UCLA-San Diego State Quotes
May 21, 2001 | Softball
May 21, 2001
UCLA HEAD COACH SUE ENQUIST
Re: SDSU pitcher Sandra Durazo
"I compliment Durazo on her impressive run. She was the heartbeat of the team. She was very competitive and gave it her best shot. The one difference, though, is that we saw the video last night of her pitching (in Saturday's game vs. UCLA). We made a great adjustment in the box. She has a great changeup, she pitches on the inside, and we were able to see that and hit accordingly."
Re: Nationwide depth of college softball
"The Pac-10 has shown there is great depth in our conference. This weekend, some of the smaller teams have shown that they can compete against nationally recognized teams. It then gives them an opportunity to get recognized and hopefully attain a larger budget."
Re: UCLA's defense
"If it's one aspect of the game where I put pressure on our team, it is on defense. Defense is what really wins the game. Pride gets you there (championships) and gets you to the end. I taught the team patience and confidence. If we don't get off to a good start, we have learned to be patient. Defense can create momentum, and I do put pressure on the defense, but everything contributes to the game."
Re: Looking ahead to the WCWS
"We have a lot of young leaders. Our entire infield is sophomores. We have a lot of experienced veterans, though. It's a great balance. The nerves are going to be there (for the championships), but we have great leadership and experience.
Re: Bruin pitcher Amanda Freed
"Amanda has a great feel for the plate. She's very disciplined. She's learning that she can be successful without all of her pitches. She's only starting to get back her full pitching arsenal. I'm very optimistic for Amanda's postseason. She's learning how to use the pitches she has, even if it's just one or two."
UCLA OUTFIELDER STEPHANIE RAMOS
"We're jelling, starting to peak at the right time. I'm looking forward to playing (in my first World Series). I couldn't ask for a better team to be on."
UCLA PITCHER AMANDA FREED
"I try to get a feel with everything, the umpire and the opponents. Yes, I think I am back from where I was last year, but I still don't have my full arsenal. I'm learning to use what I have, and hopefully I'll be back to my full potential soon."
SAN DIEGO STATE HEAD COACH KATHY VAN WYK
Re: General thoughts
"Two months ago, we beat (defending national champion) Oklahoma, but no one noticed. I told the team to forget about that, because we would quietly sneak up to the top. We did a lot of big things this week. I'm very thankful to everyone. It was a tremendous ride. My only regret is that (Sandra Durazo) can't be here for two more years. This weekend was great. We reached our potential and then some. It was an incredibly satisfying and rewarding experience."
SAN DIEGO STATE PITCHER SANDRA DURAZO
"I told myself I wasn't going to cry, and that I would be happy with how this game would end. Today, though, I started to cry because I knew it was the end. It was so great to attain a standing ovation and to hug all my teammates. We (our team) have a lot of confidence and we've grown a lot. I was a little tired today, but I don't blame that. They (the Bruins) were hitting hard against me today. They adjusted really well."