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NCAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIPMay 26, 2017Missy DohertyMaggie GallagherSteph LazoKatie O'DonnellBoston, Massachusetts Maryland - 20, Penn State - 10 MISSY DOHERTY: Yeah, I mean, again, it definitely didn't go our way today. I'm so proud of our players to get us here and the season that we had was just awesome. You know, I think the draw said a lot. I think they were like 20-10 in their favor, and that was the score. So getting possession is key. I think we have a great offense. Defensively it's hard to be on defense that long and that many times against them because they have some really great attackers. Again, I'm proud of the team, and I'm proud of our program. You know, it's another great year for us. Q. You guys played them close a couple of weeks ago; what was the difference in this game? KATIE O'DONNELL: I mean, I think Coach said it best. We just didn't have the ball enough today. The draw controls reflected the score almost exactly. You can't win if you don't have the ball, and we were on defense a lot today. And I think Maryland was just making plays today. I mean, they were on offense a lot. We had a hard time executing, I thought, in the first half, and we couldn't get on a run, and when we get on runs we do really well, and today we just didn't have that. MAGGIE GALLAGHER: I would agree with what Katie said, and just like communicating all over the field, I think we would have improved on a little bit. But we played our hearts out, and I wouldn't have wanted to come here with any other group of girls. Q. I wanted to know how would you describe the feeling before the game? This is certainly the first time any of the women's teams have been in a big arena like this. Any sense of intimidation or just another game? STEPH LAZO: I don't think the stadium really was intimidating. I mean, it's a big stage and you always want to like put out on that, but -- sorry, I can't really gather my thoughts right now. No, I'm just super proud of the way our team adjusted to the way -- you know, coming from PPL last year to a little bit of a bigger stage this year. I think we all played really hard. I don't think the field had any factor in anything. I don't know. KATIE O'DONNELL: Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say the arena, like, legitimately had any factor. I mean, the Final Four is a big stage as it is. I think we could have played on a small field, and the hype and all, like little bit of nerves that come with every game would have been the same. I mean, we play in the big house against Michigan, so it's pretty big. But I think just the game itself brings a lot of hype to it. We were ready to go. We were excited about it. Just didn't go in our favor today. Q. Steph, if you can just kind of sum up how you're feeling right now with your college career coming to a close and the success that Penn State has had? STEPH LAZO: You know, you never want to go out this way your senior year, but I am so proud of this team, and I am so proud of the four years that my senior class had here. Our first year we lose in the first round. Second year, my sophomore year, we were Big Ten champs. And then last year we go to the Final Four, this year we go to the Final Four. I am just so thankful for all the opportunities that Penn State has given me, and I've been really reflective of that the past few weeks. Coming to an end, hopefully the playing career is not over, but I am just so proud of this Penn State team. We have fought all season ever since we stepped on campus in August, and their future looks super bright, and I couldn't be more proud. Thanks, Coach, for recruiting me. I appreciate you. Q. They obviously had the ball a lot, but the offensive balance that they have, how much does that kind of apply even more pressure to you when they have so many different options like that? MISSY DOHERTY: Yeah, I mean, they have a lot of scorers, and obviously as coaches we could have done a much better job of providing the players a better scheme to defend them. I thought we did that well in the regular season, and unfortunately in this game we didn't give them the best plan for stopping. But it's a credit to them. They have some great scorers. They see each other well inside. They had some fantastic feeds and finishes. You know, we just didn't necessarily get the swing of momentum that we wanted. Q. In April, when you played Madison, really kind of bullied them both in the draw and going to goals, six goals it was, did they do something well to win today? MISSY DOHERTY: Yeah, they got the ball all the time. No, I mean, I thought offensively, again, when we got the ball down there, there's not many times that we weren't successful. I think at the very end of the game we started to rush things a little bit, understandably. But Madison Carter has been an awesome player for us all year, and she showed it again today. She's a great competitor. They did a great job defensively, but again, just the swing of the game was getting the ball and making just one or two more stops and that kind of momentum sort of time in the first half before they pull away. You know, again, every game is different, different people step up, but I've been proud of her all season. Q. Missy, if you could just kind of talk about the contributions of the senior class, the last four years and their role and kind of building this program to where it is today? MISSY DOHERTY: Yeah, when you first take over a program, you want the players to buy into what you maybe can do, and then as soon as you start doing those things you're able to recruit with what's going on at the current time. So having those players and our seniors really buy into our vision and where we think Penn State can go as a women's lacrosse program was key. And to see all of those guys really contribute greatly both on and off the field has been a huge reason why we're in these matches and in the mix. I told them, I'm like, you have to keep knocking on the door before you can go through it, and we don't do that without the leadership of our seniors. Q. You're mentioning you didn't have the ball a lot. Madison Carter had seven draws. What were you seeing differently this time on the draw as opposed to last month back in University Park? MISSY DOHERTY: Yeah, I think we tried to get in hard on the lines. I think a couple scuffles didn't necessarily go our way, and they did a great job of boxing out and knowing where the ball was going to go. You know, just seemed like one of those games where it hits, it hits, and then it goes to them. But credit to them. They did a great job for having vision on the ball in the circle. No. 16 did a great job of getting a fair amount on her own, too, and we knew that was going to be a battle coming in. Q. Talk to me a little bit about this coaching tree that's here; you have Cindy Timchal, all of the other coaches played under her, and in a moment like this, maybe some inspiration looking up on the scoreboard and seeing players want to go on and be women's lacrosse coaches, and just what you guys are doing for the sport knowing you're spreading the game, sharing the game and teaching these girls how to play the right way and they're going to go on and teach the next generation. MISSY DOHERTY: Yeah, I mean, it was a really proud weekend to be a part of that mix with Cindy and to see that all she's done for the sport, fighting for women in sports for so long. You start to take for granted the things that she worked to get. You know, it definitely takes a second to sit back and really be appreciative of the work that she's done. And hopefully the three of us here, that are here this weekend are doing a decent job of continuing to represent women's athletics in the best way possible and continuing to propel her vision and tradition on. For her to get there with that Navy squad is awesome and a credit to her. You know, it's a nice group to be a part of. Q. Can you share with us what you said to the ladies after the game? Certainly much to be proud of getting here again. What did you say to encourage the team? MISSY DOHERTY: Yeah, it's such a fiery kind of competition. You obviously want to bring your best, and you know, we really didn't necessarily obviously have our best game today. But you know, I'm just so proud of them. Like I love our players, and I love being part of the group, not just on the field but off the field. I mean, they're great students, and they're great people, and they have such great character. I just want the best for them. You know, it hits you in the heart a little bit coming away today and maybe not playing your best game because I do love them so much. And I appreciate them so much for getting us to this point, and I really enjoyed this year. It was fun. I mean, having the big wins we did and getting through the tournament, and this women's tournament was crazy this year with the different teams beating different teams and who's going to do it. To be a part of that excitement and that success was just an awesome experience, and certainly this game doesn't take away from the energy our team had and how proud I am of them. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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