NCAA First Round – Saturday, May 12, 2012

Florida 6, Albany 4

Post-Game Quotes

 

Florida Head Coach Amanda O’Leary

 

Opening Statement:

“Credit Albany for just a fantastic job today. They came in here with a ton of heart. They were scrappy. John came in with a team that was incredibly prepared to play. So credit Albany for a great game. I’m really proud of our kids as well. I think they came out and they competed. I don’t think everything went as we had scripted, but still competed hard, played hard and came out with a win.”

 

On the lulls in the game:

“It was a great game plan, clearly. They were able to maintain possession. They worked for the perfect shot and a bunch of times they were able to convert on it. I think it’s a great game plan. It worked.”

 

On defensive side of the ball:

“I thought that both defenses today played fantastic. I think our defense did a great job of containing their attackers, but I also think that Albany did a fantastic job of show sliding, double teaming, collapsing into the middle and taking away some critical opportunities that we normally are able to execute on.”

 

 

Florida Junior Defender Sam Farrell

On possessions in stalling games:

“When they do that, it is really important to continue talking to each other, keeping the energy up and continue working for each other. (We) just need to know at any minute they are going to get us in a lull and they are trying to slow us down and at any minute they can go to goal. We just have to be ready for that.”

 

 

Florida Junior Defender Kayla Stolins

 

On possessions during stalls:

“We always have to keep our feet moving and our minds in the game. We can’t think of it as boring and keep playing defense.”

 

On steal at the end of the game:

“Sam forced her out. I came from behind, checked her stick and got the ground ball.”

 

On importance of trying to get the ball during lulls:

“It is very important, especially at the end of the game, when Albany is close and can score at any time to come back. We always want to get the ball back and have it on offense”

 

 

Florida Freshman Midfielder Shannon Gilroy

On positions for possessions during low scoring games:

“Yeah, (it’s critical) especially when our defense has the ball a lot down there, we really want to capitalize on our shots. We have to be patient and take 100% the shot that we want.”

 

On draw controls:

“It is definitely a big confidence booster (to win draw controls) because when we get the draws, we get to have possession. We have a chance to score and it keeps the ball out of the hands of the attackers on the other end of the field.”

 

On speed of scoring when on offense:

“I think that our offense just clicked with each other. We were able to take the 1-v-1. If you don’t have that, and a double comes, we have a teammate open and we can pass them the ball and they can take a shot.”

 

Albany Head Coach John Battaglino
Opening statement:
“I thought we had a good game plan coming in. We stuck with it and my hats off to Florida. They are an extremely talented team and extremely well coached. We’ve had nothing but a great experience here (in Florida) from the staff. I was real pleased with how well we fought. We had opportunities, especially towards the end. There were a couple things I wish I could have taken back in transition, like when we got up to four-two and we had the ball. I thought that was an important possession and important part of the game. I felt that we were starting to seize a little momentum there, but again, we just kept coming at them. I’m just real proud of how we as a team approached the game, especially the past two weeks of the season. They came together with the urgency that I had hoped to see all season long. I have a great group of kids. We’re tough, and we fight hard.”

On the fewest shots Florida has taken all season:
“One, keep the ball on offense for a while, and not let them touch it. That was part of it. Although, we knew it would limit our scoring chances, we had to be very selective. That was half of it. Also, we don’t have the bodies right now to run up and down the field with Florida, especially in the heat. Defensively, I thought we were very well prepared. We watched them, planned our match-ups very well and continued to hammer it home all week what we were trying to do, trying to accomplish and trying to limit space. Jess (Davos, assistant coach) did an outstanding job. I thought we got better at it as the game went along. Sometime I kid around saying they don’t believe me the first couple times, but then they gauge the other team and we started playing up to speed. I thought that’s what we did. We felt them out a little bit, gave them a few early, then we did pretty well.”


Albany Senior Attacker Amanda Pollock:
On the heat:
“It is different for us because we’re from New York. We practice all year in the cold and we come down here and we are sweating like crazy. It was tough, definitely, and in our black uniforms.”

On defensive side of the ball with the lulls:
“Well they’re a really fast team. We had to pick up our pace and slow them down in the midfield. We had very strategic matchups on the defensive end. I think that was huge for us and we had to play well as a team. We needed to communicate well and I think we did that.”


Albany Senior Defender Jenn Primeau:
On playing in Florida:
“It was nice to play down here. It was fun, because it was a different experience, but it was hot. I think a part of our game plan was to slow the ball down, take our time and take the shots that we wanted. It helped with less running up and down the field and saved our legs in this heat”