Head Coach Gary Gait Post-Game Quotes
Syracuse vs. Towson
May 11, 2008
Gary Gait Quotes
Opening Statement:
“Saturday we will be hosting North Carolina. We’re excited. I think today went well, considering we had a couple weeks off. We were a little dusty, but they stepped up and played great. We did a great job responding to the pressure and we finished the game well.”
On playing again in the Carrier Dome:
“We’re definitely happy. I think it allows us to stick to our normal preparation. It’s nice to be able to practice here and then play here. It will be nice practicing all week in the Dome and actually getting to play in here. It’s definitely nice to be at home and have your fans and friends and family. It will be nice to take all of the travel and all of that out of it. I think that will help.”
On the performance of Katie Rowan:
“It was a quiet 13 points. We just stuck to our offense, and we work on Katie stepping up in big games. It’s the NCAA Tournament and she has her biggest game. You have to be happy with that. She does a great job keeping her head up. All the players on the team work hard and cutting hard, moving hard, sticking to the offensive sets and plays and they did a nice job finishing.”
On Lindsay Rogers’ clear:
“I think it was a nice clear. The hustle on it was great and the effort - I think that energizes people. As a coach, a clear is a clear. It boosts the energy seeing that type of effort. I was happy seeing her get the ball down and being ready to play. That’s our goal. I’d like to have five or six more clears back that you do over again that’s for sure.”
On Katie Rowan’s difference now from day one:
“Experience. The way she plays, she’s had a bunch of games being shut off, taking the best defender, gaining experience keeping her head up, and I think she talked about that. She knows how to drive to the net and back out and drive to the net and keep her head up. Our players know that if they work hard and cut hard and not just take up space and clear space, but actually cut to score, she’ll find them, and that’s what she did today. I think that comes from experience of a long season.”
On Syracuse’s shot accuracy:
“We took good shots. We matched up pretty well against this goalie. We did a nice job knowing the way that she plays, and the shots they took were good. We need to work on where to shoot the ball and what we need to do, and it’s great that they executed.”
On whether he expected to play North Carolina:
“I had a gut feeling to be honest that it was going to be Carolina. Don’t ask me why. I just thought that they were hungry and they had an up and down season. They have talent and when talent steps up and plays the way you want them to play they are going to be a very good team and hard to beat.”
On if there is a benefit playing North Carolina:
“We played lots of game against Virginia. Now we have to do our homework on North Carolina. We’ll be prepared and ready to go.”
On if he is disappointed not playing Virginia:
“I think we’d be happy either way. It’s always nice to have a second crack at a team, in a game that you thought didn’t go well, and have a shot to turn it around.”
On what it will take to beat North Carolina:
“I think it’s a little bit early. But just from what I know of Carolina and Coach Levy over the years, you have to be patient. You have to execute and you have to focus on possession, and you have to have tough defense because they can score. They have some players who, if you let them have easy opportunities, will run it up on you.”
On what the difference was between the first game against Towson and the second:
“I think the effort level. They came out prepared. I think last time we caught them off guard. We were able to run it up on them and take a hold of the game early. This time they showed up ready to play. Just their effort level, they played a little more physical.”
On North Carolina coming in excited and having local players coming home to play:
“Well they can be excited. They’re coming home, it’s nice. I think every player on that field is going to be excited. They are all going to be excited and ready to play. We are just going to show up and be prepared.”
On the importance of having a convincing win:
“It was just nice to come out and play and know that we can show up with our offense, and make it happen, when we need to especially after a couple weeks off. I’ve been in a lot of tournaments, if we win by 20 it doesn’t really matter for the next game. It’s how you play the next game. It’s a nice win and that’s key. Ask Virginia, they would have liked to win by one. It’s not how much it’s just the W. We just have to focus.”
On the personal achievement of going far in the tournament this year:
“That’s the plan. That’s the goal since I took the job here and before I took the job here, to win the tournament. It would be great. Now I have to go back to work. I have a great staff, and my wife, God bless her, she hasn’t had the greatest Mother’s Day yet, but we’ll take care of that. We have to go back to work to make a run next week. It’s going to be a lot of work, but we’re ready.”
