SEATTLE REIGN FC at RACING LOUISVILLE FC POSTGAME QUOTES
Saturday, August 31, 2024 • Lynn Family Stadium • Louisville, KY
Head Assistant Coach Scott Parkinson
On his overall thoughts on the team’s performance tonight:
“I think they were good. I think they pressed, they got pressure on the ball, they made Ellie Jean, Abby Erceg and Arin Wright work for playing forward, which I’m really, really proud of. And then everyone else behind them was just waiting to try and pick things off so we could play forward, and Louisville have changed their shape and that was probably the one thing that was giving me the most sweat coming into the game, so seeing the team buy in, execute on it, I know they had a chance where Claudia made an unbelievable save, but just a lot of set pieces, a lot of corners, not a ton of threat on the goal, so really proud of the of the team collectively, defensively today. I think in the first half, we found some spaces that we thought would be on and again, they committed to finding them. Didn’t get around their goal quite as much as we’d like to. I think it ended up being a game of five set pieces. So yeah, frustrated on the set pieces that we gave up, really frustrated. But makes you feel a little bit better when you find three ways of scoring off them yourself, kind of gives you that insurance. So yeah, overall pleased, really proud. Look, Laura Harvey, is the queen of this football club and not having someone of her caliber and presence is gut-wrenching. It doesn’t feel right. It isn’t right. So, for the players to get another win in really tough conditions, with delays and hot weather, without Laura, says a lot about this team.”
On if he made any tactical changes after Louisville’s goal:
“So, I remember, I don’t know if I was at Gotham or if I didn’t work there anymore, but I remember Reign played LA away, and I think Sofia scored, Tobin scored late and Kim Little missed a [penalty kick], and I remember the game like it was yesterday. Laura was without an assistant that day, so her brother actually helped coach. I thought they played great in the first half and I remember Laura telling me her brother grabbed her and said, ‘Listen, we’re playing good. They’re sticking to the game plan. You don’t need to change much. Just tell them they’re going to be OK and we’re going to get through it,’ and that was the message at halftime. Was there a couple of tweaks here and there to help each other? Yeah, but the message was, ‘I completely believe in you. We believe in you and and you just have to keep chipping away at this Louisville team and you’ll get some rewards.’ So yeah, I’d love to tell you that I made a masterclass change, but I didn’t. I just gave them the belief that they were doing things well.”
Defender Sofia Huerta and Forward Jordyn Huitema
On their initial thoughts on the team’s performance:
Sofia Huerta: “I mean so good. For us to be on the road, obviously the delay as well can always be an adjustment, so I thought we did really well and to fight back and get three points on the road, especially with where we’re at and where we’re trying to go, which is obviously making playoffs, we have to get three points wherever and when you do that on the road, it’s incredible because it’s really hard to do in this league, to win on the road, especially versus a team like Louisville at home. It’s always challenging for us to play them. So, super happy for the team. Ji came on and obviously scored, I think two goals. I don’t know if they’re going to count that one as her last, but super proud of the team.”
On if it was any different having Scott Parkinson lead the team instead of Laura Harvey:
Jordyn Huitema: “I mean, I don’t think it’s different. Obviously, Harvs (Laura Havey) is missed, we love her dearly. But I think those two really do work hand in hand and I think that they’re very similar in in the style that they coach. I think Laura was here without being here. So yeah, we’re a great team top to bottom. It doesn’t really matter who’s standing in in place at the top of the bench.”
On how the team will keep building on the positive results:
Sofia Huerta: “Yeah, we just have to keep focusing one game at a time. It’s really easy to look into the future, but we’ve just got to focus on the game that’s in front of us and getting three points every time we have the opportunity. We don’t want to get too far ahead, but obviously the goal is playoffs and right now, we’re going in the right direction. We’ve won the last two games, which feels good, but we’ve just got to keep working on us and make sure we get three points when we can.”