|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NCAA WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIESJune 5, 2016Sahvanna JaquishSandra SimmonsBeth TorinaOklahoma City, Oklahoma Oklahoma - 7, LSU - 3 THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with an opening statement from coach. BETH TORINA: Congratulations to Oklahoma, and we wish them luck. They are a very athletic team, have a lot going for them. So, I want to say just how much I appreciate this senior class. I think the five seniors that we have had have taken a program with a lot of tradition already and it has a really great history and continued to make it better. I think they set a standard for us that it's going to be really amazing for us to continue to build upon. They have truly changed the culture, and I just feel really lucky to have had these five seniors and been part of their career, but mostly been part of their lives. They're just really special people. I think everybody that's followed this team understands how special they are. Special players and special human beings, too. So, our team played hard, it was a long, long grueling day. We have only played four games, we played about 14 games here, it feels like. I thought we gave it all we had and came up short. THE MODERATOR: Questions? Q. Can you explain when the early innings, they're slapping, their bunting. You guys didn't have a problem early. What happened? BETH TORINA: With our defense? Q. Yeah, your defense early on. BETH TORINA: Our defense has plagued us all season long. I don't think it's anything different. They're very athletic, very fast, I think they exploited something that's been a deficit for us all year. We had trouble making the adjustment. Q. What was missing from tonight's game that you did in the other games? BETH TORINA: We couldn't get them out. We gave them opportunities at the plates. I don't know if I didn't call a great game, we didn't pitch a great game. And on top of making mistakes and turning the lineup over for them way too many times. Just gave them too many opportunities at the plate. Our offense did a good job scoring off of Parker, who is a really talented pitcher. Sahvanna's hit, I would like to say that should be enough for us, but we got to do a better job attacking their offense. Q. What do you think about this run in the World Series back-to-back elimination game wins, you guys were a tough out in this World Series. BETH TORINA: I'm proud of the spot that our team is in. I think that our team would love to be playing again tomorrow. Our team would love to be continuing on. I think that we have got to find a way to just continue to bridge that gap. It's very tough to get here and it's very tough once you're here. But as a coach, I've got to continue getting better. And I think we were better this time, I think I was better prepared, I think we did some things differently, and I think I was better. I learn something every time we are here. I don't know, if all of our time, playing Oklahoma here, it's like an Oklahoma home game with 10,000 people. I'm just going to find ways to be better. Q. How are you guys going to remember this season? SANDRA SIMMONS: I'm going to remember as just a fun, relentless, integrity team. This team came together and fought. There were times where maybe we may not have been as close as we have in the past, but towards the end we ended on the highest note I think we've ever had in my four years. Just the relationships we have built and how much we have fought and shown for future players and the team for next year that we're never out. That we understand what it takes to win and that we're going to get that moment. SAHVANNA JAQUISH: I think that we're going to remember the good moments. These five seniors have instilled something in all of us, and they are irreplaceable, but they have given us something that we can take with us next year and that's a lot of fight and just a lot of love for them and good luck in their lives and that's it. Q. Beth, it seemed that you were shouting something at your batters there in the middle of the game. Is there something you were seeing that they weren't? BETH TORINA: I was just trying to pull for our hitters. Q. To the two players. You had a little bad luck in the first inning. You smashed one off the wall and then stumbled at first. And Sahvanna, you hit one pretty hard and it was just off the glove. It seemed like you were pretty close to taking an early lead and playing from ahead, just didn't work out. SAHVANNA JAQUISH: I think that it does take a little luck sometimes. Sometimes you got to have that ball that bounces in for you. But like coach always says, you make your own breaks and Oklahoma did a good job of defending us. SANDRA SIMMONS: I guess like she said, I just think that we hit the ball hard and that's all you can ask. In softball, you can't control the outcome, and we went up there and gave our best shot. We didn't get outcome we wanted, but we never stopped fighting. Q. The way the two games played out today, it was kind of a microcosm of the season. You pitched well, hit well in the first game, you win. You don't do as well in the second game and you -- I mean, is it that simple? You kind of do the little things and you can beat anybody, and you don't and it's tough to get a win? Does that make sense? As far as the way the day played out today you got the win against Georgia by doing the little things