May 11, 2008
Gary Gait Quotes
Opening Statement:
“Saturday we will be hosting North Carolina. We’re excited. I think today went well, considering we had a couple weeks off. We were a little dusty, but they stepped up and played great. We did a great job responding to the pressure and we finished the game well.”
On playing again in the Carrier Dome:
“We’re definitely happy. I think it allows us to stick to our normal preparation. It’s nice to be able to practice here and then play here. It will be nice practicing all week in the Dome and actually getting to play in here. It’s definitely nice to be at home and have your fans and friends and family. It will be nice to take all of the travel and all of that out of it. I think that will help.”
On the performance of Katie Rowan:
“It was a quiet 13 points. We just stuck to our offense, and we work on Katie stepping up in big games. It’s the NCAA Tournament and she has her biggest game. You have to be happy with that. She does a great job keeping her head up. All the players on the team work hard and cutting hard, moving hard, sticking to the offensive sets and plays and they did a nice job finishing.”
On Lindsay Rogers’ clear:
“I think it was a nice clear. The hustle on it was great and the effort - I think that energizes people. As a coach, a clear is a clear. It boosts the energy seeing that type of effort. I was happy seeing her get the ball down and being ready to play. That’s our goal. I’d like to have five or six more clears back that you do over again that’s for sure.”
On Katie Rowan’s difference now from day one:
“Experience. The way she plays, she’s had a bunch of games being shut off, taking the best defender, gaining experience keeping her head up, and I think she talked about that. She knows how to drive to the net and back out and drive to the net and keep her head up. Our players know that if they work hard and cut hard and not just take up space and clear space, but actually cut to score, she’ll find them, and that’s what she did today. I think that comes from experience of a long season.”
On Syracuse’s shot accuracy:
“We took good shots. We matched up pretty well against this goalie. We did a nice job knowing the way that she plays, and the shots they took were good. We need to work on where to shoot the ball and what we need to do, and it’s great that they executed.”
On whether he expected to play North Carolina:
“I had a gut feeling to be honest that it was going to be Carolina. Don’t ask me why. I just thought that they were hungry and they had an up and down season. They have talent and when talent steps up and plays the way you want them to play they are going to be a very good team and hard to beat.”
On if there is a benefit playing North Carolina:
“We played lots of game against Virginia. Now we have to do our homework on North Carolina. We’ll be prepared and ready to go.”
On if he is disappointed not playing Virginia:
“I think we’d be happy either way. It’s always nice to have a second crack at a team, in a game that you thought didn’t go well, and have a shot to turn it around.”
On what it will take to beat North Carolina:
“I think it’s a little bit early. But just from what I know of Carolina and Coach Levy over the years, you have to be patient. You have to execute and you have to focus on possession, and you have to have tough defense because they can score. They have some players who, if you let them have easy opportunities, will run it up on you.”
On what the difference was between the first game against Towson and the second:
“I think the effort level. They came out prepared. I think last time we caught them off guard. We were able to run it up on them and take a hold of the game early. This time they showed up ready to play. Just their effort level, they played a little more physical.”
On North Carolina coming in excited and having local players coming home to play:
“Well they can be excited. They’re coming home, it’s nice. I think every player on that field is going to be excited. They are all going to be excited and ready to play. We are just going to show up and be prepared.”
On the importance of having a convincing win:
“It was just nice to come out and play and know that we can show up with our offense, and make it happen, when we need to especially after a couple weeks off. I’ve been in a lot of tournaments, if we win by 20 it doesn’t really matter for the next game. It’s how you play the next game. It’s a nice win and that’s key. Ask Virginia, they would have liked to win by one. It’s not how much it’s just the W. We just have to focus.”
On the personal achievement of going far in the tournament this year:
“That’s the plan. That’s the goal since I took the job here and before I took the job here, to win the tournament. It would be great. Now I have to go back to work. I have a great staff, and my wife, God bless her, she hasn’t had the greatest Mother’s Day yet, but we’ll take care of that. We have to go back to work to make a run next week. It’s going to be a lot of work, but we’re ready.”
