Meet Stanford The Tournament’s Third Seed Went 32-2 This Season. Here, The Cardinal Players Talk About Tonights Final Match.

Jaimi Gregory 5‘8”, soph., Westminster, Calif.

“I had surgery in the summer (to repair torn cartilage). It’s a fairly minor surgery but I use my knees so much, as a smaller player. I have a pretty high pain tolerance but it was a scary thing, when you don’t know how your body is going to react, whether you can jump as well.

“There were times when I couldn’t exercise strenuously for a couple of months. Coming into the season out of shape was something completely new. It took a while to get back in shape, and into the swing of things.

“I respect everyone on our team, all their abilities. Every win we get means a lot. Wins are easy to take for granted, the wins that seem at the moment sort of insignificant. But it’s part of what got us here. I’m just proud and excited just to be part of that.

“I know that if I were a musician or something else in life my parents (Gerald and Sally) would be just as proud. I’m lucky in that way. I’ve gone through stages of what I wanted to be when I grew up but at a pretty young age I knew I wanted to do this.”

Kristin Folkl 6‘2”, senior, St. Louis, Mo.

“I’ll be sad that’s it over but I’ll be very proud, win or lose, of what we’ve accomplished. We’ve had extreme highs and extreme lows and always managed to bounce back from both.

“A lot of it has to do with being close. We know that everyone is there for each other, in some capacity. Knowing that you have help, that you’re not alone, puts you at ease. I’m not sure where you really find that in life, once you’re outside of sports. We’ve been able to communicate as a second family. Things that are said or done that might hurt (another team) have helped us in the long run.

“Beating Hawaii (No. 1 at the time) last year was sweet. To all come together at the right moment, play so well and win so convincingly, I don’t know that I’ve ever felt that way before in a finals match.

“If I didn’t have a passion for it I wouldn’t play, and put so much time in it (volleyball and basketball). My parents (Thomas and Marilyn in St. Louis) are special. I know (tonight) I’ll look up at the stands and find them. A lot of us on the team can communicate that way. The parents have been through it with us.”

Kerri Walsh 6‘2”, soph., Saratoga, Calif.

“It’s been such an honor playing with this team. They have put so much hard work into this that I want to win so badly for them. They deserve to win.

“This is such a special time - one more match - that I’m going to give it my all. I’m going to leave the court with nothing left to give.

“I was brought up being told (in Saratoga, Calif.) that if I worked hard I would be able to go to Stanford. That was my goal. My whole life.

“It’s like I’m living this dream. Everything has been so surreal. Everything has been so awesome - winning the championship last year and having so much fun doing it. School is such a blast, too.

“I have an amazing family. I have seven people here with me (a younger sister, K.C., sat with her through the interview). They’re always with me, no matter what.

“It’s going to be so weird next year, not having the seniors here. I’m going to miss them giving me a little crap here and there.”

Lisa Sharpley 6‘0”, senior, Los Altos, Calif.

“I know that no matter what happens (tonight) I’ll be so proud of my team, and especially my senior class. I’m an emotional person so I’ll probably get emotional, since it will be our last hurrah.

“To be honest I’m really excited about becoming a normal student - to not have volleyball for a little bit, just to go to class, take naps in the afternoon and go running on my own.”

“My parents (Dan and Cheryl) were there for me all the way. Volleyball became a huge thing in their lives, too. They drove me three zillion miles to tournaments and practices.

“There were a lot of expectations laid out for us this year. I’m proud that we were able to meet those expectations. Even though we were (to some) underdogs (in the semifinals), I don’t think anyone really believed that.

“Five seniors who’ve been to three Final Fours, I don’t see how you can really be an underdog.

Barbara Ifejika 6‘2”, senior, Brampton, Ontario

“For me, it’s never been about collecting accolades and getting all the attention. It’s about playing on a great team and winning. I could care less if I was the best player in the world but losing.

“I’m happy to finish my career playing for a championship, but I’m also sad. It’s bittersweet, to be ending it, after so many wonderful opportunities I’ve been fortunate enough to experience.

“Looking back, I’m very proud of my career. My parents (Sam and Stella) always reinforced that I could do, and go after, whatever I wanted.

“In Canada (she’s from Brampton, Ontario) especially in volleyball, nobody had really gone to a top 10 school, so there were a lot of naysayers. My early coaches, Rick McArthur and Christine Craig, were very instrumental in making sure that I believed that I could make it to Stanford.

“I would think I’ll be overwhelmed (tonight). I will be incredibly happy but I can also see myself being very sad. I never say never but this is pretty much it for volleyball. I’ll be so happy that it will end with a championship match. To finish as a champion would be the perfect end, the perfect closure.”

Paula McNamee 6‘0”, senior, Wheaton, Md.

“I thank Don (Shaw, the coach) and the coaching staff for being so patient with me. And my father (George McNamee), even though my parents in D.C. weren’t able to come out for many of the games. Just talking to my father on a weekly basis was so supportive.

“I always knew it would be worth it (she was a reserve for four seasons before becoming a starter). I knew the day would come so I kept plugging away.

“The responsibility of playing - of helping decide whether you win or lose - is huge. I embrace it. I love it. The seniority that comes with it is very empowering. Once I got over the, ‘Should I really be here?’ type of questions, it was smooth sailing this year.

“I came in with this extreme confidence, like I should be out there right away. Coming out of a small high school (of 400 in Washington. D.C.), playing in a league where we were still serving underhanded, I had no idea of how much skill and experience I needed to gain.

“Finally, gaining all that, my confidence level is much higher. So is my sense of reality.”

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