March 8, 2008
2008 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinal Round - Game 1 No. 3 San Diego vs. No. 2 San Diego
SAN DIEGO HEAD COACH CINDY FISHER
Opening statement:
First of all, I can't say enough about those two kids that are sitting right here. Last night, I didn't even know if Kiva was going to play today. She got hit pretty hard twice in that game the other night and she got rattled to the point where she was seeing stars. For her to show up today and do what she did for us just absolutely means the world to this basketball team. And that's really what it comes down to. Both of these kids went to work and they fought the entire game and they were not going to let us lose. It was just a matter of our kids going to work, making sure every last box out was ours, getting high percentage shots at the rim and doing what they needed to do to win.
On USD's execution at the end of the game:
Again tonight, Kiva got in there and got a huge board. That's blue collar, that's going to work. That's our new motto now, `Put your hard hat on and go to work,' and that's really what they're doing.
On the team's balanced scoring in the first half:
Looking at the stat sheet at halftime, I was really, really encouraged by our scoring. Everybody was right in there - nobody was in double figures. I thought our balanced scoring was clearly going to help us in the second half, and it did.
SAN DIEGO SENIOR GUARD AMANDA REGO
On hosting the WCC Tournament:
This is an opportunity that we've been wanting all season. We knew we coming into this were going to have it on our home court and this is what we've been fighting for all season long, so I'm extremely excited.
SAN DIEGO JUNIOR FORWARD KIVA HERMAN
On playing through injury:
I just tried not to focus on my injuries or whatever I was feeling. I just thought I would focus on the game because this is our last chance.
On Santa Clara's comeback:
I just kept thinking, `We just need to get a stop.' That was the only thing in my head: we need to get a stop and win the game.
SANTA CLARA HEAD COACH Michelle Bento-Jackson
Opening Statement:
Basically we didn't play a good first half and we made adjustments at half-time and continued to fight but we put ourselves in a position of being unable to finish it off. This loss hurts. Today was about defense and we worked our tails off to get here and it didn't show the last few minutes; we just came up short.
SANTA CLARA SENIOR GUARD Tracey Walker
On today's game:
"Today wasn't about scoring, it was about winning. I am a senior and wanted to go out with a win; I thought this could be the last game and I guess it was."
SANTA CLARA SENIOR FORWARD Jen Gottschalk
On today's game:
"Obviously, I'm disappointed; I really thought this game would go the other way. I couldn't be prouder to be on any team and I wouldn't want to graduate with anyone other than Tracey and Chandice."