Reaching Milestones and Talking Week Twelve

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 Katbo and this is serving pancakes with League one Volleyball. The Inaugural Love Finals are almost here. So to get you ready for the final showdown, Kat and I will be going over the matches from the week to keep you up to date on everything League one Volleyball. There's only two more weeks left in the regular season. How you feel about that, cat.

00:00:57
Speaker 2: Girl, It's gone by so quick.

00:00:59
Speaker 3: I feel like, you know, it almost felt like we were kind of slow start a little bit and then now was just like we're up and running. So we're down to the last two weeks and I'm excited, you know, to see how the fine's going to go.

00:01:08
Speaker 1: I bet you are. I'm excited to see how it goes. Can you believe that this season's already almost over?

00:01:14
Speaker 2: I know, it's almost like kind of sad, you know.

00:01:15
Speaker 3: I've been really enjoying going into my friends like almost weekend. Like I have friends on almost every team, you know, and like we'll get together, get to hang out and play some volleyball. So it's kind of sad, but at the same time, you know, it's part of it. And in finishing the season and trying to get to the win and get that championship title.

00:01:30
Speaker 1: Isn't it gonna be a little bit different for you this year too, because like instead of coming home from overseas, like you're already home.

00:01:36
Speaker 2: It's the best feeling ever.

00:01:38
Speaker 3: Actually, So last time I was in Louisville, i won national championship.

00:01:41
Speaker 2: So I'm trying to ride on those good.

00:01:42
Speaker 3: Waves of going back there, you know. So, yeah, it feels great to be able to just be at home. It's my friends and my family, and yeah, just to be here. I'm very very happy about it.

00:01:52
Speaker 1: I love it all right. Well, as we are drawing near the end of this inaugural season, we are seeing so many milestones being set. Gon go through them as we talk about each match. Then at the end, I kind of want to see which one you think is, you know, most impressive, because there's been so many that, you know, for an inaugural season, it's it's really exciting to see in here. So we will talk about that at the end after we go over the matches. So let's start with Thursday nights match between the top two teams in the league, Love Atlanta versus Love Houston, with Atlanta finally breaking through against their rival finally while also securing the number one spot in the Love Finals. They defeated Houston in four sets thirteen, twenty five, twenty five, twenty one, twenty five, twenty one, twenty five, twenty There were also a lot of milestones in this game, including let Me Get Ready outside Kelsey Robinson Cook becoming the first athlete to surpass two hundred digs, seder Micah Hancock became the first athlete to reach twenty aces, and after becoming the first athlete to reach two hundred points last week, Jordan Thompson now becomes the first to two hundred kills. So That's a lot that happened in that match. But let's go back to just the match overall. What adjustments did Atlanta do and make after that tough first set to turn things around?

00:03:12
Speaker 3: Honestly, I think just being consistent and playing defense, no being Kelsey is an amazing defender. Even look at the stat sheets, you can tell from all the teams, among all the outside hitters and the baros across the league, those two outsides, Kelsey Cook and Madison Michelle are both you know, top two, number one and two for digging ball. So playing defense, be consistent. Danielle Continue got hot there in a second set, so they they're finding their game.

00:03:32
Speaker 2: They were, They're ready for this one, I believe.

00:03:35
Speaker 1: Yes they were.

00:03:37
Speaker 3: Now.

00:03:37
Speaker 1: Atlanta outside Mackenzie Adams was outstanding again, earning Player of the Match honors while leading all players with eighteen points, including fifteen kills and two aces. She really took over in the final three sets. So what made her so effective in this match?

00:03:52
Speaker 3: Hey, again, just being consistent. You know, we're getting outside here, your jobs. The football's away, you know, so make it.

00:03:56
Speaker 2: Over that ball. She was very very very very strong about her opinion. But the ball to the floor.

00:04:01
Speaker 3: So you know, if you can get a chance and carry a team to three your few points in a set, you should do And she did a great job doing.

00:04:06
Speaker 2: That m hm.

