Pre-Match Press Conference (vs. NJ/NY) • Saturday, May 20, 2023
OL Reign Pre-Match Press Conference • Saturday, May 20, 2023
Head Coach Laura Harvey and Forward Bethany Balcer
Head Coach Laura Harvey
On what the team did to prepare for Gotham:
“We obviously reviewed the North Carolina game and spoke about some things we weren’t happy with and things we needed to improve on and then towards the back end of the week, looking at specific things that we need to be good at in preparation for Gotham.
On if the team looked back on film from the last time they faced Gotham:
“Yeah, a little bit. We looked at the things that we did well against them when we played against them, but they’re a different team now than they were. So, I think we have to be prepared for a little bit of a different game against them tomorrow.”
On Gotham only allowing six goals all season and how the team will try to attack them:
“I think we’ve just got to recognize when the opportunity is on to switch the point of attack and try and get in behind them whenever we possibly can. I think they do a good job of getting bodies behind the ball quickly, so I think we’ve got to try and expose them early and get in behind them.”
On Lumen Field being a tough place to play for opponents:
“I think we enjoy playing at home, we always have. I think the travel being one, it’s tough to travel west to east and east to west, so I think being able to have a good week at home, train a little bit more, obviously used to the surroundings. I think the surface takes a little bit of getting used to, too, when you haven’t played on it. So, I think that we can try and use that to our advantage as best we can.”
On if she has any injury updates:
“No. There are no updates.”
Forward Bethany Balcer
On how the team has prepared for Gotham:
“I think we’re looking to respond from our performance on Sunday, we obviously weren’t happy with it. So, I think how we respond in those situations and how we come out right away in our next game is really important. So, I think focusing on that and just getting back to the soccer that we know how to play because we don’t feel like we showed that on Sunday. It’s just kind of like a fresh start, clean slate for us and we’re looking to perform at the level we know we’re capable of.”
On Lumen Field being a tough place to play for opponents:
“It’s super fun playing at home and obviously we play well there, so I think just feeding off the atmosphere that Lumen (Field) gives us. We love playing in front of our fans, so it’s nice to be home for a little bit – we’ve been on the road a lot, so I think just settling in is something we’re good at. That obviously gives us an extra boost, knowing how well we play at home.”
On how the team will capitalize on opportunities in front of the goal:
“I think we’re really good at being versatile with how we build out and how we attack. We’ve got so many dangerous threats up top and I think it’s just finding as many people in as many dangerous spots as we can. So, we adjust a little game to game, but we know that our frontline and our front six are really, really good and we just have to get the balls in dangerous places, which I think is what we kind of lacked on Sunday. So, I think we’re obviously goal-hungry and we love scoring at home. I think that’s, hopefully, something you guys see tomorrow.”
On if she has any goal celebrations planned with Head Assistant Coach Scott Parkinson:
“[Laughs] You already know I’ve got some up my sleeve. I haven’t been able to use them recently, so hopefully we can get those out of the way and then start brainstorming for some new ones next time.”
On if the team watched film from their last time playing Gotham to help prepare:
“This is the first team that we’re playing twice in regular season. So, it kind of was a quick turnaround generally speaking, so we can kind of look at that film as a good gauge and obviously look at more recent film to notice if they’ve changed anything. But because we didn’t play them too, too long ago, it’s nice to go back and see what we did well and what we can work on.”
Download here: Pre-Match Press Conference (vs. NJ/NY) • Saturday, May 20, 2023