Northwestern University Athletics
Championship Quotes
5/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
May 28, 2006
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery
DARTMOUTH HEAD COACH AMY PATTON
(on they key factor of the game):
"We give credit to Northwestern. They really came out in the second half. They executed much better than they had in the first half. The glaring thing that really stands out to me is that we took 10 shots. You can't win a national championship game taking 10 shots. We also made turnovers in critical times."
(on the Dartmouth defense):
"Our defense has really come along, especially toward the end of the year. I think [Big Green senior defender] Lizzy Cuneo is one of the best defenders in the country - she plays with passion. You could see it in her eyes. She's just as quick as [Northwestern midfielder Kristen] Kjellman. I thought Lizzy did an awesome job on [Kjellman]. I thought we were really frustrating them in the first half, really disrupting them. We never go into a game thinking we have to hold one player scoreless, but I think it is all about our team defense."
(on Northwestern attacker , No. 2 Sarah Albrecht):
"Starting with Sarah Albrecht, I think she is their heart and soul. The kid plays with a lot of emotion. She is really gritty out there and I have always been impressed with her play. When [Wildcat midfielder Kristen] Kjellman went out, I knew that No. 2 would probably be the one to step it up. She scored those next two goals. That wasn't a surprise to me that she did that because that is the type of player she is."
(on Dartmouth's effort):
"I am so proud of this team. In all the years that I have coached, this team has had to battle harder than any team I have seen at Dartmouth. I think that as we walked off that field, those kids gave it their best effort. It wasn't good enough, but they fought to the bitter end. We were in shape the last 15 minutes of that game - our kids were pretty darned tired still from the other night (a 14-8 semifinal victory over Notre Dame on Friday), and I just think that shows what these kids are made of. We are a tough team, a gritty team. Today wasn't our best day but it was our best effort that we could give."
DARTMOUTH JUNIOR ATTACKER WHITNEY DOUTHETT
(on the difference in the game):
"We give a lot of credit to Northwestern. They really pressured us. They did a good job. I just think we needed to do a better job of being confident with the ball."
DARTMOUTH SENIOR GOALKEEPER DEVON WILLIS
(on the key factor in the game):
"[Northwestern] really flustered our attackers. They flustered us in the midfield. They knew how to get us out of our rhythm."
DARTMOUTH SENIOR MIDFIELDER KRISTEN ZIMMER
(on Northwestern's ability to control the game):
"I just thought [Northwestern] had possession of the ball, and when we went into our attack, we didn't have possession of the ball as much as we would have liked."
NORTHWESTERN HEAD COACH Kelly Amonte Hiller
(on winning the national championship):
"This is an awesome feeling. I am so proud of our girls. Winning back-to-back... I am really excited for Northwestern."
(on Kristen Kjellman's right ankle injury):
"She has done so much for us all year that someone had to step up. It is tough to step up and replace what she has to offer."
"Immediately we put in Meredith Frank in [Kjellman's position]. I was very confident with her in that role."
(on winning a second straight national championship):
"I think this one was harder, which is unreal, because last year we were the underdogs all season. This year we had a little bit of a target on our back."
(on Northwestern's mentality):
"Even though we have never been down this season, we are fighters. I was kind of pleased that we were down but we showed through that adversity. If we are up or down we always play the same way."
(on Northwestern's first half scoring struggles):
"It was a little bit frustrating. It was difficult. We just weren't ourselves. We went into halftime saying `We need to settle down.' But we were getting opportunities and that was a good sign. If we weren't getting any opportunities, that would be a bad sign."
NORTHWESTERN JUNIOR MIDFIELDER Kristen Kjellman
(on suffering an ankle injury in the first half):
"I was just really mad, actually, at that point."
NORTHWESTERN JUNIOR ATTACKER Aly Josephs
(on her second half goal which was mishandled by the Dartmouth defense):
"We had some unfortunate [shots which hit] posts in the first half and then everything was in our favor. Things went in our direction and that [goal] was a pass."
NORTHWESTERN SENIOR ATTACKER Sarah Albrecht
(on winning the national championship):
"Last year we created a bond and this year we created another bond. It is definitely a different feeling, and it is awesome!"
(on playing in Boston - near her hometown of Braintree, Mass.):
"So many familiar faces. It means a lot to play in front of so many familiar faces. There was so much support from family friends. It is great to come back to Massachusetts and play."
2006 NCAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
| Sarah Albrecht (Sr., A) | Northwestern |
| Kristen Kjellman (Jr., M) | Northwestern |
| Aly Josephs (Jr., A) | Northwestern |
| Lindsay Finocchiaro (Jr., M/D) | Northwestern |
| Morgan Lathrop (Fr., GK) | Northwestern |
| Kristen Zimmer (Sr., M) | Dartmouth |
| Devon Wills (Sr., GK) | Dartmouth |
| Whitney Douthett (Jr., A) | Dartmouth |
| Sarah Szefi (Jr., A) | Dartmouth |
| Crysti Foote (Sr., A) | Notre Dame |
| Becky Ranck (So., D) | Notre Dame |
| Katie Chrest (Sr., A) | Duke |
| Laura Anderson (Sr., D) | Duke |
| TOURNAMENT MVP | |
| Sarah Albrecht (Sr., A) | Northwestern |
