Tournament Quotations | Page 2

We are all getting on fine and our third place in the European Championships showed we can play well together. We topped the round robin section in that tournament and were a bit disappointed to end up with the bronze, but that was a marker and I'd like to think there's more improvement to come.

The region tournament has kind of lost value due to the new rating system.

We are going to have to play well to make it to the tournament championship. Westminster is a tough team and has a good point guard in Lauren Snyder .

We are going to have to play well this week. We are probably on the outside looking in and we need a good tournament this week in order to assure ourselves of a regional berth.

This was a team goal at the beginning of the year. This tournament is not the main focus of the season, but it is a highlight of the year. It feels good to set a goal in advance and achieve it.

We want to go to the (NCAA) Tournament and knew we had to get on a roll. We know we're never out of it. I know how Coach Greenberg felt (when he got the technical). He felt helpless. We've felt that way before, too.

We did it, but it's tough to get all the way through. It won't surprise me to see somebody playing a fourth game in four days, the league is like that this year. This was the most games that came down to last three minutes, at least our most in 10 years and yet we were 27-2, which means we were there to finish the deal. But in a one-game tournament anything can happen.

We did hit a rough stretch and I don't think we're still completely over it. But we're starting to hit more shots and one thing that showed throughout the tournament is we've been pretty good defensively.

We did fairly well. Everybody won two matches except for one guy. That's usually one of our goals. I just like coming to this tournament because of the competition that we get. Even though we might take some losses for our record it'll pay off in the long run come tournament time at the end of the year.

We'd forgotten how it feels to win. We came into the locker room feeling like we'd won the tournament or something. We were jumping and celebrating.

We destroyed everyone in the first tournament up there. We won everything by submission.

There are some teams in the tournament we see all the time in the North Dallas area. There's others we don't usually face.

There are five quality kids at 103. Two kids who could have made noise in some of the other weaker sections will have to attend the WPIAL tournament as spectators. It's too bad, because all five would represent the section well.

We're playing pretty well right now. We have a quality team, and when we play a tournament like we did today with reduced numbers - two singles matches and three doubles matches - we're pretty competitive.

Were playing our best basketball right now at the end of the year. We want to go into the state tournament playing our best basketball, we don't want to go backing in.

We're playing in a tournament where somebody's going to the national tournament. It's that simple. And we'll compete.

We're playing better. When you're in a tournament like this, the more you win, the more guys realize they're playing for something.

We really haven't shown how well we can shoot the ball. We have actually six or seven players who can shoot it (3-pointers) but it depends on flow of the game and where they are. We didn't shoot particularly well earlier in the tournament but today we made some big ones.

We really haven't shot the ball well since our conference tournament final. We've been playing good defense. We knew it was going to come and boy they stroked it tonight. When we're filling it up we're tough to beat.

We really had to work her in and out. Michelle Dirks did a great job, got a few rebounds, hit her free throws, a few shots ... Our bench hadn't scored any points in the tournament so far and we challenged those kids today ... They're a huge reason we won this game.

We're a sleeper in both divisions. Our boys have tournament experience, and our girls have learned and improved in a big way.

We hope to use this tournament as something we can build on. We want to keep it going. We've played some tough teams and have more to play here. Now the question is, will we be better? We have to beat teams like this if we want to be a winner.

We had nothing to lose. I think we played a very good tournament and gained a ton of confidence here. We won a close game, lost a close game to a very good team and got a win today.

We didn't wrestle the best we did all year. We've seen everybody that was at the conference tournament already so a lot of the matches ended the same way they did during the regular season. We could have won a couple more matches.

We didn't win a lot of games, but the tournament really starts with the quarterfinals. Today we showed some signs of life and, if we play well in the next few games, we'll be fine.

We didn't want to leave it up to anybody else to let us know if we're in the tournament or not. We won this game, and now it's not up to anybody else. We're in the big dance, baby. We're there.

We didn't want it to be one-and-done. This whole tournament is to show that anything can happen. This is a whole new season, and we are coming out to show that we've gotten better.

We didn't understand the whole thing. We just knew that going to the State Tournament has been our dream for five years. We didn't want it taken from us.

We have provisions in the agreement that tied to contemplate the 'What Ifs'. If you have another tournament that comes in or one that leaves, can we redirect dollars?

We have played three straight NCAA Tournament teams in fairly hostile environments.

When it?s your tournament and it?s on your floor, I think our kids take a great deal of pride in trying to win our own tournament.

We have responded to the Premier League by pointing out this is a compulsory tournament so I don't see why we should be asked to pay compensation.

We've still got a lot of work to do. The bye is nice, but we've got to go play come tournament time.

The problem with the tournament is that if you have one bad game you?re done. There are lots of good clubs in Division 2.

The problem with the NCAA tournament is it's just one of those things words sometimes don't do justice. You have to experience it.

