Dec. 6, 2008

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

Randy Waldrum, Head Coach
Opening Statement:
“We’re just extremely excited to be playing for the championship on Sunday. I thought that as we all knew we have four very good teams here and Stanford was certainly no exception tonight. I thought they were very good in the second half. I felt like they put us under a lot of pressure in the second half but they needed the goal to chase the game a little bit. I’m sure if the shoe were on the other foot we would have been the one chasing it a little. I’m extremely proud, I thought defensively we were very good all night and I think we’ve been that way all year. I’m just proud of the girls and the effort and it was a great game. I hope the fans enjoyed it.”

On the defensive back line in the second half with Stanford pressuring:
“They’ve been great all year. It’s something that we’ve been so good offensively I think that a lot of people have overlooked our back line, but I think that Carrie Dew and Jessica Schuveiller have been great up the middle and Elise Weber and Julie Scheidler and of course tonight Kelsey was fantastic in goal for us with a couple of really big saves to keep us in the lead. Good teams have to have that.”

On the freshman connection:
“They’ve been great all year. They’ve both been fantastic and as the year has gone on they’ve gotten better and better. I feel they are two of the most talented freshmen in the country. These two young ladies have done a great job for us and have come in and played like veterans. They are exactly as advertised, they’ve been great.”

Kelsey Lysander, GK
On Notre Dame’s team chemistry:
“It’s awesome. It’s not just with offense or defense, it’s everybody on this team coming together and playing as a family.”

On mentality as a goal keeper:
“As a goal keeper you have one job to do and that’s keep the ball out of the net. You’re going to be nervous, it’s the Final Four. You know Stanford’s an amazing team you have to respect that, but you just have to focus.”

Courtney Barg, M/F
On her goal:
“I’m really excited and little surprised. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Melissa had a great cross and I just happened to be there.”

Melissa Henderson, F
On being part of a great team right away:
“It’s been amazing. Coming in with this team is an honor and a blessing because every person on this team is amazing. On and off the field they are great.”

Stanford Head Coach Paul Ratcliffe
“I feel like it was a tough game, a well fought game. Notre Dame is a very strong team, and I give them credit. In the second half I though we came out very strong, and we deserved more than the 1-0 loss. I thought we created some good chances, and we just couldn’t break the ice. But overall I thought it was a good game, a high level game and I’m proud of my team’s effort.”

“The first half I thought we were a little impatient in our build up play and we didn’t get enough numbers in the attack, and in the second half we wanted to get our outside backs involved in the attack, and get our midfielders more involved and maybe make one or two more passes than we were making in the first half, and get more numbers in the box and in the critical areas.”

“That was our basic game plan, and also to keep possession for a little longer overall as a team, and I thought we did that very well, and we executed other things and its unfortunate we didn’t break the ice. Their goalkeeper came up with some big plays, and they are a resilient team.”

On this year:
“It’s been a spectacular season, the team has played great soccer the entire year and I’m proud of every one of them. We’re happy to be in the final four, but we really wanted to win the national title, so obviously we’re all disappointed.”

Christen Press
“It’s a little frustrating at times but I think that’s the nature of soccer. Their defense dropped off a lot, so it was more open to take long range shots.”

Kira Maker
On the goal:
“They broke through and got the shot, and I wish I could have been there for the team but unfortunately I wasn’t on that play. But we played a tough game. It was a well placed shot, and unfortunately I couldn’t get there in time.”

Allison Falk
“We played very strong defensively and I thought we played very well as a team, especially in the second half. I thought we got a little unlucky, and they got lucky and broke through and we had one break down in the first half, and they got a goal and we didn’t, so that’s soccer.”

“It was a great season, and I couldn’t ask for anything more, other than to win this game. I’m proud of the team and how we played, it was a very talented team this year.”