HEAD COACH ÁNGEL PÉREZ
Opening Statement …
“Missed opportunity for us after the way we had been playing. I thought today we didn't show up against the team of Orlando that clearly had a mission. I think if they won today, they assure their path as a final four team. So, they came here on a mission, and we were unable to respond to that. I don't think it was like a lack of effort. I don't think it was lack of trying; I thought they imposed their game, and we didn't have an answer to it. We kept trying, we made changes. We tried all we could and they were just a better team today. We suffered a little bit on reception and couldn't find ways to put the ball down and then they were highly efficient on their reception and their attack and that's been a name of the game. So, we’ll move on from this, we still got four more games on the road and we're gonna try to get four wins for us and finish on a good way. And again, our goal is to try to climb that ladder and finish as high as we can. At the moment, we're in sixth place and we want to grab that fifth place this weekend and we know we gotta do better than what we did tonight to be on the road and try to get those four matches. But I think we have the capability to do it. We have a good two days off well deserved. This is our third game in six days with a long travel coming back from Vegas. So, it's always hard on the body. We're a couple of players down and you know the rotation it's getting slimmer but that's what it is at this time of the year. And again, I know we're gonna bounce back, I'm not worried at all and we’re gonna go back to work on Monday and try to get ready for the for the road.”
On the Fury fans …
“Yeah, you know, for me season's not over. We still got a couple of more games to play. So, I don't want to do this as a final statement but definitely a big thank you to all the city of Columbus for the way they've supported us. Not only this year, but last season. I've been lucky enough to be here for the two years, and it's joyful to start recognizing faces on the crowd of people that were here last year on our 12th matches and are back here on 14 matches this season, Uh, starting to figure out where they see it, who they are, what they do and the way they come to support us independently of our record, I think that speaks highly of the city of Columbus. I think we started 0-7 and still, we were getting 3, 500, 4, 000 people, 4,500 people, that doesn't happen anywhere in the world, that doesn't happen period. So, at 0-7, we're averaging 4,000 people. Imagine what would it be at 7-0? So, a big thank you to the city of Columbus. We're not going to stop working to try to get better and hopefully 2026 would be more successful season, so, please, hang with us. Please be patient. We have a young team, a good young core of Ohio players that we want to build around. And I think the sky is the limit for this group if we have the possibility of keeping them together or keeping the core group as together as possible. So again, a big thank you for the crowd. I hope they're proud of the team that we try to build. Wins and losses don't define the group that we have. And I hope that the city identifies with our group as a hard-working group, a greedy group, a resilient group, a group that plays with passion with joy, and with love. And I think those are the things that represent our city. So again, thank you to the city. We're gonna try to go on the road and try to get some victories and try to climb up that ladder.”
MEGAN LUSH, #17, OH
On the fans …
“I think for me personally; the coolest thing is to be able to have obviously my daughter there, but then in the profession that we've played for a long time, you don't get to play in front of your family that often. So, to be able to be from Ohio, to have my family, come to have friends and family that I've haven't seen in a long time, but they choose to come to a fair game to see me is something that I will never take for granted because it didn't happen. I also chose to go to school and college outside of Ohio, too. So, just to be able to play for something that's bigger than myself. That means a lot to me, to me, to my teammates and to be able to play in front of people that uh I personally love and have this deep connection with, but then also to play in front of a fan base that loves their team, you know, good bad ugly they're always there to support and always there to show up. So, just to be able to play for a team and an organization that has that kind of consistent basis is something that you dream of. And I've been lucky to do that for two years.”
ABBY WALKER, #24, MB
On the fans …
“I think it's meant the world to me to play in my home state, and in front of this amazing crowd. I think that they haven't failed to show up for us every single game. So, it’s just a big thank you to them and how much support they've been able to show to us.”
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.
For tickets please call 614-380-FURY(3879) or visit columbusfury.co
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For more information contact: Kyle Jackson (kjackson@columbusfury.com)