Quotes from Field Hockey Final Four Press Conference
11/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 18, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest's field hockey head coach Jennifer Averill and team co-captains Minou Gimbrere and Aileen Davis met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the team's upcoming trip to the Final Four.
Second-seeded Wake Forest will play third-seeded Syracuse on Friday in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. ET in Louisville, Ky. The game will broadcast over the internet on NCAAsports.com
Coach Jennifer Averill
On receiving ACC Coach of the Year...
"I'd rather trade that in for the ACC Championship any day. It's a great reflection on my coaching staff and our support staff and our kids but we're not hunting those awards, we're looking for hardware."
On the secret to Wake's success...
"There is no deep secret. We try to employ the fact that our kids have a solid work ethic and that they humble themselves every year so we try and put ourselves in a position to hunt that trophy at the end of the year. We have a really talented team this year and I think we still have some of our best hockey to play."
On her thoughts on how the season has progressed...
"I'm very pleased with the way things are unfolding. We've had some stumbling blocks along the way that have been great and fruitful for us to learn from and we've done a great job of taking apart each part of the game to reflect on and make ourselves better."
On the upcoming game against Syracuse...
"They're unbelievably talented and they have that record for a reason. They have an incredibly powerful attacking corner that we need to be mindful of. They have strength right up the gut so we need to keep the ball out of there. Their counterattack is extremely threatening so we need to make sure that our transition game is there."
On the level of play in ACC Field Hockey...
"It's been incredible, this year more than in years past. Two weeks ago when we were at the ACC Championship, it was proof. We played BC the week before and they were a completely different team the second time around. It behooves us and puts us in a great position. It really prepares you for what you're going to get from your opponents outside of the conference."
Junior Aileen Davis (Co-Captain, Backfield)
On the team's ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Final Four
"It's always a great experience to be back and you don't want to take it for granted. Every year you're a different team and this year I think we've proven that we have what it takes but we still have to go out and prove ourselves."
On the University of North Carolina dropping out in the first round...
"We've always had great matches against UNC and we respect them. Personally, I was a little down because it's always nice to see the other ACC teams do well in the NCAA tournament."
On the score (7-1) in the win against American...
"It's always a good way to start a tournament, to set the tone for what you want to do in the tournament. We tried to start on the right foot right at the start. The score didn't really reflect how intense the match was though."
On playing Syracuse in the Final Four...
"We've never played them before but we've heard a lot about them through other teams. I think they've had a great season. They've only lost one match. It's always exciting to play a different team."
On the possibility of winning a National Championship...
"It's what we work for throughout the year and when you've put so much effort in starting in the summer months, it's a big deal. That's our main goal, not just to get to the championship finals, but to actually win it. "
Senior Minou Gimbrere (Co-Captain, Midfield/Back)
On the strain of playing such a long season...
"This is the most exciting part of the season and this is why we play. It's gone well and it's only getting more exciting."
On the level of play in ACC Field Hockey...
"The ACC tournament is great for us because we see so many great teams. We play at a high level and we know our opponents well. I like it. We could see Maryland in the National Championship."
On deciding to play field hockey in the United States over Holland...
"There is a club system in Holland. It was a little difficult [for me to come here] and I didn't know how big it was here. As soon as I got here though, I saw how intense it was and I loved it."
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