Pre-Match Press Conference (vs. ORL) • Saturday, September 2, 2023
OL Reign Pre-Match Press Conference • Saturday, September 2, 2023
Head Coach Laura Harvey and Midfielder Angelina
Head Coach Laura Harvey
On if everyone will be available tomorrow:
“Yeah, clean injury report – only player, really, that we have to be mindful of minutes-wise is (midfielder) Jess (Fishlock), that’s it, which is great.”
On how the team approached practice this week since there were two days off in the training schedule:
“[The players] collectively took one of those days off and wanted to train, so I think that says a lot about the group. To answer your question – what have we done? We’ve done what we always do – we analyzed the performance; we analyzed the goals we conceded. We have always had a mentality that prevention is better than cure, in regard to how goals are conceded against us. Were there mistakes within the goals? Yes, but there were things we needed to do better. The free kick is an example – we give the ball away that gives a free kick to them, we then aren’t setup on the free kick properly and then (Angel City FC defender Madison Hammond) Ham has a free shot from six yards and we hope and pray that our goalkeeper can make an unbelievable save and unfortunately, she doesn’t. So, I think that’s what we always do, we are process-driven that way, but we are not, for any means, taking this game in any means lightly. We understand the gravity of this game, we’ve spoken about it as a playoff game because it is. That’s how important it is.”
On having the UKG Challenge Cup semifinal on Wednesday and if that changes anything about how the team will approach tomorrow’s game:
“We have not spoken about Wednesday. It’s not priority for us right now. Priority is Sunday. We will evaluate what we look like physically, who’s available for Wednesday after Sunday because Sunday is our most important game right now. We aren’t, unfortunately, privileged enough to be able to think that way. We have to just put everything into getting a result on Sunday and deal with the Challenge Cup after that, which we’ve done all year. That’s the way we’ve presented the Challenge Cup, it’s the way we’ve prepared for the Challenge Cup all year, so it’s not different.”
On if the team reviewed their last game against Orlando to prepare for this game:
“I think just defensively we know what they’re going to try and do against us. I don’t think it will be much different than they did when it was at their place, so we’re prepared for that. I think, obviously, both teams are in a different space – we potentially have got eight or nine players different than what we had when we played them. They’re three or four players different. So, it will be different personnel, but I think they’re a well-organized, well-coached team. We’re not taking them lightly at all, we know what threat that they bring and we’ve got to match that and then provide our own threat.”
On hosting Orlando last year at the end of the season to win the Shield and what Orlando is doing differently this year to make them a bigger threat:
“I think a big one with them is that they’re a team. I think Orlando have traditionally always had good players, but maybe that team ethos around, I think their group and their staff have done a good job this year of, they’re a really hard-working unit that makes it really difficult for you to compete with them, which is something that I think has been a difference maker this year for them. Obviously, we played them last game at the end of the season last year in a different environment, but we played them away at this stage last year, where we needed to win and we did it in good old Reign fashion last kick of the game. But we knew that we had to win when we were there and it’s the same mentality tomorrow, we know we’ve got to get a result.”
Midfielder Angelina
On getting her first minutes with the Reign this season after her injury and what that was like for her:
“I was just very happy to be back. Obviously, just got a little bit of time on the field and just such a long period without playing for this team. I was just so excited to be back and playing with my teammates.”
On if there were any specific skills she worked on during her recovery:
“It was mostly strengthening that I was focused on. But obviously, it made me realize, how can I see soccer from a different point of view. I was watching a lot more and obviously not training more. So, it just made me see soccer from a different point of view and obviously I think I had to train a lot more – my touches and basic things like that, which have helped me a lot. When I came back, I realized how much it helped me.”
On how the rehab process was for her and how she’s feeling now:
“It was tough, not going to lie, but I had all the support here in the club, with my national team. My recovery was great, didn’t have any complications. It was great. It was tough, obviously, because there’s a long period of time without playing, without training, but I have nothing to complain about – my recovery was great, got my strength back and I feel great now. I feel confident, feel like myself playing and I’m just excited to be back and getting some minutes in.”
On how important it was for her to get time with the Brazilian national team:
“It was really important. It was something that I wasn’t expecting to happen because it was a short period of time until the World Cup and I was obviously just coming back from ACL injury, but it was just great for me. How they handled things with me there, it was great. It was just good to get all those trainings together and made me build more strength, more fitness and I just came back a lot more confident. It just helped me a lot. I’m just so grateful for the opportunity.”
On the team being through a tough run of form and what the feeling is in the locker room:
“We’re just focusing on the game tomorrow. Obviously, we know that we had a tough few games, but that’s in the past now. So, we’re just focusing on what can we do tomorrow to make those points and get back on the winning row and just make our way to the playoffs. We have a lot of quality in this team and we know that we can make that work. Obviously, Orlando is a tough team, fighting for the [playoff] spot, too, but we’re just focused on what we can do to make that win and get the points.”
On what makes Orlando tough:
“I think they’ve just been on a good sequence, now, after the World Cup. They have a lot of good players too, obviously. Just having that chance of fighting for the playoffs, everyone is just obviously going to play good and play to win and make the points. Have a few games until the playoffs, so everyone is just fighting for their spot and we’re just going to do the same and hopefully we can come out with a win.”
On her experience in the World Cup:
“I mean, it was great. I was just so grateful to be there. It wasn’t my first thought of being in the roster because coming back from an injury, I knew that was going to be tough to have a spot there, but it just happened and I was just grateful. I just tried to enjoy every minute of it – being in a World Cup is obviously amazing. It’s so great for me, being so young and having that chance to be there and living that experience. I really wish we could’ve gone further in the competition, but it didn’t happen and we just have got to focus on what can we do to build up and get better for the Olympics now.”
Download here: Pre-Match Press Conference (vs. ORL) • Saturday, September 2, 2023