Nov. 28, 2008
Portland:
Head Coach Garrett Smith
"You've got to give Stanford a lot of credit. I mean they are very tough to play at home and I think, as I told my team, that this was probably one of the best game of soccer played in country because you had two teams out there that really wanted to play. They weren't just trying to run over the top of us, they tried to run around and I think that at the end of the day it was a great performance on both teams' parts."
"In a close game like that, one goal was going to decide it, and to be scored so late in the game, as all close games are decided. That being said, I have to give my team a lot of credit because it was one of the best defensive performances that we've had all season. It wasn't just one particular individual, it was team defense. We had Sophie Smith chasing it all over the back from a forward position. At the end of the day we also had a chance to win it. Great defense for both teams and again, one goal decided the game."
"The reality is that as soon as the playoffs start, there is only one team that will end the season happy. The best team wins a national championship. Every team that is in the playoffs is a competitive team, as we are, and it wasn't nice to lose, but we also know the reality of it, that only one team finishes the season on a high note. And we have been there before."
"We relish the fact that there is more competition. We encourage it, because that is what we want to play. We don't schedule during the regular season to beat eight to nothing. We want to play good teams like this. These are the games that we really love, because that is what we have. We have very competitive players; we have international players that want those competitive games. So it is a testament to wanting more and more competitive teams."
"It is great to see Stanford going to the final four again. I think it has been a while since they have been there, they are a great program, they have a great athletic department, and always a great women's soccer program. I think we prevented them from going in 2002 in penalty kicks. It's a great program, so that is the reality of it. We want more and more teams out there. You have to be sharp, you have to have a full compliment of players to win it all, and the years we do we have done very well, and years we don't we have quarterfinal or semi final loss."
On Christen Press:
"She is one the most creative players and any coach would love to have her. I mean, you don't really coach a player like that; you just kind of let them run. She caused problems all night long, at the same time, we worked very hard to keep her in front of us and one of the things that I am most proud of my team about is that we kept chasing her back. She is a quality player, a real game changer. "
Sophomore Midfielder, Sophie Schmidt:
On Stanford's goal:
"She was coming down the right had side of the field, my left hand side, She went to cross the ball, it was more of a shot-cross. And she hit it pretty hard and she bounced off, It took a turn toward the near post and I tried to react, but it was hit really hard and, I just couldn't."
Senior Forward, Megan Rapinoe:
"I think we know the reality of the playoffs, now that we are here. Obviously we aren't happy about it, but I don't think we have anything to hang our heads about. Like coach was saying, I think we played as hard as we possibly could, I think we played well tonight, we had our chances, we contained them pretty well, except they got one goal. Actually, it was off a deflection, so there is not much that Kelsey could do about that. We are sad, but it was a great season. We wanted to go into a final four, but I think we have so much to be proud about, that there is no way we could ever say that this season was a disappointment with everything we had to go through, losing those players. I think obviously we are disappointed, but we are more than proud of our season."
On the first half:
"I think when two of the top teams in the country meet, I think that is what you are going get. It was a battle the first half of the game, it kept going back and forth. Both teams had a lot of chances, just feeling it out. I think that in the second part of the first half, we kind of settled in, as did they and the game kind of clamed down a bit."
Stanford:
Head Coach Paul Ratcliffe:
"First of all I am very proud of the team. It was a hard-fought victory against a really talented Portland team. Overall, I just thought that it was an exceptional game."
"I am very excited about getting to the College Cup, but our job isn't done yet. We want to win the national title; it has always been our goal, since the beginning of the season. We will celebrate a little bit, but ultimately we want to win the entire thing."
On the goal that was called back:"Apparently it was a foul or a high foot on the goalkeeper, I think. I'm not sure, it was hard to see. And it was disappointing, but the good thing was that I saw our team kind of rise above it, and they seemed to lift the level a little bit more. It almost seemed to make them angry, that they got a goal taken away from them and they came back and scored a great goal."
On Noyola's sub:
"She played very well and she did a great job. It was a tactical change at the end of the game, trying to find the best formula against that Portland defense."
On Portland's defense:
"I thought that they were a very well-coached team. Their goalkeeper was superb, and their defense was very organized. Megan Rapinoe is, I think, one of the best players in the country. Overall, they had a high level of play the entire time."
On being a possible underdog at the College Cup:"I don't really think about it to much, I think we need to play to the best of our abilities. Realize that we are meant to be there, we are a great team. Play hard all the way through, like we have done all season and just take care of business and try to win the national title. Ultimately, I don't know if there is a team that is an underdog or a team that is suppose to win it. When you get to the final four, it's anyone's game. Whoever gets hot, you get a little luck, it's anyone's."
"We've played North Carolina. We've played UCLA, should they get there. Notre Dame is the only team we haven't played, which ironically we will play in the first game. And of course, Portland is a final four team."
"I think that the secret is the quality of the players. We have fantastic players; they are dedicated and have a great spirit as a team, with great leadership. There are a lot of ingredients that make us a great team, but overall from back to front we have fantastic players."
On his seniors:
"I think that the seniors are critical in that they have this intangible, which is experience and leadership. And their leadership is just phenomenal, they are wonderful people, they care about all the members of the team and they want to lead us all the way. And we want to do it for them as well because we know it is their last chance."
Freshman Forward Lindsay Taylor:
On Portland's toughness:
"I mean they are a tough team, I mean we had to battle all game long. In play-off games, you always have to battle and give it your all every second of the game, because anything can happen. We just kept pushing, we knew we were going to get a goal and we did in the last ten minutes of the game."
"It great to finally get here, I mean we have been working so hard all year. So I'd say we definitely deserve it. We came out tonight to get the win and we did."
On the seniors:
"They have been great. They have great leadership and they have been working hard all season, and it is great that they are going to the final four after the haven't gotten there for the past few years."
On going to the College Cup as a freshman:
"It has really been a great year. Our team has worked really hard for this and it is really great to finally get to our goal. Then hopefully to continue and get to that national championship game and win it. We have all worked really hard and it is a great feeling to be here now."
On playing with Christen Press:
"We have been playing together since we were 13 or 14. It was great to be playing with her now. Coming in here we definitely saw the potential of our team and the team that was already here. And I think it is great to come into such a great team already and to hopefully add to it."
Sophomore Forward Christen Press:
"I think that it has been a pattern. We have had a lot of chances in a lot of games, and we haven't always scored early, so I think that as a team we are kind of getting used to it. It is comforting to know that in the last two games we have scored in the last five minutes so we try to keep our confidence up."
"When I looked at the clock and there was six minutes left, I didn't think that there was a good chance that it would go into overtime, especially since we did get a late, late goal in the last game. But even if it did go into overtime, I had confidence that we could get a goal."
On the game's atmosphere:
"It was amazing. There was so much energy with all the fans and my team is great."
On the seniors:
"Our senior class is just amazing. They are amazing leaders on and off the field. I feel like they kind of watch over us, especially me, I feel like they always have our backs. They are always making sure that we are inline. I think that it is something that is in the back of all of our minds, that we don't want this to be the last game we play with them."
Senior Defender, Allison Falk:
"Portland is a very talented team and we aren't perfect. So I think that there will be those lucky breaks. I think that soccer is about talent, but at the end of the day it is also a little bit about luck. I think that we were fortunate that it was a crossbar, but I also think that we had a lot of unlucky chances offensively that could have gone in as well."
"I am just so excited. It has been an amazing senior year so far, and I just don't want it to end. So just so excited to go to North Carolina for the first time my senior year. Just give it all that you've got and that is all that you can do."