NCAA Softball Championships Dahlonega Super Regional Game 1 Quotes

Carson-Newman Head Coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield

Opening Thoughts:
"We played a phenomenal team and we knew that it would be a game where you couldn’t make mistakes and we would have to be aggressive in the batter's box.  A slow start the first couple of innings and you can't do that against North Georgia"

On the possibly being nervous:
"It could be, I don't know if I could speak for all of them.  I really didn't sense that.  I felt like we had a couple of mistakes with them (North Georgia) having runners on base, field the ball first and then make your throw.  Just some mistakes like that and not calling time correctly and a runner advances and scores.  You just can't give an extra base to them because all of the way through the lineup, one through nine they have good hitters."

On Sarah Stephanie Templeton:
"She really has been doing that as of late.  I just didn't feel like (we were there) defensively and that really has been our strong pursuit these past seven to ten ballgames, but just made too many mistakes tonight."

On having the bases loaded and getting only one run:
"We were in a good situation with some speed on the bases.  The short game is out of there and we were just hoping for a base hit.  We battled, the kids did not give in and I applaud them for that.  Again, if you are going to try to compete tomorrow you have to play seven strong innings."

On what Coach Kazee-Holifield will tell her team tonight:
"One thing we really have discussed is that North Georgia is going to play hard for seven innings.  We can't just come out and be comfortable and play well for three.  We have got to carry that throughout.  We are going to look and say we out hit them but we did not out defend them.  They have a phenomenal pitcher but we will have to come out and play a solid game tomorrow."

North Georgia Head Coach Mike Davenport

On rebounding after allowing early runs:
"I thought our kids did a pretty nice job battling back after the first inning home run and settled down a little bit during the first four innings.  Then in the fifth and sixth inning Carson-Newman took advantage of some of our mistakes."

On getting out of the bases loaded:
"Sarah (Phillips) made some pitches when she had too and our defense handled the routine plays today.  Some of the other plays we usually play a little bit better defensively.  We only got charged for one error on the game but defensively I felt there were some opportunities that we left out there."

On Laura Voyles:
"She was two for three at the plate.  The leadoff walk in the first inning also set the tone for us to answer the home run by Carson-Newman.  "Lup" has had a great junior season defensively as well.  We saw her make a tough catch against the fence on the third base side on one of their better hitters."

On the outfield making good plays:
"We have got some pretty good outfielders.  We feel that if they have a chance to catch them they are going to catch them and they did a little bit tonight.  I felt like the shallow hit ball in centerfield we should have caught. But you have to credit Carson-Newman they continued to battle and we knew it was going to be a war and it is.  Tomorrow I expect the same thing."

On the keys for North Georgia tomorrow:
"I think for both teams probably just to settle down and just realize that it is just another game.  I know there is a lot on the line for both of these teams and the kids have worked really hard to get to this point."

On winning game one in a three game series:
"No doubt, it sets it up for tomorrow.  For us having Sarah Phillips to go on the hill tomorrow and them having to beat her twice, if it goes that direction and we really like our chances in that scenario.  We knew Carson-Newman was going to come out and battle."