00:04:07
Speaker 1: And we saw Atlanta's defense step up in a big way. As we said, Kelsey Robinson Cook was the first player to reach two hundred digs. She led all players with sixteen digs, and the team's overall reception in general improved as the match went on. So how did that defensive effort help fuel their offense?

00:04:22
Speaker 3: I mean, just being in transition, keeping ball off the floor is really important. You know, you get the ball to the floor and get the ball to your center and you get a chance an opportunity to get a kill. So you know, I think defense always wins matches. As one day toach just in college that you can defend a ball and get a good transition into yours into system.

00:04:36
Speaker 2: It's gonna work every single time.

00:04:37
Speaker 1: There is that one play speaking of just trying to keep the ball off the floor? Was it Kelsey I think or was it Mackenzie Adams who had the little kick that uh.

00:04:46
Speaker 3: That was actually that was Madison Kingdon for Schellston team. Yeah, yeah, yeah, she was like I could hear voice in my head, you know.

00:04:53
Speaker 2: So it was great.

00:04:55
Speaker 1: That was an amazing play to watch.

00:04:57
Speaker 2: And it counts count. It's a good it counts.

00:05:01
Speaker 1: Keep that ball off the floor.

00:05:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, the name of the game literally.

00:05:05
Speaker 1: Well, speaking of Houston, they still control their own destiny from the number two seed, but they now have to bounce back against Madison in their final match, Madison, who by the way, are on a hot streak and looking to overtake Houston for that second by in the finals. How do they regroup after this loss to make sure that they enter the playoffs strong?

00:05:27
Speaker 3: I mean, just continuing who they are. You know, they have Mike, they ad JT that Madison and they have probably the rookie of the year for sure. Just continue being their dynamic thing that they are. They're so solid, they have such a great chemistry on the court, on and off which cares in such a long way. So there's no pressure, you know, they're already in there. They can secure that spot again if they really want to. And just playing their game.

00:05:45
Speaker 1: And moving to Friday night, your team Love Austin held its final weekend with Love and unfortunately lost to Love Omaha in a five set battle A huge battle twenty five, twenty three, seventeen, twenty five, twenty five, sixteen, twenty three, twenty five, fifteen twelve. Omaha finally snapped its seven match regular season losing streak in this game. And since you were there, what stood out about their performance that made the difference this time?

00:06:13
Speaker 2: You know, they really wanted it, for sure.

00:06:14
Speaker 3: I think we definitely could have done a better job in closing out in that four set, but you know, they were foaming at the mouth, hungry to get a win and it was well received. You know, they just were out there just trying to kick the ball of the floor, like I said, and trying to just stay together and try to get a win, and they created one, so it was a good job for them.

00:06:30
Speaker 1: Seeder Laura Daikoma was on fire, breaking the league record with sixty two assists. As someone who watched her work up close, what impressed you most about how she was running that offense.

00:06:41
Speaker 2: I love her energy. Even after running the offense.

00:06:43
Speaker 3: You know, she's always in their teammate's face and she kind of runs around the little airplane around the court and stuff and just bring her offense.

00:06:48
Speaker 2: I think she did a really good jobs for the offense around.

00:06:50
Speaker 3: She has a great connection with the middle and I think both middle blockers actually, and that's a very strong.

00:06:55
Speaker 2: Connection to have Fish and Channel win a match.

00:06:57
Speaker 1: Although you didn't win, Austin hit three thirty five as a team one of the best offensive performances all season, but still came up short. What do you think made this match so tough to close out despite how well the team was playing.

00:07:09
Speaker 3: I think I always said winning games is defense, staggering transition. I think we out hit, out blocked, outserved, outpassed, Omaha. The only thing that we did not do was outdig them, and that was probably That was probably the part of it, is just trying to get those all off the floor and be able to create a transitionally mm hmm.

00:07:25
Speaker 1: That match has so many back and forth moments. What was the energy like in the huddle and what were some of the key things being said about, you know, trying to get over the finish line because you guys were in a new gym, new energy, so what was kind of going on.

00:07:39
Speaker 2: I mean that gym was rocking.