There is certainly a bright side to that (UCLA) game. You win 10 in a row. You're a young team. You still have a lot that you can improve on, and you know you haven't fully peaked. Here we are with a chance to really look at the shortcomings that we had in the Pac-10 Tournament and regroup. We have a long window to get fresh again.

We set up ourselves for some adversity. You're the first ones here and you're the last ones to leave. We're tired, but yet we don't let our team have any less expectations. We've only won our tournament once, and that was in 1999.

We set up our schedule hoping to make February as close to what it'll take for us to win the regional tournament. I really think these last four games will have us sitting on go for tournament time.

We're just trying to play the best hockey we can and go out there and get the job done. We played well as a team and we want to keep improving as the tournament goes on. I know it's tough for the other teams, but we've got a strong team and we've played well.

We haven't been together very long this year. We'll improve as the tournament progresses.

We are talking about a one-off Olympic football tournament for 2012 and I would hope they (the SFA) embrace the idea, and because it would help promote women's football too,

We're looking forward to the challenge of playing at the state tournament. We have to go up there and play our game. We can't let the excitement of the state tournament get us out of our routine.

We're hearing from so many people who want to do things. We got a call from people who want to have a women's tournament in her name in Madison Square Garden.

We're having fun and it looks like we're picking it up. We've got the confidence to score and we've got a strong defense and everybody needs to be playing their best game. This is the first step in getting to the regional tournament and winning it.

We're happy to win the tournament and happy to defend the title. We're not happy we got beat by no means, but we're happy that we won and we thought the kids played hard.

This really is a crucial tournament for us and all the boys are fired up.

This puts us in a good position to get that league title. In the past it's almost been a gimme that you could get to the state tournament if you had a pretty good team. This season it's going to be tougher.

This win streak keeps our momentum up for the tournament because everyone is going into the tournament thinking they can win it. So we have to come in there and be hungry because at tournament time there's no telling what's going to happen.

We've seen a lot of surprises. We had a group call today and say we're going to do a whole emergency golf tournament for hurricane relief and we want it to go to food. Boy, that hardly ever comes in a year and we got it in the second day.

We had beaten Whitehouse earlier 5-0, but I knew it could be different this time. They were coming off a couple of wins in this tournament and were playing pretty well, I thought.

When I come to a tournament I set really high goals and I come here to do the best I can. I don't know if I'm being rude if I win my own tournament, but I'm just a very competitive person and I love to do well. Today was a step in the right direction and one of my better rounds in about a month so I feel really good.

When I came to this tournament and won, ... I think I finally had the confidence that I could win on the PGA Tour.

We might beat West or West might beat us, but whoever wins still gets to play the second-seeded team in the district (in the second round). (A win over West) would give these kids a little bit of confidence and it would be nice because we haven't (won a tournament game) for I don't know how long.

We met with the six returning players from last year and in those meetings my staff and I went over what each of them needs to do to improve their skills and help the team, ... With the improvements that all the returning players have made by spending the summer on campus and working in the weight room, in conditioning and on their skills, we have a chance to be right where we were last year and that is competing for an NCAA Tournament spot.

We won't have to do a lot of work. Our course is always tournament ready. We could hold the event tomorrow.

We won some matches we weren't sure about, so that's a positive for us. Everyone getting a win at the state tournament is good for the program.

We were Cinderella last year; now everybody knows about us. There's no surprise. It's kind of funny. We never get attention during the year and during tournament time, we are the favorite. How is that possible?

When you can do something like this that enhances the facility, I can go to the PGA and pitch a world-class practice facility. There's no guarantee for any city that a golf tournament is going to stay around here.

When we see how large the tournament has grown and how many old friends come out and support us, it really makes me, my sister and my parents so happy. All this is in memory of their two sons.

We made a lot of mental mistakes. But we showed what we are capable of doing tonight. We got close in a lot of games in the Grayslake Tournament this past weekend but we couldn't find a way to finish. Hopefully we changed that tonight.

We're going in there on Senior Night and a must-win situation for them. We have more work that has to be done. We have two opportunities plus the conference tournament to get that done.

We're glad to be in the conference tournament finals and have a shot at winning it.

We're setting up for the Tournament of Champions -- that's district play. We had to get the kinks out so we can be ready and prepare for the district season.

We're excited to be back in the tournament once again. It's a privilege to be in and going back to Albany, and we look forward to a good game against a great Maine team.

We're excited anytime there's an offer of an NCAA Tournament bid at the end of the rainbow. This is a great opportunity to show what we're made of, and we're pumped for the occasion.

Like every team, we want to go to the NCAA tournament. Our seeding for the conference tournament is very important, as is the way you're playing. Hopefully, we'll have those in our favor when it counts.

Making the tournament has certainly been our focus. We have a tough road to get there, but it's our focus and goal and we're going to keep plugging towards it.

