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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SOCCER MEDIA CONFERENCEOctober 20, 2014Paula WilkinsCOACH WILKINS: Really happy to be back this weekend to play Rutgers and Maryland to be back on our home field, especially for our seniors being their last home game they'll have, I believe they'll have Senior Day on Friday. We've changed that around a little bit. Excited to obviously have a great game against Minnesota, mostly a great second half. Our team responded to some of the things we asked them to do in the second half against a very good Minnesota team and a very hard environment to play. Minnesota always has a great crowd. We got to see some great performances out of some very key players. I thought Rose Lavelle played very well in the game. I thought Cara Walls has been just great in front of the goal. Kodee Williams and our back line, things you don't see, we're not giving up many goals and many chances. Been really excited about their performance in the second half and hoping to carry on to this weekend but obviously playing two very good teams first being Rutgers, who has had a great entrance into the Big Ten and is going to be very challenging. They don't give up many goals. So it's going to be a hard fought game against two teams that don't like to give up goals against Maryland, obviously a new member to the Big Ten. I'm very excited. I feel like the team is moving in the right direction on what part of the season that we're in. And hopefully peaking at the right time. Q. Having coached at Penn State, you're probably more aware of what Rutgers and Maryland have been over the years than people out here. What are your impressions of those programs? COACH WILKINS: They're very good programs. And you're right, I've had a lot of games against them in the 13 years I was at Penn State. They're an East Coast team. They're very hard. They're determined. Obviously Maryland had many years in the ACC which is considered one of the top conferences in the country. Experience playing the UNCs and Virginias of the world. They just have a great history. Even when I was at UMASS, I don't even want to say what year, but it has a 9 in it, that they were good back then. They have a great tradition. And I think that carries through to these days. So they have been a great addition to the Big Ten. And like I said, I think Rutgers has only lost one game. So it's going to make our conference stronger and I'm glad they joined us. Q. What has the senior class meant to the program? COACH WILKINS: You know, they really made the decision to change the program last spring. We've talked about that over and over again. And I think things you don't even see on the field. I know Genevieve has done great in goal, the number of shutouts we've had, and Carla has been the goal scorer. If you come to any of our games, the work Kodee is doing and defensive presence Ally has is all fantastic. But what they've done to bring the team to be cohesive at this point of the year and kind of moving in the right direction has a lot more than just with them on the field. I think that's what makes a good team and a team that's going to be successful at the end of the year, which is the most important time. So their talents on the field are very well observed, but what they're doing off the field is even more. Q. You said that Maryland and Rutgers are East Coast teams. How does the East Coast mindset differentiate from the Midwest mindset? COACH WILKINS: It's not much different. I always think that‑‑ I look at it more categorically, that Midwest people always seem to be like, oh, they're the nice people in the Midwest and Jersey‑‑ and you look at Jersey Shore, and they have a little bit of an attitude, attitude not in a bad way but a positive way, that they don't care who they're playing. Not to say that our kids do, but I think they have a little bit more of an edge to them. And I think you see that in their game. They're very physical. The fact they haven't given up many goals is a testament to that. So I know people say it's sort of a generalization, but that's kind of what I see in that way, kind of a little bit of an arrogance to them. And I think it's a good thing. I like good. Q. I noticed that Cara has 11 goals on 13 shots on goal. So how do you get her more shots then? COACH WILKINS: I didn't see that stat. But I think it could be something I talk about when I go to practice right now. How many goals did you have that you actually are shooting? I think finding the ball. One thing we've been talking to her about is taking more half chances. I think she's waiting for the most easy goal or the best halfway. And part of it is she's still coming back from her injury. I look at it, and she's one of the most productive forwards in the Big Ten. And she's very opportunistic. But we'd like to get her to be more. I think she's still finding her feet, which in my mind as a coach right now, heading into the last part of the Big Ten and also into the Big Ten tournament and also the NCAAs, that even in the game against Minnesota, I asked them in the second half to keep more possessions and she did. So I think she's just got to find her way a little bit. When those guys get at the end of their careers coming there, they get a little more desperate.  So I'm counting on that right now. But thanks for that stat, I'll give it to her right when we get back. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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