UMass vs. Ohios State Postgame Quotes

Dec. 15, 2007

Massachusetts Quotes
2007 NCAA College Cup
Friday, Dec. 14, 2007

Opening Statement (Coach Sam Koch)
"This wasn't the time that we wanted to be sitting here. We wanted to be practicing tomorrow. My hat goes off to Ohio State they were big, strong, fast, and move the ball very well. They played a great game my hat off to them and I wish them luck in the final. My hat goes off to my team. Every coach that sits here in the final four are proud of their players and how they perform. I'm extremely proud of this group for what they do off the field as well as on the field. I am a very happy person to be able to coach these guys. In all my years of coach this has definitely been a special time for me and I will never forget it."

Zack Simmons
"It was some sort of a break down in the back. I'm not sure how it was basically a 2-1 we were chasing the game they slotted it by one of our defender it was a one on one and I came out to cut down the angle. Then made the first save causing a rebound he got the rebound luckily I was able to make the second one but I didn't carrier the ball far enough away from the goal and unfortunately in came to there guy and he just roofed it."

"Obviously to make it to the final four no matter what team you are it takes a little bit of luck but a lot of hard work. The work we have put in this year and past year has defiantly lifted this program to new level and hopefully raised the expectation of this program. But I also don't see any reason it can't continue."

"It is a great feeling it was very gratifying. I appreciate what they did and it was very nice of them. You don't need any motivation to play well on a night like tonight. National stage with a lot of people watching so we all decided to bring our A game. Especially at halftime don't leave this locker room unless your going to bring you're A game. I am proud of what the guys did and I think everyone played very well."

Kenneth Cook
"Not really disappointed with what we did today. Obviously we didn't get the result we wanted. This run has been unbelievable I am very proud of this group of guys. And we gave everything we got today on the field. Things didn't go our way we could have done a little bit more to get a few more opportunities. We worked hard and hats off to our group of guys."

"We were able to put a little more pressure on them. But maybe Ohio State took their foot of the pedal a little bit as well. You go up a goal mentally it tough to keep going at it."

Ohio State Quotes
NCAA College Cup
Friday, Dec. 14, 2007

Head Coach John Bluem
"It was a very difficult game, which we anticipated it would be. In watching video tape of Massachusetts before we played them, you could see that they were a very strong, mature, intelligent group of players and that they play with a great deal of heart, and that they defend very well.

"In the first half I thought we played very well and we created numerous chances to score. We spent a lot of energy in doing that, but we came away with nothing. So at halftime, even though I thought we were the better team, it was 0-0.

"In the locker room at half time, we talked about being confident, we talked about doing the same thing and about trying to be the best team in the second half as well.

"Eric Edwards scored a nice goal on a rebound. It wasn't a real clean goal. It was a rebound and a knock-down, but he slammed it in and that gave us the one that we needed. We were fairly confident that we could shut them down after that.

"To their credit, they never quit. Massachusetts kept coming at us and made life very, very difficult for us 'til the end. I salute them for a great game. I salute our players for a great effort and for hanging in there with a 1-0 lead through some adversity down the stretch.

Roger Espinoza
"With my teammates, I think we have the ability to create space. With the team we work hard enough, I think I'll have the space (on Sunday) like I always do. I think with Xavier (Balc) taking people on, that gives me the space in the midfield."

Xavier Balc
"(Zack Simmons) is a great goalkeeper and we knew that going in with that great highlights show that we saw at the banquet the other night. We knew it was going to be a tough game with getting balls past him because he's a big boy and he moves very well. Basically the only way to get it past him was to have him make a good save and while he's on the ground, we'd put it away. It was a tough game and we knew it would be a low-scoring game because both teams have great defenses. We were lucky to get on the good end of one of them."

Casey Latchem
"It's been a whirlwind, really. We're taking every game one at a time, That's been our motto the whole season. I know it's a cliché, but at the same time, it's worked for us. We don't let it go to our heads It's just another game. We need to come out and do the things we do well and perform.

"Tonight they guys played amazing. Zack Simmons played outstanding. He really kept his team in it. He's the heart and soul of that team today. It was amazing. He had incredible saves. We knew going into it that any time we put the ball in the box he was going to come out and get it. It's a credit to our guys for finding a way."

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics

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