Postgame Press Conference (at POR) • Wednesday, June 28, 2023
OL REIGN at PORTLAND THORNS FC
POSTGAME QUOTES
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 • Providence Park • Portland, OR
OL Reign Head Coach Laura Harvey
On her overall thoughts on the match:
“Yeah, I thought it was a good performance by us, I thought we were solid. I thought it was professional, with the amount of changes and players coming in who’ve not started before or got their first 90 minutes, I think, was an exceptional thing to do here. It’s a really tough place to play, especially when you’re the Reign. I thought we defended really well, we were solid. We could’ve shown a little bit of quality at times on the ball better. But I mean the goal that got ruled offside was minimal. The free kick that we took quickly, I felt, should’ve stood. The goal itself was excellent. So yeah, just overall really proud of the group. So glad we could get people on the field and give people minutes and get people 90 minutes that haven’t had it for a long time. (Defender) Phoebe (McClernon) getting back is also a huge positive for us, too.”
On defenders Shae Holmes and Alyssa Malonson:
“We expect to have (defender) Sam (Hiatt) and (defender) Ryanne (Brown), right? (Defender) Shae (Holmes) has been solid in every game she’s played, I think. (Defender) Alyssa (Malonson) is turning into a gamer. I think every time she’s gone on the field in games, she’s done really well. Her development pathway has been, maybe not as fast as what she wanted it to be, but she’s just shown tonight that she can compete with the best. I thought they were both exceptional. I thought (midfielder) Marley (Canales) was very good, too.”
On how much confidence it gives the team to beat the Portland Thorns in Portland:
“Obviously coming here is tough, they’re a good team, they’ve got good depth, it’s always a tough place to come and play, whether we’ve got our best players or we’re missing some players. I think we know about our group, that they can do this, honestly. I think we felt that. I think, obviously, their confidence and the good mood we had after Saturday sort of leaked into today’s game. But yeah, just really proud of the group that we could dig in and defend well and get some quality chances.”
On not conceding during the 2023 Challenge Cup through four games:
“I’ve said this a lot, I think that we as a group believe that when we’re defensively strong, we always have a chance of winning the game. It’s been utilized in the Challenge Cup maybe more than even in the league and I think we’ve shown that we have strength in depth in every position, including goalkeeper. In my humble opinion, we have the strongest three goalkeepers in the league. I have no hesitation or worry about any of them playing and they prove it every game, whether it’s in the league for (goalkeeper) Phallon (Tullis-Joyce) or in the Challenge Cup with (goalkeeper) Claudia (Dickey) and (goalkeeper) Laurel (Ivory), I feel that they step up and the players know it too, they feel it, they feel comfortable and confident with who’s back there. So, I think that’s a big avenue for us too, that we can – it doesn’t matter who is playing in which position, it doesn’t matter who is in goal, it doesn’t matter who is playing at center back or at fullback, we truly believe that defensively, we can always be good and when we are, we tend to get results.”
OL Reign Forward Elyse Bennett and Forward McKenzie Weinert
On the goal from the set piece:
Elyse Bennett: “Yeah, I would say it’s something that we worked on in training. I think that (head assistant coach) Scott (Parkinson) does well with setting us up on set pieces and making sure that we know our roles and I just saw myself open on the back post and I kind of saw (Thorns defender Meghan Klingenberg) Kling drifting inside towards our wall, so I knew that I would be open and (defender Alyssa Malonson) Lyss just hit me a perfect ball. So, glad I could finish.”
On playing up top together:
McKenzie Weinert: “Honestly, it’s fun. We played against each other in college for quite a few years so getting to share the field together was pretty fun. I like the way (forward) Elyse (Bennett) plays, it’s easy to play with her, so it was good.”
On playing at Providence Park near her hometown:
McKenzie Weinert: “Yeah, I grew up about 20 minutes away from Providence Park, so I’ve been coming here all my life. Yeah, just to share that moment with my family, it meant everything, so that was awesome.”
Download here: Postgame Press Conference (at POR) • Wednesday, June 28, 2023