2021 WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

June 6, 2021

Oddici Alexander

Sara Jubas

James Madison Dukes

Postgame Press Conference

Oklahoma - 6, James Madison - 3

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by student-athletes Sara Jubas and Odicci Alexander.

Q. Odicci, talk about facing Oklahoma for a second time and what that was like for you. Did you see a different team? Did you approach it differently? Sara, you've had a great offensive series. What is it about what you're doing at the plate and the things you have going on?

ODICCI ALEXANDER: Oklahoma does have a tough offense. Facing them twice, I knew it was going to be hard. I knew they were going to put balls in play. They kind of just strung their hits together more than we did.

SARA JUBAS: I think it was a good opportunity for us there. We got to see the same pitcher. And I think we did a pretty good job making adjustments and getting runners on base, just as they did. But they just capitalized more when runners were in scoring position and we did not. We didn't get those runners to home plate.

Q. You guys have been in this position before. Last weekend you were up against the wall against Missouri. What did you learn from that game last week to get you ready for tonight's game in the rematch?

SARA JUBAS: I think that whenever we came back in that third game in the Missouri series, it just showed us we have the fight and the drive to keep pushing ourselves and to win the third game. And so I think we're going to take that through to this series as well.

ODICCI ALEXANDER: Yes, I think just staying within ourselves and just playing JMU softball and bouncing back.

Q. Odicci, it was obvious you suffered an injury to your foot. But you continued to play and pitch. Take us through your mindset, the mentality you had at the moment of the injury and having to go back out there and continue?

ODICCI ALEXANDER: Just keep pushing -- blood, sweat and tears. And I was going to keep pitching for my teammates.

Q. Despite it was a three-run loss, do you feel like maybe there was a play or two away that you couldn't convert? Sara, you touched on not being able to move runners around, but did it seem like a closer game than what the final score was?

SARA JUBAS: Yes, I definitely think it was pretty even, like I said before. I think they did just a better job of scoring the runners when they had them on base and we just weren't able to string our hits together. We were pretty even there but we just could not string them together.

ODICCI ALEXANDER: Exactly what she said. I mean, I feel like everyone did their best today. But I mean they strung their hits together better than we did.

Q. Odicci, how are you feeling? Are you ready to take the ball again tonight? Are you ready to go back in the circle tonight if the coach asked you to?

ODICCI ALEXANDER: Of course, I'd do whatever I can to put this team on my back and help us win.

Q. Sara, what about this team gives you guys the ability to bounce back like you've done throughout the season, and even in the postseason when you maybe had things not go your way, even within games you're able to bounce back? What is that? Is that something that the team's built over the years? Just describe that a little bit.

SARA JUBAS: It's definitely been in the years coming. I think this year we're all just really close and really good friends. The smiles and laughter you see on the field I think are very genuine. I think that just helps us stay together during these tough games and come back fighting in the next one.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.