Postgame Press Conference (vs. KC) • Saturday, June 10, 2023
OL REIGN vs. KANSAS CITY CURRENT
POSTGAME QUOTES
Saturday, June 10, 2023 • Lumen Field • Seattle, WA
OL Reign Head Coach Laura Harvey
On her thoughts on defender Lauren Barnes being the first player in league history to reach 200 appearances:
“There’s not enough words, really. I was just thinking about it before I came in here and I think, it’s really hard to put in perspective how big of an achievement that is for her. I mean, someone can probably tell me this stat, but the amount of games that have been played in this league to have actually played in the amount she has is an unreal achievement. To have done it for the same club, in a league that’s set up for that not to happen, is phenomenal. I don’t think it will be matched. It shows just the level of talent she has, how consistent she is, how big of a role she’s played in the development of what this club is today. She’s willing to put her body on the line for the team and she does it without needing to be the star. It’s just a phenomenal achievement. Obviously, as a coach, getting that many games is one thing, but for a player to do it so quickly is frightening. It’s scary. She doesn’t get the credit she deserves. She’s not polarizing as a person, she’s humble and wants everyone else to get the limelight instead of it being her. I’m just really happy today that she can celebrate tonight with her family and tomorrow we can continue that on with Sue Bird’s [number retirement]. For me, there’s no better person and player to be the first to do it than (defender Lauren) Lu Barnes.”
On the team’s response:
“I thought just overall in the game, we had moments of really good stuff and it probably outweighed the times when we didn’t do that. Again, I think you look at last week’s game to this week’s game, I said last week, we lacked a bit of quality when we needed it, tonight, we had it. To me, that was the difference in the game. Disappointed to concede late, that’s something that has now happened in two games and that’s not who we are, so we need to solve that. But, I thought that, obviously, losing (forward Megan Rapinoe) Pinoe so early was disappointing and yeah, I was like, wow, for (defender) Alana (Cook) and (defender Emily) Sonnett to get booked so quickly, we were thinking about how we might have to get one or both of them out of the game. But, I think it just says a lot about the group that the belief that they have when we score goals is so evident and that’s why last week, even though we were so disappointed to lose to Portland, we always will be, we’re disappointed to lose at home, I knew it wasn’t like a catalyst moment, it couldn’t be because the game wasn’t that way and tonight, when we had moments of quality, we took them more than we did last week. That’s how unforgiving this league is, you have to take those chances when you get them and we did.”
On forward Tziarra King:
“(Forward Tziarra King) Zee played in the Challenge Cup against San Diego (Wave FC) and I thought it was her best performance that I’ve ever seen her play for this club and it was those things. I think one of the things that Zee’s developed into her game, which for me is a big part of who we are, is she’s super reliable defensively, now. She understands the role, she understands what’s required and that’s something that I think (forward) Veronica Latsko’s done a really good job of, too. We defended in a very specific way today, you may have seen a little bit similar this morning in the Champions League, not sure we did it as well as Man City, but we defended in a very specific way and I think it really suits Zee. She works so hard at doing it, it’s hard work to be able to do that. She got some rewards in the first half of winning the ball and she just couldn’t get that next pass off or shot or whatever and get the reward for it. But yeah, her development, I see this a lot with players that go through a journey in this league and something just clicks and for me, in the last, maybe, month with Zee, something’s just clicked. I think she understands what it takes for her mentally. I think she understand what it needs to take physically and she’s able to execute it technically now, too, which I think that’s going to be phenomenal for us for this season. Obviously, we’ve got a big period coming up where we’re either going to be missing players through injury or through the World Cup and she’s going to play a big role.”
OL Reign Defender Lauren Barnes and Defender Sofia Huerta
On reaching 200 appearances:
Lu Barnes: “Yeah, I’ve had a lot of time to think about it – 200 games in 11 years. Today, we kind of talked in the locker room about how three points is huge for us. We’ve been working hard, we’ve been a little unlucky in some games. So, for me, it’s another game. We’ve been focused on what’s ahead of us, game by game. So, I’m proud of the team, we put up a good performance together, today, and yeah, 200 with one club, I couldn’t be more proud. Yeah, I’m happy.”
