Postgame Quotes
Syracuse vs. Virginia
February 27, 2009
Carrier Dome/Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach John Desko
Opening statement:
“Well I have to congratulate the Cavaliers, they played a really good game today. I thought they did a great job of understanding what was going on in the Carrier Dome, with a great crowd and all the music and everything that goes along with it, including the kind of tempo we like to play. I think they did a really nice job with the tempo of the game, especially in the second and the third quarter. It seemed like we played an awful lot of defense. Our defense, especially in the second quarter, got some great stops. Offensively, we didn’t take care of the ball like I think we can. I thought we had too many turnovers and the turnovers on offense really hurt our team. The silver lining would be that the guys showed a lot of character and a lot of heart by never quitting and scoring to get us back in the game. We had an opportunity to win at the end, so that’s all we can ask at our end as far as coming back. We just need to play better for 60 minutes, especially on the offensive side of the field.”
On the final four minutes:
“Well I think we got some groundballs off the faceoff, and got some good stops. John [Galloway] got some good stops in the fourth quarter and we basically told the guys that the clock wasn’t on our side and we needed to make something happen really quick. I think one of the man-up goals helped us get back within one. I think the guys had a pretty good understanding of what we needed to do. Finally, some of the things started to drop for us offensively and we didn’t have the turnovers at the very end until the last play.”
“Well I think we got some groundballs off the faceoff, and got some good stops. John [Galloway] got some good stops in the fourth quarter and we basically told the guys that the clock wasn’t on our side and we needed to make something happen really quick. I think one of the man-up goals helped us get back within one. I think the guys had a pretty good understanding of what we needed to do. Finally, some of the things started to drop for us offensively and we didn’t have the turnovers at the very end until the last play.”
On playing the entire game:
“Hal Luther, our strength and conditioning coach, has done a great job of pushing the guys. We talked the whole fourth quarter about playing hard and not quitting. I think we could see the confidence come back when we started to score goals. With the crowd getting behind us, I think it kind of snowballed and things started to happen for us. I think it’s a never say die attitude.”
“Hal Luther, our strength and conditioning coach, has done a great job of pushing the guys. We talked the whole fourth quarter about playing hard and not quitting. I think we could see the confidence come back when we started to score goals. With the crowd getting behind us, I think it kind of snowballed and things started to happen for us. I think it’s a never say die attitude.”
On the crowd:
“I think it’s great for the fans to come out and see lacrosse at its highest level. Syracuse fans are very educated fans and to be able to see a No. 1 and a No. 2 ranking, with the style of play and the coverage we got, I think it was great for the crowd to be here. I hope they saw a great lacrosse game and they’ll be back to watch us in the future.”
“I think it’s great for the fans to come out and see lacrosse at its highest level. Syracuse fans are very educated fans and to be able to see a No. 1 and a No. 2 ranking, with the style of play and the coverage we got, I think it was great for the crowd to be here. I hope they saw a great lacrosse game and they’ll be back to watch us in the future.”
On Virginia limiting the offense:
“I think that’s what it was. I think we were a little impatient ourselves. All the turnovers we had, with the experience that some of our players have, it really shouldn’t be happening in a game like this. We gave them the ball back and they were more patient than we were. They tried taking the crowd out of the game a little bit and they made the most out of their opportunities, especially in the third quarter.”
“I think that’s what it was. I think we were a little impatient ourselves. All the turnovers we had, with the experience that some of our players have, it really shouldn’t be happening in a game like this. We gave them the ball back and they were more patient than we were. They tried taking the crowd out of the game a little bit and they made the most out of their opportunities, especially in the third quarter.”
On the last 50 seconds:
“We had changed some things offensively. We had two options because they were shorting one of our attackmen. We did have Chris Daniello able to take the short stick behind. We also liked our matchup with Josh Amidon. By bringing him into that group, we had a short stick on him and when he was in with his regular midfield line he was getting the pole most of the time. So those were the things we were looking at. We kind of forced it and the ball squirted out. We went after the groundball and they were aggressive like they had been all game. We put the ball back on the ground and they came up with it and that was the end of the day.”
“We had changed some things offensively. We had two options because they were shorting one of our attackmen. We did have Chris Daniello able to take the short stick behind. We also liked our matchup with Josh Amidon. By bringing him into that group, we had a short stick on him and when he was in with his regular midfield line he was getting the pole most of the time. So those were the things we were looking at. We kind of forced it and the ball squirted out. We went after the groundball and they were aggressive like they had been all game. We put the ball back on the ground and they came up with it and that was the end of the day.”
Kenny Nims, Senior, Attack
On Virginia limiting the offense:
“They definitely played us to our weaknesses. It took us a while to adjust to that. When our defense is down playing the whole time, we try not to go to the cage real fast and create turnovers, but it’s kind of tough not to. We just have to be smarter with the ball like coach said. Even if we’re down by a couple, we have to give our defense a break and really get the ball around and get everyone involved.”
On Virginia limiting the offense:
“They definitely played us to our weaknesses. It took us a while to adjust to that. When our defense is down playing the whole time, we try not to go to the cage real fast and create turnovers, but it’s kind of tough not to. We just have to be smarter with the ball like coach said. Even if we’re down by a couple, we have to give our defense a break and really get the ball around and get everyone involved.”
