Dec. 7, 2008
2008 National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship
Dec. 7, 2008
USC Over Stanford (7-5)
------Stanford-----
Head coach John Vargas:
"I give credit to SC, they played well they did a nice job. I am proud of our guys. We absolutely went for it. That's all I can ask of the guys. The outcome just wasn't what we wanted."
On pre-season rankings...
"I think we believed we were going to be here and we accomplished what we set out to, which was to be in this final game. We just didn't accomplish the final goal. So as a group, we knew we were one of the top teams in the country. It was just a matter of putting it together every single week. And for the most part we did."
On differences in the game between the teams...
"They are a very physical team, there is no question. I think that we did need to be a little bit more mobile. Even then, we had our opportunities, and they did a nice job of shot-blocking."
On Sandman's play Sunday...
"There is no question, the difference between last year's team and this year's team and the reason why we are in every game is because of Jimmie's play. There is no question in my mind that Jimmie is the best goalie in the country and, if he chooses to, he is a 2012 Olympian in my opinion."
On turning points in the game...
"First half, Jimmie getting nailed in the head on that goal that put them up two. They are good and it's tough to come back on that and that hurt us a little bit. But to the guys' credit, we came back and we were going after it, but going down by two or three, that's tough. We had our opportunities."
Utility Will Hindel-Katel:
On the past four years...
"It's really been a privilege to play here for four years. I know I've loved every minute of it. When this season started we knew that we wanted to be in this game at home. I wanted this to be my final game. Obviously, the outcome is not what we wanted but we made it to that game, and I am proud of that."
Goalkeeper Jimmie Sandman:
On having the early lead...
"I think [USC] going up two goals instead of one at half hurt us a little more than I'd like to think it would have. Our defense played really well and that helps me play well. I think collectively we all played a pretty good game, just not good enough."
On building for next year...
Next year is a long way away. We definitely have a lot of work to do in the offseason, not just in the pool but getting in shape out of the pool too. We are definitely going to miss the four guys that are heading out. It will be tough coming back next year, but we should look pretty strong."
On senior leadership...
This guy right here (Hindel-Katel) is one of the most incredible leaders that I have been on a team with. Not only just firing the team up but getting the team focused and saying all the right things at our team meetings that get everybody working towards that collective goal. The collective goal is to get to the national championship and win it. Like coach said, we were just one step short."
-----USC---
Head coach Jovan Vavic:
"Defense wins championships. It is as simple as that. We have been the best defensive team in the nation all season and our guys came ready today and played great defense. We were not necessarily great at offense, but we did what we needed to do. Both guys next to me (Ligtenberg and Buckner) did a great job handling Stanford's big guys. I thought that J.W. Krumpholz was outstanding, he had a couple of great shots. It was a great team effort. It was one of those games where every player that was in contributed and I am very proud of them."
On penalty shots making a difference in turning the game...
"I didn't think it was, it was so early in the game. One key goal, in my opinion, was Jordan Thompson's goal, because we were in there with our second rotation and many of our starters were resting and we had a period of three, four minutes where we were going up and down, up and down, and Jordan just buried the goal. Obviously in the end J.W. Krumpholz's goal was huge. But every goal is big."
On Shea Buckner's performance...
"Shea was absolutely the toughest player in the water today. Shea and J.W. and Arjan. But Shea really stepped it up today. This was the best game of his career. When we needed him he stepped up and put the ball away but he also played incredible defense today."
On Stanford's Jimmie Sandman as goalie...
I thought that the entire Stanford team had an incredible season and I really have to give John Vargas lots of credit for preparing the team. This is a young team. People maybe don't really realize how young and how good this team is. They are kind of similar to us last year, because the leadership of that team is juniors and seniors. There are a couple of great seniors like we had last year, but the majority of the team are younger players. I think that Sandman was outstanding the entire year. He is the leader of that team and he stepped it up. We worried about Sandman for this game and every game, I think that he had a great year."
On strategy against the Wigo brothers...
"We do have to worry about the Wigo brothers because they are very dangerous outside shooters. We usually put our best defenders on them. J.W. was guarding number seven (Janson), and a lot of times one of our other better defenders was guarding number 10 (Drac). Absolutely, they are a big concern for us. Our plan is always to make sure that we know where they are in the water. If you forget where they are, you are going to get punished."
Arjan Ligtenberg:
On playing in his hometown area..."It's a dream come true. Everything I've imagined and what I'd hoped for. It's why I came to SC."
On family and friends cheering...
"My whole family lives here. This is where I grew up. A lot of friends came. It was great playing in front of them."
On playing for Coach Vavic...
"Its fantastic, he prepares us like no other coach. He gives us everything we need and sets us free. The game plan he gives us has absolutely no holes in it. We know exactly what to do, every single situation. He spends hours, days, months preparing us for this one game and it definitely shows in the water. Every single situation, we know what to do. He's been training us our whole careers for this moment. It's great having a coach who knows his stuff and works for this goal, with you. It really helps."
On the difference between freshman win and this win vs. Stanford...
I've put in three more years. My freshman year, (the win) just came to me because of the upperclassmen and I was fortunate enough to be part of that team and to be able to help them win the championship. But I've put in three more years to get back to the same spot. It definitely means, not to take anything away, but it definitely means a lot more to win it my senior year."
Shea Buckner:
On emotions as part of his game...
"Yes, especially in the championship game, we are trying to win for our seniors, we are putting everything on the line. Emotions are high. When things go your way you are excited. Things were going our way. Joel was firing me up left and right, making those incredible blocks out there. Thompson and Rappel, getting awesome shots. I was just fired up. It was a great experience, just trying to enjoy it as much as I can."
"All of our friends, our old teammates, all of our best friends leading the cheers, it was awesome, a great experience."
On Arjan's leadership...
"I've looked up to Arjan since I came to USC. He's the best defender on our team. Every two-meter man who comes up against him, they don't want anything to do with Arjan. So they go in for two seconds and swim out and bring in a post-up. Arjan is just devastating trying to set up against. He's seven feet tall, 260-270 pounds, it's just crazy. Then he leads us down in the counterattack. I look up to Arjan. I can't do what he does when I guard, but I try as much as I can to."
On Playing for Coach Vavic...
"I think it's really evident in our center plays. After another team scores a goal how we come back and the opportunities we create immediately after. It's all how Jovan prepares us for these plays. We work on them and we practice them. Immediately after they score, our goal is to go down there and create an opportunity. I'd say 90% of the time, we do. And against Navy, nine out of 13 times, we did. Tonight out of the four goals, we had at least two or three opportunuies. It's evident in the way we come out in our time out 6-on-5, our time out defense we have plays. We are prepared because of Jovan. He does his research. We are the best-prepared team in the country. Every game."