Phi: What do you enjoy most about playing volleyball at Washington and Lee?

MR: I think the team aspect is definitely my fa- vorite. We all get along really well, practices are really competitive, and it’s just a great environ- ment.

Phi: I notice that your team cheers after every point, even if you lose the point. What’s the phi- losophy behind that?

MR: I think it’s more of a momentum thing. Even if we lose the point, we might have had a great rally or good things could have happened within the point; the end result just wasn’t what we wanted. So, by cheering, we don’t let ourselves get down, get stuck in a rut, and then lose a bunch of points after that.

Phi: With the regular season coming to a close, how do you feel like your team has evolved over the course of the season?

MR: I feel like we’ve improved a lot, becoming more cohesive especially. We know what it’s like to play with each other and we’re gelling better. So definitely skill-wise and getting to know each other on the court, and becoming friends off the court as well.

Phi: What do you think is your biggest strength and weakness on the court? How could you be- come a better player in the future?

MR: My strength is that I can “play it cool,” so to speak. I don’t really get stressed out, and I can just take a minute to breathe and slow the game down. However, I do get mental sometimes. I try to not outwardly show it but if a few bad things 

happen I get more wrapped up in my head. I think I can improve that by talking to my teammates – voicing this concern and letting them pick me up.

Phi: In the classroom, what are you interested in studying or potentially majoring in?

MR: I think potentially [economics] at the mo- ment. I took a class in high school and I liked it a lot. I’m in [microeconomics] right now and I’m really enjoying it.

Phi: What’s your favorite activity or hobby out- side of volleyball?

MR: I’m a very social person. I just really like talking to people. In my free time I like hanging out in the common areas.