00:07:41
Speaker 3: We are We're playing in Sint Marcos at the Texas State Gym this weekend, and we had so many fans come down from Austin to San Antonio.

00:07:47
Speaker 2: Was almost like just a right in the middle melting pot. I think we had about.

00:07:49
Speaker 3: Three thousand fans come in and it was loud, it was rowdy, it was fun, it was live, and it also can help you kind of help you'd want that to kind of you carry you into a match. But again during the huddle, we're kind of talking about just trying to me consistant and just swing out of systems, you know, being honest our outside, just having to do a better job and controlling that ball and keeping it, keep it in the court when you do not have a great swing, and just trying to be more aggressive, and it really clutched time moments.

00:08:14
Speaker 1: We'll be back with more from our week twelve recaps. Let's move to Saturday's doubleheader. We start with Love Salt Lake beating Love Omaha in a five So.

00:08:37
Speaker 3: I was like saying, like salt Lake really salt looking like salt Luke, sult Luke.

00:08:42
Speaker 1: Well, we start with Salt Luke beating Love Ohmah in a five set reverse sweep with two marathon opening sets that went in overtime twenty four to twenty six thirty one thirty three, twenty five, nineteen, twenty five, fifteen, fifteen eleven. In fact, that was the longest game to date in League one's short history. But when it came to the action, what did Saltake do to be able to turn things around?

00:09:08
Speaker 3: I think depending heavy on their outsides. Their outsides hit lot good shots, They blocked really well toward Dixon, was a force to record throughout the match, and just holding themselves together into their accountable scholar fields.

00:09:18
Speaker 2: Had a few good plays running down during the stretch.

00:09:22
Speaker 3: So just yeah, staying together, being consistent, and just having that energy consistently throughout the match.

00:09:28
Speaker 1: Outside Ronnie Jones. Perry was named Player of the Match thanks to a massive game with twenty two killed, fourteen digs and four aces, tying a league record for aces in a match. What impressed you most about her performance and her ability to take over in big moments.

00:09:45
Speaker 2: I think Ronnie has been great all season long.

00:09:47
Speaker 3: I think as the season continued to go on, we got to see more of her and exactly what she does being those big moments, being able to come in or if she's starting or not and make a difference. I think that's such a great thing to be able to come in with the team make a great impact.

00:09:59
Speaker 1: Omahash showed a ton of resilience this weekend, but fatigue seemed to set in after those grueling for sure, first two sets. You've played back to backs before. How tough is it to maintain high energy levels in a match like this, especially with the fifth set on the line.

00:10:14
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it's tough, and like you want to be able to put your starting sicks out there and then to do the best they can possibly do, but also will be able to kind of switch players in and out from the bench and go on to get it for some fresh legs. So you know, it's definitely hard to kind of go back to back, especially the doubleheaders, and that's definitely especially playing five sets every match this past few weeks.

00:10:32
Speaker 2: So aplauding to them for sure, what is definitely very difficult.

00:10:35
Speaker 1: One cool moment from this match was Amber Stivern's making her professional debut for Omaha and getting her first career kill. You've been in this league from the start. How exciting is it to see young players getting their first real shot.

00:10:47
Speaker 2: That's so cool. I love us differ insisters. Amber is so great.

00:10:50
Speaker 3: I was very happy for her to get out there and find do her thing, and it's great. I think it gives the younger girls to get in, to get get in, to get a chance to play against a high level a vetus and to get some experience. So it was great, great to off for her.

00:11:03
Speaker 2: All right.

00:11:03
Speaker 1: Well, after that marathon of a match, you ladies had to play again much later, probably than planned. Late late, late late, So in that nightcap Love Madison did edge out your team Austin and yet another five setter twenty two, twenty five, twenty five, twenty three, twenty five, twelve, twenty three, twenty five, fifteen eleven. Your squad started strong, took a tough third set, then nearly pulled it out in the fifth. What was the biggest difference down the stretch that allowed Madison to come away with one?