On the defensive response from the team:
Lu Barnes: “I think the defensive response the last couple years have been really great with this team. I think, on the field today, from the first minute, I didn’t feel like we were losing that game no matter what happened. I think we had that mentality. Like (defender Sofia Huerta) Sof said, we just talked about how important this game was. History, milestones are always so fun to be a part of, so there’s just that extra drive for us as well in these games and I think that helped us today – you have the crowd, we have the atmosphere and then we got to have something a little bit special within the group as well. So yeah, I could never see us walking away without winning that game today.”
On losing forward Megan Rapinoe early in the match:
Sofia Huerta: “I mean, I think we have such depth on the bench, that’s something (head coach) Laura (Harvey) always talks about. (Forward) Veronica (Latsko) obviously just got player of the match, scored two goals a few games ago, so we have confidence in anyone who’s called upon. It was unfortunate that we lost (forward Megan Rapinoe) Pinoe, of course, but I think Veronica was ready to take on the chance she was going to get, which obviously you saw in the game. So yeah, just the depth and the preparation that Laura does with the team throughout the week obviously makes people feel confident when they’re called upon.”
Lu Barnes: “And just the pure focus of the girls, it doesn’t matter if you’re starting every single game or not, you are so important and valued in this team and I think that just goes to show how important that is today.”
On how important it is to play for a team that is outspoken about its values:
Lu Barnes: “I think that’s why a lot of people love the Reign in general. We share and really have our values on our sleeve and I think that also comes with building our squad, Laura’s done a great job with that, just in terms of people coming in and standing up and using our platform, I think, is what’s really important. I’ve seen it for 11 years – never have I ever felt like this club was ever going to go any direction but forward for a bigger cause and everyone backs it, it’s super special. I don’t think you find that a lot in the NWSL, but that comes within us, within the group and being able to carry that on. So, it is really important because it is bigger than football for us.”
Sofia Huerta: “Everything (defender Lauren Barnes) Lu said obviously is exactly how I feel as well. This team is really an inclusive team; we love and accept anyone for whoever they want to be. We have trans people on our team and our staff, we are accepting of everyone and that obviously comes from the leadership as well. This team is really special. Yeah, we obviously just accept everyone for who they want to be. So, definitely something that we really care about and we’re passionate about.”
On how important it is to be playing well ahead of the World Cup:
Sofia Huerta: “I’m trying hard not to think about it too much. I think my priority is definitely the Reign. It obviously is stressful, but I just had to focus on the Reign and my performances and ultimately, it’s kind of out of my control at this point. I mean, obviously, I hope (USWNT head coach) Vlatko (Andonovski) and the staff selects me for the World Cup, but just trying to focus on the day and stay present and do the best I can and whatever is supposed to happen will happen.”
Lu Barnes: “I think they’d be silly not to. She’s something else. There’s no fullback like her in the league and probably the world right now, so she has the full support of our team and I know her being successful here is obviously going to help her move forward and that’s what we want.”
On taking fun starting XI photos:
Lu Barnes: “We literally love each other so much. We’re so supportive. We have the best personalities and I think because we allow everyone to be their authentic selves, it’s a safe space. So, we can be weird, no one cares. Be your weirdness, we love it, we want it, we encourage it. So yeah, I think they probably started with us doing weird stuff a long time ago because we are weird. That’s what we love. For me, thinking about this stuff, six years ago, it was like, don’t talk in warmup, be so serious, do this do that and the game has just evolved and adapted in ways that we’re like, you do you and if that means you can dance around – we’ve got a new Brazilian in the locker room that doesn’t speak one word of English, she communicates through dancing and doing her stuff and it’s just amazing to see. You can do that and still be ready for a game and that’s what has been fun and I do think that comes obviously with the club and Laura allows that and we know when to switch it on when we need to switch it on.”
Download here: Postgame Press Conference (vs. KC) • Saturday, June 10, 2023