Aug. 26, 2006
Stanford, Calif. -
Cameron Rast
On game:
"I thought it was a good game for us and a great result. We played very solid soccer. When I look at the scoresheet and see that they had only three shots and we have a 1-0 win, I am happy. I am feeling pretty good about our defense and our team shape. To go on the road against Stanford with a young team and get a win is great. I think that it was a fair result and I am happy with the performance."
On defense:
"At halftime, we talked about not making mistakes and I think that guys played smart and did not allow them to do too much. We really limited their opportunities. All four of the guys in the back did a great job and with Peter Lowry sitting in front of them, we are a difficult team to break down. I am proud of the job they did back there."
On freshmen's contributions:
"I think the young players did quite well. We expected them to play well because they are very talented players. Stephen McCarthy jumped right in and made an impact and I believe that he can be even better. Amaechi is obviously a great player and he drew a lot of attention tonight because of the things that he can do with the ball. Overall, I was happy with the way the new guys contributed."
On shutting down Stanford:
"The four of us have been playing together in the back for 2-3 years and we feel very comfortable as a unit. We were very solid tonight and Joe (Buttita) played well behind us so we did not allow them many chances. It was a good game for us back there."
On setting up penalty kick:
"Ryan (Brown) did a really good job of pressuring them and forcing the turnover, and then he found me in the box. I took a little touch and was able to turn the defender. Right when I was going to shoot, he got a piece of the back of my heel and the referee called the foul. I got a little lucky because a lot of times referees might not call that. I think it was deserved goal though because we had created some good chances."
On beating Stanford in first game:
"All I have been hearing about this week is the rivalry between Stanford and Santa Clara. We saw some alumni and they were telling us, "You guys have to beat Stanford", so it was definitely a big game. I was just glad that I could make an impact in a win against them."
On forward line:
"I love playing with three forwards. We are able to apply a lot of pressure to the other team's defense and make them play some quick balls out of the back that we can win and then get back on offense. We are able to create a lot of turnovers so our defense basically creates our offense."
On penalty kick:
"I went low down the middle because he looked a little antsy and I thought he would jump in one direction or the other and he did. I guess it was smart and maybe a bit cheeky to put it right down the middle."
On team's play:
"I think we had some nerves coming into this first game with so many new faces, but we have such a solid defense and we have six of us out there that have played together for three years. We know the system and that really showed tonight. The leadership of the veterans tonight really helped to sort out any jitters that we might have had."
Looking ahead to Cal game:
"Cal is just an opponent that has had our number the past couple of seasons. It is an intense rivalry and probably the game that I look forward to the most because every game is so tight. We have had chances to beat them and somehow they always seem to come out on top. It is just a game between two good teams that know each other very well. We definitely have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder and we hope that we can get a win on Sunday."