00:11:34
Speaker 3: They were just maintained that energy, you know, and obviously Annie is just her She's a phenomenal athlete. And to be able to carry your team on her shoulders at the end of a set in the fifth and to be that dynamic spiker and be just so resilient, you know, it was amazing for them. And I think Annie Drews is just such a great opposite, and they're such a great opponent, such a great teammate, such a great score to have for the massive team.

00:11:54
Speaker 1: Well, speaking of Annie, she had a record setting night with twenty eight kills. Now, as an opposite yourself of what makes her such a difficult player to stop? And when someone is in a rhythm like that, what is the best way to try and slow them down?

00:12:08
Speaker 3: I mean, but it's it difficult to slow somebody doll like that is Obviously she's a vet, she's very experienced.

00:12:12
Speaker 2: She's playing some of the best teams in the world.

00:12:14
Speaker 3: And she's a lefty, so she has so much rain and so much core, and she's so so strong. She has a whip of an arm. It makes it hard. You know, he has a blocker. You want to pick really good spots, but she has a great vision and it's almost hard to slow it down. It's almost like, okay, you know, with give up one spot, we're going to block her line cross court definders have to defend it, and it's like, okay, Well, she can and go off so much during cross court. You want to be able to give her some more range back towards the libero. But like if she's crushing the libero, you don't know what to do, you know. And we were trying to slow her down, and we got some good touches, some good stops at one point, but you know, it just wasn't enough, you know. And you know, she's who she is for a reason, and she did a great job for her team last night.

00:12:47
Speaker 1: Mm hmm. Now, Madison's setter, Lauren Carlini also made history becoming the first player to have six hundred assists in love as a hitter. How valuable is it to have a setter like that leading the offense.

00:12:59
Speaker 3: It is so valuable to have great hands, someone who's just be able to dish out the rock the volleyball, dish out the rock, who's so content and containing within herself, who's very you know, calm in a sense. In any type of hype environment, whether it's too slow or too high, it's important to have a strong set of who could have who's mentally and physically tough.

00:13:19
Speaker 2: And I think Warren carly Need is amazing. Let's watching the USA jem.

00:13:22
Speaker 1: You've been in these battles all season long, playing tight matches, grinding through five setters. How do you think that experience is going to help your team as you prepare for the finals.

00:13:31
Speaker 2: You know, I think we're going to surprise a lot of people in the end of this.

00:13:34
Speaker 3: I'm very faithful and I'm very committed to that thought, and I'm just also just very optimistic, you know, and having this experienced be able to play all throose different teams and consistently throughout the week and have the even more opportunities to play with them in fifth set matches definitely should help us in the long run.

00:13:49
Speaker 2: You know, you can only watch videos so many times.

00:13:51
Speaker 3: You watch a scoutteringport, look at scoutingport so many times, you kind of go out experience. So now that we know living, you learn and you have to grow. So it's given us an opportunity to grow as a team and hopefully be a competitor in the finals.

00:14:02
Speaker 1: And speaking of five set matches that come late on Saturday nights, what was going through your mind on the you know, on the court, on the sidelines when it came to you know, a ruckus crowd that you were in front of plus just late night.

00:14:17
Speaker 3: Would I tell you I felt like I was like y'all were in the club we outside tonight, like we were getting the fans like hyped up.

00:14:23
Speaker 2: We were dancing around Soatolia one time.

00:14:25
Speaker 3: At one point me and Julianne fall Set were torking like we were just getting hype. And you know, no, I set out the first three sets and then they're telling me as I'm drinking water and just talking, have a good time and just trying to stay involved us well and stay warm.

00:14:36
Speaker 2: But Nicole and fall Sales comes up. She goes, hey, you're going in. I'm like, oh, okay, we're party all, you know.

00:14:42
Speaker 3: So I was so great and it was great to go out there and be such a a smark of energy for my team, and like I had a great run on a string of points and during the during the fourth and fifth set, so you know, being able to win that four set with the team and compete very well in the fifth set was great. So it was the gym was amazing. If you know, next year, if they wanted to move move our home matches to the Texas State Arena, I'm driving. It's an hour from me, but I would take that drive because it's worth of the environment.

00:15:06
Speaker 2: The atmosphere was great. It was so great.

