HEAD COACH ÁNGEL PÉREZ
Opening Statement …
“Refreshing. I think, you know, we’ve been working hard for this ‘W’ for a while, and I think it’s a good moment for the team. We spoke before the game that all the great movies that win big Oscars and this kind of stuff, there’s always adversity at the beginning and that kind of everything gets all in the way and at the end, you have a great film. So, we're hoping to build that story, and I think this win makes us believers, that we can play with anybody and we can compete with anybody, not that we didn't believe before, but results, help belief in the, in the world that we live. So, happy for these girls. They deserve it. They've worked really hard for the last month, hearing all bad noises and all this kind of stuff and, how do you call that thing? The horses you? Sorry. Blinders? We call it anteojeras in Spanish. So, with the blinders on we don't care about the outside noise and just focusing on the task ahead and believe that we can get better and continue so hats off to them.”
On Izabella [Rapacz] and Raina [Terry’s] production …
“We've been talking about that for weeks now that volleyball is a game of attacks. It's something that we were lacking but we've been working on figuring out and trying to get better. Izzy [Rapacz] has put a lot of extra work this week and I think it paid off for her and Raina [Terry] slowly has been coming into herself after a rocky start at the beginning. I think she was really confident today in the other parts of the game in her serve in her reception. When you're doing not the things that you're known for, well, the rest kind of starts going for you. So, that's what we need. We've talked about it that they are two high ball hitters are them. They're the ones that carry the power and the strength. We cannot live with Megan Lush, for example, hitting 40 high balls. You know, that's not the way we're going to win. So, again, credit to Izzy for the work she's put in and the result comes with work and again, credit to Raina for a great game and for waiting for her opportunity and taking advantage of it.”
On this being a statement win …
“I don't think so. I think we got a lot of work to do but definitely, it's a refreshing win for this group. Just to keep believing, you know, I think that's what we've been preaching even through this bad moment that we're going through. I think victory like this helps the staff believe that that we can win. Is it a statement, I doubt it. Hopefully we have a statement win somewhere soon but I think it's a good start and hopefully things start to turn around for us.”
On where this win ranks in his personal life …
“A lot, at least for me, you know, it's a win that we needed. We worked hard for it and I think that they deserve it. So, I've been lucky enough to be involved with a lot of great wins. I don't know how this one tops right now, but definitely it's a pressure release valve that is released and maybe we can be more relaxed and confident and start building from this. So, hopefully we can have this question again and a couple of months and I'll let you know how high this ranks for us.”
On Abby Walker tonight …
“I think I've been speaking about our middles, all of our middles, including Janice the whole season. She knows it. You know, I think, we have three really, really young middles that anybody can play at any time. It's not a surprise for me the way Janice first played today, which she has been working her butt off and she was our best middle the whole week in training. As soon as we had an opportunity to put her in, we put her in and she took care of what she needed to. I think. Abby, on the other side, it's gaining experience as the season goes along and every day, the four of our middles are extremely hard workers. So, every day they come to practice, they really want to get better at something and I think you start adding piece by piece by piece and you start building your Lego and she and all of our middles might become something important. So, we still have to find a way to put them in better situations, but we're working on it. So, I'm not surprised with Abby even from the draft, I thought that was a big sleeper for us that we took in the third round. You know, she's been everything that we expected from her and we continue to express greatness from her, you know, moving forward.”
On individual pieces and Ashely Wenz tonight …
“It's no secret. They know it, we've talked about it in practice. We might have one game where she has 30 points, but that's not going to be the norm, you know. We need points from everybody. We need everybody to do the job that's required of them in this team and hopefully, again all those small pieces are up and it starts, giving some W's to us. So, I still don't believe that we have a player that will carry, maybe take over a game, but not take over a season. So, we depend on all the small pieces of rice that you can put in to cook, every little piece matters. You saw that today with Ashley, we activated Ashley last night on the roster because we had an injury to one of our middles and all of a sudden she played an important part in a game where we came back and she had two or three good blocks. So, I'm proud of this team, the way they fight, the way they train, the way nothing seems to bother them even though we're 0-7 and they're just ambitious to try to get better and I'm grateful for it. I'm happy coming to practice every day even though we are 0-7. We had the same positivity, the same mentality that we're gonna hopefully make a Oscar film at the end of the year.”
