me. I think that's just so special. But one fan that stuck.

00:27:31
Speaker 3: Out to me.

00:27:32
Speaker 6: It was actually two little girls and it was with Sarah Franklin. But I was there and I was like, are you signing her forehead? And these little girls wanted her to sign her forehead. I was like, Oh my goodness, what has this got to But I thought that was really funny and that stuck out to me.

00:27:48
Speaker 1: The best that's adorable, air Claire. Was that your college nickname, high school nickname? Where'd that come from?

00:27:54
Speaker 4: It came from my last season here in the States, So I kind of like it. It's stuck with me a little bit. But I've never been called up before, so it's kind of new.

00:28:03
Speaker 1: I like it though. It's a cool, clever nickname. It's a good one to have. We'll be right back with more from our interview with Claire Chasse after this. All right, well, let's go back to your origin story and you know, the beginnings of your volleyball journey. How did you discover the sport and when did you know that you wanted to pursue it.

00:28:41
Speaker 4: I always say the same thing with this question.

00:28:44
Speaker 6: But my sister she started playing probably when she was ten or eleven, I would say, but not seriously until fourteen's, which is then when I started following in her footsteps. I went to all of her practices, all of her games, wanted to be just like her, like every little sister, and then we would just always play against our garage or out in the yard. She would never take it easy, of course, but I think that's kind of when I fell in love with it. But I was playing soccer at the same time, and by I think eighth grade or freshman year of high school, I had to decide. My dad was like, you can't do both. It's just not possible if you want to play club as well. So I decided with volleyball, and then probably two years later I committed to Louisville. So all happened very fast, I would say. But I've been playing since I was like nine or ten as well, so.

00:29:37
Speaker 1: You've been playing a while. What eventually motivated you to want to play in college and continue past the club in high school levels?

00:29:45
Speaker 4: Well, my sister did, and.

00:29:49
Speaker 6: Yeah, yeah, and seeing her just having so much fun, and she had that influence on me, And I can't imagine, like how many other people she had that influence. And maybe I had that influence on another little girl, like another short outside maybe, But yeah, that's definitely.

00:30:06
Speaker 4: Why I wanted to go to college and play.

00:30:07
Speaker 6: Also, I just loved the sport, So why not try and go play anywhere? It doesn't matter D one, D two or D three, But can I go play and have fun somewhere?

00:30:16
Speaker 1: So what made you ultimately decide on Louisville?

00:30:19
Speaker 6: It came down to two schools, But Louisville was honestly the only school that didn't give me a timeline of when they needed to know by which I really respected, and I feel like that made me think that they respected me.

00:30:31
Speaker 4: A little bit more.

00:30:32
Speaker 6: Also, It's a little bit of smaller school and about seven or eight hours from my hometown, and I wanted to be a little bit further away, but not too far so I could still drive home if I really wanted to. But the food there is great, the girls, and the coaches they are amazing, and I definitely would go back there in a heartbeat.

00:30:50
Speaker 1: Speaking of coaches. And this is a quick aside, because I know this isn't really you know, love and professional and all that kind of stuff, but uh, can we just do a quick little talk about Danny Buspooon Kelly and her going to Nebraska kind of went through your mind when you heard that news.

00:31:06
Speaker 6: I wasn't surprised because she actually sat us down, maybe my sophomore year, our junior year of college, and she was like, guys, I just want to let you know I'm renewing my contract here. But in my contract it says if that job ever opens up, that I could leave for Nebraska, And so that's always been the case.

00:31:25
Speaker 4: Everyone's always known that. But I'm really happy for her.

00:31:28
Speaker 6: She is going where she played, won a national championship, she's already coached there, her family's there, So I'm just really excited for her in this new chapter. I think she loved it in Louisville, but I hope that she even loves it even more in Nebraska. At least she still gets swear red right, yeah, right, her fancy blazers, all her Gucci blazers that she got, crazy.

00:31:50
Speaker 1: Girl, I didn't realize that they're Gucci.

00:31:53
Speaker 4: Yeah, some of them are. Yeah, they get set it to her.

00:31:56
Speaker 6: I think my senior year and I don't think it was my super senior year, but yeah, Gucci gave it to her.

00:32:01
Speaker 4: I was like, that's insane.

00:32:02
Speaker 1: That's amazing. See people sometimes like question the money in volleyball, and it's it's on the rise and Gucci is now providing coaches coats.