00:15:09
Speaker 1: We'll put that on the docket for next year's UH owner meetings.

00:15:14
Speaker 3: I also want to shout out to the fan. They put him on the dumbotron. He had a sign that said cat Bill is a National treasure, and I was like, that is.

00:15:22
Speaker 1: So you are a national treasure.

00:15:25
Speaker 2: Cat I'm like not me being like the rainforest? Is that a national treasure? Other things? Wasn't sure what is it national park?

00:15:31
Speaker 3: What is that?

00:15:32
Speaker 1: Well, you know I have a rainforest, but we do have national parks.

00:15:36
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know that's that's that's a that's a national thing, your treasure, right, would you consider that?

00:15:40
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're a national treasure. People should be going to Austin to see you because you are a national treasure.

00:15:45
Speaker 2: They have to. Yeah, Like it's literally you need to.

00:15:50
Speaker 1: All right, Well, let's talk about some of these incredible performances and record breaking moments in Week twelve. You know, for example, like we mentioned before, and Drew Schumacher set a new league record with twenty eight kills in a single match. Ronnie Jones Perry tied the record for aces in the match. You know. Plus we had some major career milestones like Lauren Carlini becoming the first player to hit six hundred assists. So out of all the standout moments, which recorder milestone impressed you the most?

00:16:18
Speaker 3: And why I'm also going to add in Madison Skinner. She hit two hundred points last night, I believe too. So everyone is amazing. So obviously, like all those Vets should be at those career highs.

00:16:29
Speaker 2: They're really impressive.

00:16:30
Speaker 3: But I also want to shout out to Madison Skinner just because, like you know, this training for her has been a long one I think, and she's done so well for our team coming in and just being who she was and being such a back on our team.

00:16:40
Speaker 2: So I'm very impressive with her game.

00:16:41
Speaker 3: I'm proud of her, and you know, I just wanted to continue on believing our self, trusting herself, and continue hit others milestones as well to be, you know, keeping up with the Vets.

00:16:50
Speaker 2: So I think it's a great, great thing for her too.

00:16:52
Speaker 1: Yeah. Actually I'm looking at the list of all of the records broken tied milestones from this week and she is the youngest one.

00:17:00
Speaker 2: I thank god, I mean she is.

00:17:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's go.

00:17:05
Speaker 2: It's impressive.

00:17:05
Speaker 1: That's really impressive, super impressive, all right, now, kat, as we head into the final week of the regular season. Which matchup are you most excited for? I'll read the lineup, this is what we havet On Thursday, April third, Omaha closes out it's home slate against Atlanta, a team still searching for its first road win of the season. Friday, April fourth, Madison versus Salt Lake, with Madison looking to keep its six match winning streak alive. Then Saturday we got the double header. First will be Madison versus Houston, a potential battle for the number two seed with a quarterfinal bye at the Love Finals possibly on the line. And finally, you ladies will be playing a Salt Lake for the last regular season match of the inaugural Love season. So which of these matches are you circling on your calendar?

00:17:51
Speaker 3: I'm circling in the Madison versus Houston match. You know all my majority of my friends are playing on the Houston team and like the crunch that second place spot will be great. So I know Mason, Michelle, I know Mike. Do they think come out and JT. They're bringing out the gun.

00:18:05
Speaker 2: So I'm excited to watch that match. What about you?

00:18:08
Speaker 1: I am one hundred percent on board with that. I'm very excited to see what happens because this one has like true implications when it comes to the finals, so we will see what happens.

00:18:18
Speaker 2: I'm excited. Let's see me.

00:18:20
Speaker 1: Yes, all right? Well, Kat, that's it for this week's episode of Serving Pancakes. Check back next week when Cat and I go over the final week of the regular season and look ahead to the Love Finals. And good luck to you this week in Cat right.

00:18:35
Speaker 2: Thanks.

00:18:38
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 Oshinski. 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. Mass Junior. Stay tuned for next week's episode, where we'll talk about the last week of the inaugural Love regular season. That will be week thirteen. And we'll look ahead to the Love Finals. Thanks for listening.