and maybe didn't in this evening's game. Kind of a microcosm of the whole season maybe? SAHVANNA JAQUISH: The little things are so important. These girls are so talented and they have just a little mistake, it can just be blown up and I think that that's what happened. I think that we kind of misstepped on the little things a little bit and they capitalized on our mistakes, but it just shows you how competitive it is when you get down to the wire, because we're just so close. Q. For both of you, back to back Final Fours for you guys. What kind of shape is the program in? SANDRA SIMMONS: I think it's in good shape. I think we made it back to back years. That's the first time in program history. Did we fall short? Yes. Can we accomplish a national championship? Yes. And I have all the faith in the world that my team next year will do that and I'm just ready to see them compete already by tomorrow, if that was possible. SAHVANNA JAQUISH: Can you repeat the question? Q. What kind of shape is the program in? SAHVANNA JAQUISH: I'm just so proud of how we finished. It's not ideal, we don't want to be third or fourth. We really want to go on to that second game. But just really proud of us. We gave our all and we came up short and that's all you can ask for. Q. You talked a lot in recent weeks about the fighting Tigers and the way you've come back. When Sahvanna battled through that at bat and hit that home run were you thinking here we go again? BETH TORINA: Yeah, I never thought we were out of it. I thought we would continue to score off of her and we did continue to get hit some things hard. Like we said before, nothing seemed to bounce our way. Because we did continue to hit some balls hard. They had a double play there at the end. I thought they did fight. I really did. I just think maybe we ran out of gas being as late as it was, long day, we win the first game on I don't know whatever day it was, because I don't know what today is but the first game against Michigan and we're in a different spot today. But it is what it is. They gave everything they could and I told them from the day I took over this program, if we can walk out the door and somebody says that we played hard, then we have done our job and there's no doubt in my mind that my team played hard all week long. Q. Talk about the growth of this squad from the beginning of the season up to now. Especially with the team being as young as it is. BETH TORINA: Yeah, this team I think has come a long way. We have had our seniors really leading the way for that. I think we definitely had some ups and downs throughout the see some. I think a big reason why we're sitting here is because we battled through the low points and we continued to find a way and fight. These guys never quit, they never stopped working, and they battled through a really tough SEC schedule and that's a big reason why we're standing here today. The seniors are walking out, but they're leaving the program in good shame. We had some really great superstar underclassmen who are now going to be upperclassmen and veterans and people like Sahvanna will be pushing us and leading us next year. With her at the helm and the two pitchers that are sophomores going to be returning, they're going to be in good shape. Q. Talk about the home run. It's obviously a pretty big moment on a stage like that for you. And then also kind of what coach talked about, you with Bianka going and some other people going you're going to be kind of the senior leader next year. SAHVANNA JAQUISH: The home run, I mean it's just an amazing feeling. I think that I, off the bat, I didn't know it was going to be gone, I got a little luck there, it kept going up. But just the feeling that I got for like seeing my teammates when I came home was just something that's like unforgettable. That's just truly who we are and we are one. We are all a team and I think that that's just one of the moments that you'll never get back and I'll always remember that. And what was the second question? Q. Now that you're a senior as a leader, how will you take that role now? SAHVANNA JAQUISH: Again, you just can't replace our five seniors. So I'm not trying to replace Bianka Bell or replace Sandi, I'm just going to try to lead the team and as best as we can and I think that I have other juniors that I think that they're such a good leading class and I think that we can all step up together and make this team come back here. Q. You see kids who are here in Oklahoma City they're not from Louisiana, but they say their favorite team is LSU. What does that say about the LSU softball brand? BETH TORINA: I think they're fun to watch. I love watching them play. I've been proud to be their coach. I think what we put on the field is fun. They have a good time. I think this he play hard. They compete. I think this he kind of draw you in. That's the Louisiana culture, friendly, everyone is nice to everybody, and I think our kids treat people that way and they just kind of draw you in. So, I'm proud to be at the helm of this program and I think we're in a good spot and happy that we're making new fans every time we're out and about and I really enjoyed the journey with this group this year. Before we wrap up, just I want to say thanks for the media that's followed us all year. You guys are awesome. I know how late it is and we just appreciate you guys being with us. THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|