00:32:14
Speaker 4: I love it, especially for her.

00:32:16
Speaker 1: Yeah, I love she rocks it very well. So I love it really does. So when you were playing in college, at what point did you realize that you wanted to go pro?

00:32:26
Speaker 6: Honestly, I didn't know until my last year, my COVID senior year, and that's because I didn't really know that kind of part of volleyball. No one ever reached out to me, like, no agents, and I think my fifth year really helped me grow as a player, Like, that's kind of when I was seen, I guess for a lot of agents. So without COVID, honestly, I don't know if I would be playing pro, but because my fifth year was so adamant to like where I am now, But yeah, I think, yeah, my fifth year.

00:32:59
Speaker 4: Is when I found out out that I could go play pro.

00:33:01
Speaker 1: And that's when I decided, what did you want to do before you decided to go pro?

00:33:06
Speaker 6: I want to be a wedding photographer really, yes, yeah, I had my first wedding two summers ago, and before that, I actually did a COVID wedding for Tory Dilfer.

00:33:17
Speaker 4: So that in like engagement or family shoots babies. Yeah, that's so cool.

00:33:22
Speaker 1: Because you were a criminologist major in college, right.

00:33:26
Speaker 6: I went in criminology and then I eventually switched it to sports administration with the minor communications.

00:33:34
Speaker 1: So where did the photography come in?

00:33:36
Speaker 4: I've always liked it.

00:33:37
Speaker 6: I've always wanted to take photos, and my mom took my senior photos and so she would say that she definitely got me into it, but I would say that too.

00:33:46
Speaker 4: But that's kind of where I fell in love with it. Was because my mom.

00:33:50
Speaker 1: That's so sweet and so cool. I feel like that's one of those professions that I haven't heard from players. I mean, I know Kelsey Robinson Cook loves to take photos and she's very big in a photography. But yeah, you know, I believe she said that she always wanted to be, you know, playing volleyball, and that's always been like kind of her goal. So it's really fun to hear that that was like what you wanted to do. Do you think that when you retire and are done playing professionally that you're going to go into like wedding photography in that world?

00:34:16
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's my that's my goal. Obviously people have to like my photos though for that to happen.

00:34:21
Speaker 6: But that's my goal, and the dream would be to do destination weddings, but I know I got to start small, so I'll have to do a little little ones first.

00:34:31
Speaker 1: Would you do a destination wedding, like if it was I'm trying to think of something kind of crazy, like like Iceland during I would yeah, when it's like cold and not like the Caribbean type of destination wedding.

00:34:46
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I would do anything.

00:34:48
Speaker 6: I think it's so cool that you can be a part of so many people's favorite day or the best day of their lives. People say so, I think being a part of that and being able to just see everyone just smile, all unhappy and like just be in that environment is so I think so unique, and just to be able to capture those moments for everyone and grab them to have those photos forever is really cool to me.

00:35:11
Speaker 1: This is a perfect segue to talk about your off the court stuff. In your free time. Are you taking photos and going out and exploring and capturing moments or are you doing other things?

00:35:20
Speaker 6: In season it's a little bit harder, especially because a lot of the times people want photos on the weekends and where I was playing on the weekends.

00:35:27
Speaker 4: So I haven't done it a ton. But I actually just took photos of a family and their newborn.

00:35:33
Speaker 6: I think like two weekends ago, and before that it was probably right before season started.

00:35:40
Speaker 4: I would say, very cool.

00:35:41
Speaker 1: Have you taken photos of your team at all or are you planning to like give them a little photos shoot, especially with the clothing and you know, you're, yeah, that's true. With all the style and the walk up, I feel like you have prime opportunity to start, you know, I know you want to do more wedding and like family style, but getting that fashion luck too, it might be a little fun. I should. I should.

00:36:04
Speaker 4: I actually didn't even think about that. But maybe in the off season I'll have like a few of them come.

00:36:09
Speaker 6: Back to Madison and just be like, hey, can you bring all your favorite outfits and we can just go around Madison and take photos.

00:36:15
Speaker 4: You have photos to post and until I get seen more. So it's nice.

00:36:19
Speaker 1: Yeah, man, you can like also do like a visit Madison photos shoot type of thing where you take photos and all the cool places in Madison.