On the number of turnovers:
“Regardless of what the number was, the way we played was not acceptable or characteristic of our team. So, given that, we still had a chance to win the game. If we come out in practice this week and clean things up, we’re going to keep getting better every week as far as turnovers are concerned. This is an eye-opener for our team. We have to stay humble and we have to get back to square-one and practice hard this week.”
“Regardless of what the number was, the way we played was not acceptable or characteristic of our team. So, given that, we still had a chance to win the game. If we come out in practice this week and clean things up, we’re going to keep getting better every week as far as turnovers are concerned. This is an eye-opener for our team. We have to stay humble and we have to get back to square-one and practice hard this week.”
On the mood change in the second half:
“We knew going into halftime that we weren’t playing our best and it was still 4-4, so I think that was a big confidence booster for us. Also in the first half, our shots weren’t falling the way they normally do. We had to come out in the second half and get everyone touches and just calm down.”
“We knew going into halftime that we weren’t playing our best and it was still 4-4, so I think that was a big confidence booster for us. Also in the first half, our shots weren’t falling the way they normally do. We had to come out in the second half and get everyone touches and just calm down.”
“I think I kind of shot better in the second half. I didn’t really go to the cage as much as I should have in the first half. I was just trying to take what they were giving me. In the second half, I had to make some more plays.”
On playing the whole game:
“I think a lot of other teams would’ve packed up and started thinking about next week. Our guys, it started with last year, the whole turnaround with the attitude and everything. I’m real proud of the way our team played and the character they showed down the stretch. We never quit and that’s what Syracuse lacrosse is all about. We’re going to keep our heads up and prepare for Georgetown.”
“I think a lot of other teams would’ve packed up and started thinking about next week. Our guys, it started with last year, the whole turnaround with the attitude and everything. I’m real proud of the way our team played and the character they showed down the stretch. We never quit and that’s what Syracuse lacrosse is all about. We’re going to keep our heads up and prepare for Georgetown.”
John Lade, Sophomore, Defense
On playing against Danny Glading:
“He’s one of the best attackmen in the nation. I gave it all I had and he got me a few times. Overall, he’s one of the best there is. It was an honor to cover him and hopefully I’ll get him next time.”
On playing against Danny Glading:
“He’s one of the best attackmen in the nation. I gave it all I had and he got me a few times. Overall, he’s one of the best there is. It was an honor to cover him and hopefully I’ll get him next time.”
“I don’t want him to score on me, but he is the best. It might happen, but I just kept my head up high and kept playing and hopefully play harder the next time and learn from my mistakes.”
John Galloway, Sophomore, Goalie
On not giving up at the end:
“I think that’s the great thing about our team, we can just turn it on like that. We were down by five goals, most teams would just give in and let Virginia run the clock out. There’s so much play in our team and that’s something we learned about our character today and I think that’s one of the positives you can take out of the game.”
On not giving up at the end:
“I think that’s the great thing about our team, we can just turn it on like that. We were down by five goals, most teams would just give in and let Virginia run the clock out. There’s so much play in our team and that’s something we learned about our character today and I think that’s one of the positives you can take out of the game.”
On the hometown crowd:
“It was unbelievable, the amount of people that came out today. We were talking about how much we wanted all the fans that came out today to know how excited we were that they did that. It was a big game and I never thought I’d see people in the upper deck, it’s a great experience to have. It was a playoff environment and we’re going to learn a lot from the game.”
“It was unbelievable, the amount of people that came out today. We were talking about how much we wanted all the fans that came out today to know how excited we were that they did that. It was a big game and I never thought I’d see people in the upper deck, it’s a great experience to have. It was a playoff environment and we’re going to learn a lot from the game.”
On the first part of the second half:
“I think we rushed a little, and I think the amount of time they had the ball was our fault a little bit. I think we did a great job calming down, getting into our defensive sets and sticking to what we do best. I think I let the guys down a little bit in the first part of the first quarter by letting in those shots. I wanted to make a couple big stops for them in the second half. It was the first time I felt confident against a good Division I team and I’m excited to have that feeling. There’s also a couple of shots I’d like to have back, so I just have to give credit to my defense for forcing them out and making it easier for me to make those saves in that quarter.”
“I think we rushed a little, and I think the amount of time they had the ball was our fault a little bit. I think we did a great job calming down, getting into our defensive sets and sticking to what we do best. I think I let the guys down a little bit in the first part of the first quarter by letting in those shots. I wanted to make a couple big stops for them in the second half. It was the first time I felt confident against a good Division I team and I’m excited to have that feeling. There’s also a couple of shots I’d like to have back, so I just have to give credit to my defense for forcing them out and making it easier for me to make those saves in that quarter.”
On being real animated during the game:
“To be honest, I was real nervous. It was the most nervous I’ve been in a while. I really showed it in the first quarter, especially after that first shot. After that quarter, I realized I needed to step it up or this team was going to run all over us. I just felt like I was seeing the ball really well against a good team."
“To be honest, I was real nervous. It was the most nervous I’ve been in a while. I really showed it in the first quarter, especially after that first shot. After that quarter, I realized I needed to step it up or this team was going to run all over us. I just felt like I was seeing the ball really well against a good team."
