QUOTE SHEET
Utah Royals FC 3-1 Sky Blue FC
Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, UT
June 30, 2018
Utah Royals FC
MF Katrina Gorry
On Sky Blue’s backline allowing chances in the first half:
“In the first half we played the ball around really well which created our own space. We have quite a bit of speed up front now with Christen and if we create enough space she gets on the ball and makes her own opportunities giving us depth in attacking.”
On having depth up front:
“For us (midfielders) it makes their backline drop more which gives us space and more freedom to move around and find spaces. The more focus on them the less on us and the more possession we get.”
On playing with the league’s best defense:
“I think we have the best backline in the league that makes it so much easier on us midfielders. We can go anywhere we want and we know they’ll have our back.”
On 4 points in the last two games:
“I think we’re pretty disappointed to only get 1 point out of that Seattle game I think we dominated that game and created a lot of chances that we didn’t put away. We are happier to get 3 points tonight with a good performance in the first half. Sky Blue has been hunting for 3 points most of the season and I think it’s always a tough team to play. We knew if we’d play our game we’d come out with 3 points.”
FW Katie Stengel
On the team’s opportunities:
“Yeah, I think that we finally combined and found space and gained the lead once we got a goal or two. I mean we still did well the second half, but the first-half was definitely a good half for us.”
On Christen Press in the attack:
“She is kind of good, I think she definitely drags players to her just because people know how good she is and it’s nice to be able to play off of her. She’s a great player, she’s smart. She can see things and definitely good shots off every game. So, she is a great asset for us to have.”
On the 1st goal:
“I think I looked up and saw she was just looking and I was like please just play it and played a great ball in. The keeper came off her line so I think it was just you know a good connection and hopefully first of many.”
On her throne celebration:
“I saw that throne the first RSL game that I went to and said that if I ever score I was going to go sit on that throne. So, I was hoping for someone to go with me so I wouldn’t look like a loser, but it was still a lot of fun I really love having that throne chair there.”
On Pride month:
“It’s pride month? Yeah, I mean one of my really good friends Austin started playing for Pride last year. I think it’s been an amazing organization and there has been so much support this year and it is a great way to end off on the month of June and hopefully a lot people match our athlete accounts.”
On a developing play and style:
“I think that just being challenged by Laura and the players around me and hoping to progress and just get better each day. Laura definitely challenges us day in and day out in training and playing with high level players like Christen and just having to elevate my game to get more playing time and do the best I can with the players around.”
On being in the starting eleven:
“About 17 hours ago, I mean everyone is ready to go anytime. I think that it was a three-day week so it’s tough for all of our starters to continue to play 90 minutes. I think there had to be some rotations eventually and you know I’ve just been waiting and hoping that I get a chance.”
DF Sam Johnson
On playing with Becky Sauerbrunn:
“She’s so smart with her positioning, communication and always giving me tips along the way.”
On adjusting to the new style:
“Definitely! I know it’ll take time to click and gel because being a part of the defensive unit it’s all about being in sync. You just have to understand personalities and understand their personal strengths, but overtime it’ll get better and tonight was a great start to that.”
On what is impressive about the group:
“The individual quality of the players is very high. We have really high standards for ourselves individually; we try to be clean on the ball and make the least amount of technical errors. We want to take a lot of tactical risks, but be clean on the ball. Every day I come to practice I feel like I have to raise my level and that’s why I wanted to come here, because I knew I would be challenged every day.”
Head Coach Laura Harvey
On what lead to a dominating first half:
“Putting the ball in the net. If you look at Wednesday’s game and this game, I think that’s the difference. Goals change games, I’m renowned for saying that but it’s true. I think if we would have put a ball in the net against Seattle the game could have been very different. Obviously tonight, scoring so early gives you a really good foothold in the game and then getting two goals so close together just about killed the first half off. Coming into halftime, we felt really good about it.”
On Katie Stengel’s performance:
“I thought the whole game, while she was on, she was very good. Christen and Amy are going to get their own limelight and that’s how it is but what Katie is doing really is anytime she is asked to play, whether it’s off the bench or subbed in, she has had impact. That’s what you want. She is different to both of them, she is a true target number nine, which I don’t think Christen or Amy would classify themselves as. She has had some games and this is one of them, but the target number nine can really help and benefit the players around her. Katie really enabled Christen and Ericka to get into the game in the first half. For Katie it was probably her best performance and she got her reward with the goals.”
On Press’ and Johnson’s transition to the Royals:
“I think the way we defend is a little bit different from Chicago so we’ve got to help Sam in that respect. It won’t take a lot, we just haven’t had many training session, just preparation for the game sessions, so that will help. Obviously getting on the field and getting minutes, time, being around the players is the way you fit in seamlessly and I think so far so good.”
