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University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass 2, Charlotte 0 - Postgame Notes
November 19, 2007 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 19, 2007
Head Coach Sam Koch On Emotion Of Winning A-10 Championship
It hasn't really hit me yet, we've been go, go, go the whole time. It hasn't really hit yet but this is what we came out here for and we've accomplished it - we now are going to the NCAA Tournament and we're excited about trying to find out where we play next. We are looking forward to practice on Tuesday because there is no better feeling than going to practice after the Atlantic 10 Championship.
Koch On One Goal Lead Against Charlotte In The First Half
It was a long time coming; we had three other chances that we didn't put away and it gets to the point where you get stuck and you're nervous because you missed those chances early. You wonder "are we going to get other chances like it?" but we put the pressure on them and our guys played very well in the first half controlling a lot of the possessions. It was a relief that we got it because we missed some earlier opportunities.
Koch On Strategy After Prince's Goal
We dropped one person back more into the midfield; we played with one striker just to solidify the midfield a little more. The game didn't really change; they were starting to put us under pressure. It wasn't for another five to ten minutes after Prince his goal away that we started to feel like we were in a comfortable position.
Koch On The Game Clock Hitting Zero
It was a relief and just excitement for the players. They have worked so hard to get there. We've had some tough years and the guys have hung in there and I'm very, very proud of what they have accomplished and what they did. It was huge for them and it was huge for the Alumni who support us. I'm really proud for those guys who have supported us and hung in there with us. They are getting a bit of a reward just as we are.
Koch On The Support Of Athletic Trainer Kristin Wilson
When you're playing three games in four days, we have an athletic staff member that has done a great job and that's Kristin Wilson. Without her we couldn't have done this. She really helped get us through those games. Physically, the wear and tear on you is unbelievable. We played on a really wet and muddy field. You're getting chewed up all the time and it's even harder on our guys. She was able to make sure they were ready to go.
Koch On Simmon's Progession Under Jon Davy
There's no question that the two go hand-and-hand. You have a teacher that gives you the right information and the right ways to do things, and you have a pupil that is a 4.0 student that takes that information and puts it all together. It's a two way street between the two of them.
Senior Defender Kenny Cook On Making The NCAA Tournament
It's unbelievable; I'm so proud of our team. It's a great feeling, a culmination of everything we've been working for all season. I couldn't be more proud of our guys and our coaching staff, everyone from top to bottom, it's a team effort, no individual efforts whatsoever.
Redshirt Junior Goalkeeper Zack Simmons On Winning A-10 Tournament
It's pretty unbelievable; if you told us at the beginning of the season this was going to happen, I don't think we would have believed it. At this point in the season I can honestly say that we deserved to win the A-10 Tournament and that we worked hard and I feel like we were the best team.
Simmons On The Reality Of The NCAA Tournament Birth
It's hard to believe at this point because you used to watch it when you were 10 and 12 on TV and you think "oh man this is my dream to play in the NCAA Tournament one day" and all of a sudden its here so it's definitely something exciting, but I don't think it has really sunk in for full effect yet.
Simmons On First Time For Team Members To Reach NCAA Tournament
I think having that inexperience and being new to it is kind of a better situation. We are just going to be there thinking we have nothing to lose, because we don't. I don't think anyone said we would be here and we didn't even think it ourselves. We realized it completely realistic to be there. We're going to be going out there with so much energy and excitement and I'm going to be looking forward to it.