NCAA Tournament second round post game quotes
November 15, 2009 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 15, 2009
Wisconsin Junior Midfielder Roxanne Carlson
On moving on to the third round...
"We had really high expectations for this season. We had some incoming freshmen that were really awesome and our upperclassmen are great. We set a goal at the beginning of the season to make it to the NCAA's but I don't know if we thought we'd make it to this round. So this is pretty exciting. I'm really proud of our team."
On scoring her goal to go ahead 1-0...
"It was exactly what it was. There are no words. I looked over at our bench and got so excited to see everyone so happy and it was kind of an unreal thing. It was really cool."
On how long the second half seemed...
"It felt like quite awhile. We looked at the clock and it was 28 minutes, 16, 15 minutes. We knew we had to keep playing though until the time stopped. It was a great game. It was really fun to play."
On what you're going to take from the last two games into the next round...
"We just have to keep our mentality the same as the past couple of games. We have to keep playing hard. We're looking at it as, we're Wisconsin. We're not a team that anyone thought we would be. We're the underdogs in every situation but it's a great feeling when you come out on top.
Wisconsin Sophomore Goalkeeper Michele Dalton
On how memorable this game was...
"It's up there, right at the top of the list along with yesterday. Almost every game this season has been incredible; scoring with 18 seconds left, scoring with a minute left to win games, it's just been awesome."
On the way the team played today...
"Overall I think we played really well. We played as a team and won the game as a team. Everybody's effort made a difference. I heard they didn't get any shots off on goal and it was a shutout, which means our defense was doing its job. We got a goal which means our offense was doing its job. I just kept the ball out of the back of the net and got it in on the opposing side. That's what we came out to do and we did it."
Wisconsin Head Coach Paula Wilkins
On going into the second half...
"In our locker room there was a great buzz, a great energy. I was afraid we'd come out and just defend for the last 45 minutes. And I'm glad we didn't come out and do that. We created a couple more chances in the second half and didn't get the result, but we didn't come out and just defend. I think that was important."
On if the weather affected Wisconsin's two opponents...
"I think being at home had the greatest affect. I think Central Florida had a difficult draw in terms of coming up here. That's always a difficult situation especially for a warm-weather team. You have to shiver a little bit more when it's cold. When you're used to it, it's not as bad. It's unfortunate for them, but fortunate for us."
On what they will take into the next round...
"Every game is difficult. Every game is a battle. It's a learning experience for these guys, every game. We did a really good job today, but we'll have to go back and do better if we want to move on from there."
On what it's been like this season...
"It's excitement. It's something they've never been through; even the seniors haven't had this experience. I'm really happy for them because we asked them to do a lot of work last spring and that work is paying off. They really incorporated the freshmen into the culture and that really made a difference. Everything I've asked them to do has been difficult but they've done it and they deserve to be here."
UCF Head Coach Amanda Cromwell
On the loss...
"It was not what we expected. We expected to win. It was a hard-fought game, but this ground is not conducive to our style of play. We try to use the flanks and get in on the endline, and we're usually dangerous on corner kicks and set plays. But in the end we weren't really effective in the attacking third, as far as getting shots off and making their keeper make saves. Their No. 12 (Alev Kelter) in their midfield was very good and No. 16 (Laure Nosbusch) was good up top. At this level it takes one play sometimes."
On her team's performance...
"I thought our defenders played well and our goalkeeper Aline Reis was fantastic. We had to go to a three-back in the end and pushed for a goal, so we knew we were going to give up chances and she was phenomenal. So you can't fault our defense or our keeper at all. It's just sometimes the bounces go your way and sometimes they don't. It just didn't seem to be our day today."
On having to play on the road as a seeded team...
"It certainly was a disadvantage to have to travel to Wisconsin and play on a very hard surface. It was great that we were given a national seed, but that really does not mean anything when we get sent out of Orlando and into a cold weather environment. As a seed we deserved to have home field advantage. It's a shame that we, along with UF, have great seasons and earned a top 16 seed for the postseason yet were not at home. It's no mystery why only one team out of 13 top seeds lost at home. And two out of three top seeds lost on the road."
