University of Massachusets Athletics
Colgate Press Conference Quotes
May 17, 2007 | Softball
May 17, 2007
Coach Vickie Sax's general comments
"We are very excited about the opportunity to be here after beating Lehigh. We want to take the field with Oklahoma with a no fear attitude."
Whitney Scott on strengths of team
I think we have a really strong defense. I am really proud of the way we have been playing lately. We've been playing with a lot of heart. We are going all out. I see a lot of really nice plays, where you don't think the ball is going to be caught and then someone comes out of nowhere. We are great at communicating, making sure that people don't get hurt and talking to each other about who is going to get the ball. We just have an overall great team chemistry."
Kourtney Hannah on Lehigh Game
"In the second game, when we beat Lehigh, our pitching helped us out a lot. Kelsey came in hard. We were ready to beat them that time. We had a lot of trouble the first time because we were placed in a sticky situation. We had to travel there instead of playing at home, which was not planned. So, when we played them the second time, Kelsey was prepared, and she came in hard."
Scott on difficulties of Lehigh loss
"We were not expecting to travel in the middle of the day, going to a different field, and playing in Lehigh's home dugout. There were a lot of things that were unexpected. We came out really hard, I just think we were so upset with the way things had happened that, especially because we don't get that many home games. Here was this rival team, and we had to go to their field, and it was just horrible. Once things started going downhill, they just kept going. I don't account for that game for anything. In the Patriot League, it is do or die, so you usually come out hard, and we were ready to go."
Kelsey Nordstrom on personal preparation for games
"We have had game film, but I think I am going to stick with my game plan going into it. Our coaching staff has looked at it and talked to me a little bit about each individual hitter, but I think I am going to stick with my game plan because it has worked well for me all season."
Sax on Nordstrom
"It got her into the 'Big Dance,' why stop now?"
Sax on the team's similar position to Lehigh last year
"Last year, it was Texas A&M that Lehigh came in and beat twice. They are a tough ball club, just like Oklahoma. I think one thing that is neat, looking at this years schedule, is that Texas Tech beat Oklahoma. Lehigh has beaten Texas Tech, and Colgate has beaten Lehigh, so we are going at Oklahoma with everything we have. Anyway you want to look at it, we are going at them hard. That is the game plan.
Sax on the difference in the last eight games
"We have talked about finishing the season strong. We have been learning from our experiences and our mistakes throughout the entire season, and coming together. Kelsey has built momentum for herself, personally, since the beginning of the season. She has used this as incentive and momentum coming into the end of the year. For the players as well, we are coming into the home stretch and they needed to get some other things off their mind, such as finishing their academics strong, doing well on finals. This is what we have been talking about since the very beginning of the year. The very first practice on January 21, we said this is where we start, with a big trip to Louisiana, and this is where we want to end. As you start to come down the home stretch, things just need to be a little more defined and focused."
Scott on finishing strong
"Seeing us play in the beginning of the year, and watching us play now-you are watching two completely different teams. I don't think it has anything to do with skill or talent. I think that it is all passion, and all heart. I think it has to do with wanting to go out and play the best we can. I agree with Coach Saks that once finals are over, that helps a lot, but I think that all of us just realized we did not use the extent of our talent in the beginning of the year. It wasn't worth it to play the whole season and then come up short at the end, when we know what we have."
Nordstrom on feeling of being here
"I know that in the years past, the older girls told me, 'it's so sweet, it's so sweet.' But we did not get a chance to experience it, until this year. So it is nice to actually feel what those girls were talking about. It is a lot sweeter to experience it than to talk about it."
Sax on preparation after Oklahoma
"We rely on some scouting reports, and talk to other teams that have played them. But we are not going to change our game. We are going to keep on bringing what has gotten us this far. Like Whitney said, we are going to come out with a lot of passion and heart. And like Kelsey said, she is sticking with her same pitching game plan. It is just another team and that is all there is to it."