Pre-Match Press Conference (at POR) • Tuesday, June 27, 2023
OL Reign Pre-Match Press Conference • Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Head Coach Laura Harvey and Goalkeeper Laurel Ivory
Head Coach Laura Harvey
On her overall thoughts heading into the match:
“Excited for the group. To get an opportunity in the Challenge Cup again, I think we’ve always said that it’s important to us to do well in that competition. So, excited to have another opportunity to do that tomorrow.”
On her approach to this game with the game against Racing Louisville FC coming up on Saturday:
“We just have to manage the roster. I think it’s obviously a real challenge this week, probably more than ever, and we’re obviously managing some injuries as well. So yeah, we’re putting out a team that we think can go and compete with Portland tomorrow and we’ll do the same on Saturday. But I think we’ve got these two games and then we’ve got the Orlando game and then we know we have a significant break after that. So, I think for the players sort of mental state and preparation, they know that they’ve got three big games coming up that we need everything from them if we can get it and then we get a chance to actually have a little bit of a breather. So, I think we sort of look at these three games as a collective in that way.”
On the quality of the squad’s depth:
“Honestly, we probably had to use it more than what we planned because of the injuries that we’ve had. I mean, (defender) Phoebe (McClernon), (midfielder) Angelina, (midfielder) Jess (Fishlock), (midfielder) Rose (Lavelle), (forward Megan Rapinoe) Pinoe have missed significant amounts of the games, in both Challenge Cup and regular season. So, we’ve had to already do that. It has exposed the players that we were preparing for this time earlier, so hopefully they’re even more prepared for this period, which I think is going to be really important for us.”
On McClernon being elevated to the active roster and if she has any update of Fishlock:
“No, I think they’ll both be back, available for tomorrow and we’ll just see how they feel tomorrow and how many minutes we can get them in preparation for Saturday.”
Goalkeeper Laurel Ivory
On her thoughts ahead of the match against Portland Thorns FC:
“I think it’s the first time, obviously this season, that we’ve really had to handle not having all of our internationals, so that’s been a bit of an adjustment, just being here and just being on the road – we lost them in the midst of a long road trip. But yeah, everyone feels good. I think we’ve prepared really well for this opportunity and I think everybody who gets a chance to play tomorrow is going to do really well and smash it.”
On how she has felt about having the Challenge Cup mixed into the regular season:
“I think, honestly, I really like this model. I think it mimics a similar model to a lot of European leagues that we all look up to, just watching the FA Cup and the English Premier League and things like that on the men’s side at least. But I think our team is really fortunate because we have the depth in order to do proper rotations and I think there are a good amount of teams that are able to do that. It’s going to be great when more teams have even more depth to rotate players in and out, but this is just a really good experience and I’m just grateful that I get an opportunity to do this.”
On this being her first experience in a competitive game in Portland if she starts tomorrow:
“At the end of the day when you’re in a game, I think, at least for me, I tune everything out and it just matters what I can contribute to a team and I’m excited to get this opportunity, obviously Portland-Seattle, a huge rivalry. Yeah, I’m just happy to make the most out of an opportunity if I get it and excited, I think that’s the only way I can say it is that I’m just really excited for a chance.”
On seeing the gigantic LEGO shoe at the Adidas store and how many pieces she thinks it took to build:
“Honestly, I have no clue. I was just poking and prodding it and I saw that it’s all glued together, so obviously I wasn’t worried about breaking it. (Defender Lauren Barnes) Lu actually, last year, sent me a picture of it and I just needed to see it in person and she brought me yesterday to see it and it was so cool. I just love Legos so much and I’ve kind of gotten a couple other teammates on the Lego train and I love building with them and it’s just a really good therapeutic thing for me, so to see something of that scale was just, I can just applaud, that belongs on like Lego Masters the show. I love that show.”
Download here: Pre-Match Press Conference (at POR) • Tuesday, June 27, 2023