March 7, 2005

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Santa Clara Head Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson

On the game:
"It was definitely a difference of two halves. We did a much better job of attacking the basket and getting ourselves to the foul line. We definitely controlled the game in the second half. Another one of our strengths is that we do have some depth. We have a lot of bodies that we feel very comfortable putting on the floor. We had some players come off the bench today and come out huge and we know that we can always rely on that."

On Shannon Mathews' injury and Gonzaga tomorrow:
"We are much more concerned with ourselves. This does not change a thing, every time Santa Clara plays Gonzaga it is a battle.

Santa Clara Ashley Gonnermann on offensive contributions:
"We had to make adjustments. We had to involve more of an inside game today, crunching down on their post players."

On being in the championship:
"It is definitely not a surprise you have to expect that you will be in the championship. We just have to take it one game at a time."

Santa Clara Michelle Cozad on being 13-of-14 on the line:
"When you go up there you cannot think that you are going to miss so I am very confident when I step up to the line."

On the second half and Loyola foul trouble:
"I think a lot of it had to do with knocking one of their best players out of the game. She had two fouls in the first half so it was a great chance for me to get her out of the game."

Loyola Head Coach Julie Wilhoit on the game:
"I am extremely proud of our kids, how hard they worked. I do not think they gave up ever. I think they got tired, I think there were times when they showed a little frustration, I think we lost our composure on many possessions. It happens when you get a little tired and a little tense."

On Santa Clara:
"Santa Clara came out fired up and ready to play in the second half. They showed in every possession that they were going to take what they wanted instead of what they were given."

On team food poisoning:
"I hesitate to mention it, but we were up all night with eight people in our program with sever food poisoning. We lost four of our players for this game as well as myself. Two of them were in the hospital all night. I think that has an effect. We did not have the same rotation or the same depth."

On Jacquelyn Woods:
"Jackie was forced to play a style of play that she is not used to. She is a very impressive young woman and she likes to play aggressive. In this game we were unable to sub her out and save her foul situation."

Jacquelyn Woods
"It has been a hard night, a hard morning, it has been a hard day. I thought we did a very good job of doing what we could but when something is not there that you always had all season long. After you have finally figured out how to play well as a team and then all of a sudden you don't have that anymore it is kind of hard to adjust. I give a lot of thanks to my coaches for giving all that they could, by the second half, we all got tired because we didn't have enough play and sort of hit a wall."