2003 WPW hosts Southern Division Tournament (Day 1) -- Quotes
3/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
U-M Head Coach Matt Anderson
On his thoughts throughout the Indiana game ... "For most of the week, I was apprehensive because we were missing two starters and one of our first girls off the bench. We were short three people right away. Then I realized that if I have faith in the players on the bench and they had faith in themselves, it did not matter who was out there. This game proved a point. Indiana has been playing excellent. They had all the momentum coming in but this game showed that whether we are full strength of not, you have to go through Michigan if you want to be the best team in the East. Indiana is going to be there at the end, but I think a lot of people were doubting if we were going to be there because we took a few tough losses out in California. Just because you lose does not mean you did not play well. We were trying to adjust to losing three people and while you may not have played well as far as on the scoreboard, that does not mean you did not become better as a team."
On what he told the players at halftime of the Indiana game ... "I told them that even though it was 5-1 we had controlled the tempo of the game and we would reel them back in. Fortunately we were able to."
On the turning point in the game ... "I think it was when they were unable to deliver that final blow. They slowly let us back in throughout the second half and they were unable to nail the coffin shut. We got the first few goals in the third period and at that point it was a whole new ballgame. We controlled the first quarter, they controlled the second, and we were controlling the third. I think they realized in the third period that we had controlled the majority of the game to that point. That is what you look for as a coach."
On the crowd ... "I was very pleased with the crowd. We may have a very good record overall against Indiana, but the reality is the amount of overtime and one-goal games is unbelievable in this series. It may look good on paper, but six goals one way or the other and it is an even series."
On what the team accomplished in the 18-2 win over Grove City ... "With a game like that, we were able to play 21 players. From there, you try to pick two or three players and try and see if they can set, see if they can play two-meter defense and see if they can shoot from the outside. Everyone else then tries to focus on the task at hand."
Junior Center Julie Nisbet
On her game-winning goal against Indiana ... "Scoring goals like that is why you play water polo. That is the most fun part. Any game that goes into overtime is fun, but especially against your rival in your home pool with a crowd like this. That is the best part about being an athlete. It is why you play."
On if she was confident in overtime ... "You have to look at the game as a whole. I think we had the momentum going into overtime, because we had been chipping away at the lead. You do not go in feeling like we are going to win this game, but you have the confidence the momentum gives you."
On her thoughts at halftime ... "You are worried at halftime but you do not want it to show. We scored 12 goals against them in the first game and only one in the first half tonight. You just have to stop as a team and figure out what we were not doing right and what we needed to change."
On playing without the injured players ... "We are a team that does not depend on any one particular person every game, even when we are at full strength. Different people step it up every game. That is why I think we do not get too worried when we lose a player. It is just the kind of team we are."
On what the team struggling with in the first half ... "I think they got two or three goals and we went into shock a little. We were not getting it done defensively. We were giving them shots that we should not have, we were not getting back on defense and they were getting really good looks that they were capitalizing on. We got sucked down into two-meters and then they scored from the top. We also were not shooting and we only had one goal to show for it. We were not making the goalie work and block our shots. I think second we realized that we had to just shoot the ball and make the goalie stop us."
Sophomore Goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong
On the Indiana win ... "I felt confident that we could pull the game out. We always have close games with Indiana and it always seems to go into overtime or right down to the wire. It was exciting to have it close like that."
On the turning point in the game ... "I think it was halftime. We came out a lot stronger on defense and that gave me more confidence that they would not get a good shot off."
Sophomore Driver Sheetal Narsai
On her game-tying penalty shot against IU ... "I was praying. Every time I pray it usually goes in. I tried not to focus on anything else and just picture the ball in the back of the cage."
On what the team struggled with in the first half ... "I think we all were nervous. Defensively we were not doing what our coach said. We were not dropping down in the zone and it left them open in the hole-set. There were some mismatches there."
Sophomore Defender Kristin Hoogenboom
On her school-record six goals against Grove City ... "They were just leaving me open. What made it easy was that Coach Anderson said that I was the only player allowed to shoot in the third quarter. I like to shoot from the outside and I was able to do that and try to shoot cross-cage."
