Dancing with the stars finalist of season 33 Chandler Kinney is “relieved” that the show is finally over.

The Pretty Little Liars: original sin alum, 24, and her professional dance partner Brandon Armstrong jived and freestyled their way to a third-place finish during the Tuesday, November 26, finals after receiving perfect scores from the judges for both of their dances. (Bachelor Joey Graziadei And Jenna Johnson won the season while he was an Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher And Alan Bersten placed second.)

“I’m relieved,” Kinney said We weekly of her breathtaking freestyle routine after Tuesday’s live broadcast on ABC. “Relieved because I did exactly what I wanted to do. It was a treat for everyone (who came before us) to let us be in this space, have this conversation, dance in front of people. And so that was much more than anything. For me it transcends the competition.”

Armstrong added: “It’s a victory for me to be here. I think our freestyle was more important than our placement.”

Kinney and Armstrong were heavy favorites to win the season, but regardless they were full of praise for the eventual winner, Joey Graziadei.

“Joey finished off his loot. I know that because I was in the rehearsal studio with him every day, and I’m so grateful that he won,” the actress said. Us. “Every couple here is so deserving. I’m just really grateful to be in the space. Honestly. Those are Olympians, professional athletes, just people who have defied themselves and been so vulnerable and to even be standing next to that is, yeah, I’m very, very grateful.

Armstrong agreed: “Joey is so deserving. He’s great, so we’re very proud of him.”

Asked what she would change about her DWTS During her journey, Kinney said the video packages of her training sessions often made her ballroom skills look easier than they were.

“I wish the packages had shown my struggle a little more, because I’ve been through that struggle too,” she said. “I cried during a lot of rehearsals because it was very difficult and I never wanted it to look easy. The goal is to make it look easy here, but other than that I wouldn’t change anything I did. I was true to myself.”

Elsewhere during Tuesday’s final, Olympic gymnast Stefanus Nedoroscik and pro-partner Rylee Arnold was fourth in the league and NFL wide receiver Danny Amendola and his partner, Witney Carsonplaced fifth.

With reporting by Mariel Turner.