00:36:27
Speaker 4: All the Bucky Badgers going around laying around everywhere.

00:36:31
Speaker 1: Perfect. Do you take your teammates to like hidden gems around Madison and around the area that you know they might not know about, but you do because you're from the area.

00:36:42
Speaker 4: No, sadly, but I actually I don't mean that in a bad way.

00:36:47
Speaker 6: But there's this one place called Chicken Licks and it's a dive bar, but they have the best chicken wings, and so I told everybody that they have to go, and everyone that's gone on our team is obsessed. So I think if I just take them to places like that, they'll love it. But I honestly don't know a ton of places in Madison, but places like chicken Legs, I'm pretty bad, I would say, so, Yeah.

00:37:13
Speaker 1: That's amazing. Now I want to go back. I know you said that you changed your major from criminology to you know, sports administration and everything. But are you a true crime junkie?

00:37:25
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:37:25
Speaker 4: I love every TV show Criminal Minds, n CIS, Law and Order. I just watched How To Get Away with Murder and finished it so fast. It was amazing, White Collar, any of those types of shows. I love, love, love love.

00:37:39
Speaker 1: Do you watch the documentaries too? Are mainly the scripted shows?

00:37:43
Speaker 6: I do watch the documentaries on Netflix only on Netflix, though I think I've only watched a few of those, But I do like a lot of those.

00:37:50
Speaker 4: Those are really good too.

00:37:51
Speaker 1: So I want to end the interview going back to volleyball and your current love career, the beginning of your love career, and everything going on with league and volleyball. So for you when it comes to playing and where you are now, what advice would you give your younger self as a volleyball player, knowing all the hurdles and all the goals and everything that you've achieved to get to where you are today.

00:38:16
Speaker 4: Wow.

00:38:17
Speaker 3: I don't know.

00:38:18
Speaker 6: I feel like I would say kind of what our strength coach says is just when the day because a lot of things can just you can just start thinking and a lot of of your thoughts aren't even real and like what's actually happening. So I think just have fun, keep having fun because that's how you're going to get here and always get extra reps and keep being a good teammate. I think that's another big thing, is like no coach wants to coach someone who's all about themselves, So just pushing yourself out there and just keep being a good teammate and just having fun.

00:38:51
Speaker 4: I think that's.

00:38:52
Speaker 6: Something I still say to myself today, is like, keep having fun because otherwise there's no point, So just keep having fun while you're doing it.

00:38:59
Speaker 1: I love that now. I know that you want to keep having fun while you're playing, but you also have to remember that the Love Finals are approaching rapidly and that'd be competitive for that. You can have fun, but you know there's money and trophies on the line, So what's kind of your mindset going into the finals, both for yourself and Love Madison As a team, I think.

00:39:23
Speaker 6: For myself, well, I'll do my team first. For our team going into Louisville, I think that we have a good thing going and just remembering that just doing whatever we individually can for the team to make sure that we're ready for what's on the court, and then once you're out there, it's just doing it for the girl next to you. I think that's what Lawrence says a lot is like, do it for the person next to you, And I think that's what our main focus is, other than who are obviously going to be playing and scouting. But I think that for our team and then for me, I think staying focused. You know, back in Louisville, people can reach out and want to hang out, but I'm to hoist up a trophy at the end, So just making sure I'm so locked in and which I will be, and I'm just having fun.

00:40:07
Speaker 4: But also putting a little chip on my shoulder and all of that.

00:40:11
Speaker 1: So I think that you've had an amazing season so far. Things have been going so great for you, and now as Madison's team has turned it around to this extent, I mean things are going great for the team. Everything's going so well. So I'm really excited to see what you guys do at the end of the season in the finals in Louisville. But thank you so much Claire for taking the time to chat with me, and that's welcome the rest of the season.

00:40:35
Speaker 4: Thank you, thank you for having me.

00:40:38
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 Tiffany Oshinsky. My co host is kat Dell. Anya Alvarez is our senior producer. Our executive producers are Carrie Stett, Samaradike and Lindsay Hoffman. Our marketing lead is Juara Parker. Sound editing and mixing by Daniel Gonzalez. Our theme music is Pancakes by Eric W. Mass Junior special thanks to Claire Chasse. Next week we'll be covering the final week of the Love inaugural season. It is the Love Finals. Stay tuned and thanks for listening.