Making the state tournament has always been our top goal and we're just one win away from that now.

Mainly, I want to bring up their level of knowledge on the tournament in terms of history, facts and how it fits into other financial plans,

Lennart is getting better. This tournament is part of his recovery.

Losing is not fun, but we still got here. Nobody thought we'd get here and we did. Playing in the NCAA Tournament is a great way to end.

Lori Parker, one of our assistant team leaders here in Calgary has a daughter attending Kansas, who Bradley already beat this tournament so I had fun teasing her about that.

(Lopez) wants to keep it at a number so she can have contact with everyone. She and DiMarco will make themselves available to those playing in the tournament and will be very hands-on.

Last year was the first time we did this tournament and it successfully raised nearly $3,000. We want to grow it this year knowing the more we raise the better for the Le Mars community.

Last year was euphoric because we were in the tournament, and that was a big deal. This year we're going into the tournament with the attitude that we need to get the job done.

Last year was a great experience, but this is something good for us too, to keep winning. Last year it was amazing, what else can you ask for? But I'm just happy to be able to experience two Final Fours, it doesn't matter what tournament it is.

Last year, they set a MAC tournament record against us with 55 rebounds. We wanted to pound the boards.

Last year's loss was so devastating, I think it's carried on to this season. I don't think it's affected us, but it's motivated us. The only way to get past that loss completely is to win the tournament this year.

Las Vegas is the place all of us wanted to go. For the first week of the tournament there's nonstop basketball, and we heard that's the place to go.

Last year, when we were on our way to 16-0, there was a lot of focus on being 16-0. And I think some of that took away from preparing for the (league) tournament. Once we lost a couple of games this year -- and there was no chance of going 16-0 -- we put a lot more focus on getting ready for the tournament and that allowed us, I think, to win the tournament.

Last year we won that tournament with an even younger team, but the competition this year was a lot stronger. And that's good. The stronger competition is only going to make us better ourselves.

Last year, we went 10-0 non-conference. It was huge because we did not have the same strength of schedule that we have this year. Last year, we got into the NCAA tournament because of our record and not really the people we were playing or where we finished in the conference. As a team goal, we are trying to get to the same place we were last year.

Lester Abram is a 15-, 16-point guy. Chris Hunter is a seven- or eight-point guy. Hopefully, he'll have his guys back by tournament time, and they'll be very good. Every game I've played against him, somebody's been out. Every game.

Seniors are playing for a lot when it comes to tournament play because they know it's their final shot. But it does ultimately come down to players who can play and I don't think you have to be in a certain class.

So in the summer of 1968, a young golfer from Texas experienced something that would forever change his life. Not only did I fall in love with formal tournament competition, but I was enraptured with so many other facets of the game; the different courses, the people,the history and traditions.

She started in the Olympic final, and I know I'm biased, but I think she came into that tournament and was an incredibly valuable defender who brought a presence to the back line. People are going to differ on how they see players, but many of my ex-teammates and I think she's extremely valuable.

She talked to the girls before the tournament about what to expect. She is a big-time player.

She's turned into an excellent player. Her results prove it, because she won a tournament with almost 500 people in it. Her skill level is definitely beyond recreational.

She's tough. It's not like she's going to cry or anything. She's a very tough tournament player. She's been doing that for a long time. This girl is obviously stronger, older, bigger. But I thought Stefanie played extremely well against her. She was in the match the whole time.

She was kind of the mother who kept everybody feeling good about what they were doing. She was a valuable part of the tournament team.

She's shown her maturity early on. She played great against Colleyville Heritage and Arlington Martin and we won the Plano Tournament of Champions. Then there's the way she has played to start district play.

She's just been a great floor general for us all year. She had a great tournament in Washington, D.C., and she starts things for us and keeps us balanced. It's harder to stop five people, so she helps to just spread things around.

She's been playing tournament golf forever and I just don't have her experience.

She's got to be a little nervous. The disadvantage she'll have is that the other women have been playing on a regular basis and she hasn't had a tournament in a while. She's practiced a lot, but that's never the same as a competitive tournament.

She's already tournament savvy. Players like Susan and Sarah and (current junior) Rachael (Johnson) had the same talent level at the beginning of their freshman years, but she has some experience behind her, too, so she's probably a step ahead. So she may be better, which is a huge compliment to her.

Somebody is going to have to find out when the last time somebody won a tournament making one birdie on the weekend. That may have never happened before in the history of golf.

Someday I'll tell my grandkids I played in the same tournament as Tiger Woods, ... We are witnessing a phenomenon here that the game may never, ever see again.

She wrestled tough. It was a long tournament with long time periods between matches. That can cause fatigue for any wrestler. She won the important matches.

She had a very nice round. She's been very consistent in our two outings so far this season. She shot a 76 at the Alton tournament over the weekend and now a 36 in our first dual matches. She's on her game.

She had a great tournament and played great.