On Columbus feeling like home …
“We felt and heard everybody today in the audience. I've been here a little bit longer than them so I feel Columbus is home for me, at the moment and ever since I arrived, and I moved my family here, all that I've seen is love from the city. It's a sports town that loves their sports, you know, it can be any, it can be hockey, it can be football, it can be OSU, you know, women's volleyball. It can be the Buckeyes winning the national championship. I think we are not the exception. We've had the support from the fans and from the city ever since we started from last year and in this year hasn't been any different. You know, I was talking a couple of weeks back, remembering a little bit of last year, the first game and now every time we come to, there were no Fury gear on the anywhere. Now, every time you come to the game, all you see is Fury gear everywhere. So, we feel the support, we feel the love for the city and we definitely are happy that the city has our back independently of how things are going and these girls need it. So as far as the release valve, it's great to win at home. Hopefully this home stand here in the next three, two, three weeks we can carry more victories and you know, we're gonna get back to work tomorrow and see what things we didn't do, right and try to make them better for the next time around.”
IZABELLA RAPACZ, #2, OH
On the heavy hand and film …
“I mean we definitely watch a lot of film also individually too, but I think it was just a matter of coming together and finally playing like a team. I think this was definitely just the mental aspect of our team. We really just stuck it together and actually, you know, finished the sets did what we really wanted to do that we've been talking about that since the beginning of season and it’s finally working. It was on our side and we're really grateful.”
On Columbus feeling like home …
“Do I feel at home in my country? I'm so happy that I can play here and have this opportunity especially at Columbus. I think what Janice said, having faithful fans especially when we were 0-7, like it's, you know, it's not a fun thing to be but I'm really grateful for all the support that they show us during these games and it's really important. That's our seventh player on the court and really helped us today.”
JANICE LEAO, #14, MB
On being on the floor tonight …
“You know, just coming off the bench my mindset is just going, do your job, try to be the best player you can be, especially when you're not warm or stuff, just like, try to go in, try to make a positive impact, just help, you know, bring some energy and just help the girls on the court and I was just sticking to my mindset and just helping with the girls. So, I just felt like it was kind of natural but also like the girls made it really easy too to come in and be like, ‘hey, like I'm gonna help you. You also have to help us too.’ So, it's just like it was a like everyone just helps each other off and especially the girls on the court. They made me feel confident and like I was there to help them obviously, and so on.”
On the celebrations …
“It was just really special because obviously we didn't have the start that we wanted, but it was just throughout this whole time we've been positive, you know, we're just trying to find the positivity out of everything that's going on and I just felt like we're at that moment, it just all came together and just the belief is like still there because we never lost hope, we never lost any belief. So, finally seeing it come to life and finally getting to experience the first win, that's how you know, like we're gonna carry that and bring it onto the rest of the season.”
On Columbus feeling like home …
“I would say yes. I feel like the fans are super interactive and they've been with us since the start which is obviously just so appreciative. I always love seeing them, how they're interactive with us and just like still believing in us. So, I really do appreciate the city of Columbus and just welcoming me right when I signed to the team. There's so many people like writing in my comments, like, ‘welcome to Columbus’. So, I definitely felt that right when I signed and still since day one.”
For media inquiries and interviews, contact Kyle Jackson at kjackson@columbusfury.com.
ABOUT THE COLUMBUS FURY
The Columbus Fury is a professional volleyball team in Columbus, Ohio and a founding member of Pro Volleyball Federation, the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. The Fury are one of eight teams in the league, joining the Atlanta Vibe, Grand Rapids Rise, Indy Ignite, Omaha Supernovas, Orlando Valkyries, San Diego Mojo and Vegas Thrill for the 2025 season. The Fury play their home matches at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus. Tickets for all Columbus Fury matches can be purchased by visiting ColumbusFury.com or by calling the ticket office at (614) 380-FURY. The Fury will begin play at Nationwide Arena on January 11, 2025. For more information about the Fury and season tickets, visit www.columbusfury.com and @columbusfury on social media.
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is the leading professional volleyball league in the United States. PVF sets the standard for the sport, offering the largest number of franchises, unmatched attendance, extensive broadcast coverage and substantial championship prize money. It combines top-tier talent, including NCAA stars and international athletes, with cutting-edge production and technology to provide fans with an unmatched viewing experience. As a vital link between collegiate volleyball and the professional stage, PVF is dedicated to shaping the future of the sport and increasing visibility for its athletes. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
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For more information contact: Kyle Jackson (kjackson@columbusfury.com)