Amy Rodriguez
Q: Hey Amy, How are you feeling with this result?
A: They were playing the song "Best Freaking Night of My Life" when the game finished, and that's exactly how it felt. We battled through that game. That was tough to sit through those last nine minutes of stoppage time, which ended up being like 11 plus minutes of stoppage time, which is from injuries and stoppage of play. I was on the edge of my seat all night. So proud of the girls that they battled through all those waves and they went through it. Very excited to have two phenomenal goals on the night as well.
Q: Speaking of injuries we found out Imani ruptured her achilles just your reaction to that news.
A: Devastating. Imani is a clear leader in our team. She was having an excellent night and it's just so unfortunate to watch her kind of go down with that injury and luckily we had Addie Merrick jump in and filled that hole for us and she did a phenomenal job But I think all of us are pretty somber with the news of Imani getting injured and likely out for for the foreseeable future.
Q: Your last team as a player was North Carolina. Sean was a coach at the time. What was what was that experience like for you to you know shake his hand at the before kickoff kickoff interact to get the win all that.
A: I have great respect for Sean Nejas but there is no sweeter feeling than beating your former team and I think Emily Gray and Frankie would agree with me on that it's a sweet feeling to beat the North Carolina side, a very good North Carolina side who had multiple chances tonight and we battled through so many crosses so many attacks from them very very pleased with the group and to walk away with a win against a very strong North Carolina side is something I'm very proud of.
Q: This early in the season can you talk about the legs on your players the, work rate in particular even; point out Ally Sentnor’s performance. She was all over the pitch. What are your thoughts?
A: Ally Sentnor and our entire group battled through a really difficult team to defend against. And North Carolina, one of the fittest teams in this league, we knew they were going to send numbers and numbers. We handled those waves. We handled that pressure from them. I'm very pleased with the legs that we saw from my group tonight. and We still have a lot of ways to go technically and tactically, but physically I think that my team withheld a really difficult Carolina side, and I'm really proud of that.
Q; That sequence there with the two penalties. Had you ever seen anything quite like that?
A: I think Malia Berkley doesn't miss those PKs if it's not Mandy Haught.
Q: And this was Mandy's first game. So what do you think of her in goal tonight?
A: I think Mandy got her feet under her as her first game with a royal shirt on. We definitely have some work to do with our build outs. I'm not gonna complain about a win against North Carolina.
Q: Kate's goal was obviously pretty historic for Royals 2 .0. Is it almost fitting that it was her to score that first goal?
A: Phenomenal goal from Kate Del Fava. She has so much impact for this team in her defensive position, but for her to put us up ahead with that great header goal. Delivery was excellent. Timing was excellent. When the ball hit the back of the net, I just felt like I couldn't be more proud and happier of this group. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, Ally Sentnor hits an upper 90 banger goal. Equally just as exciting.
Q: Amy, I would like to ask you about-- what the league announced during this week about the summer cup between NWSL teams and League of Familiar Teams. What are your thoughts about that?
A: To be honest, that feels so far in the future. My eyes were only set on North Carolina this week, but I do recognize we have a really cool potential to play against Liga MX in the summertime. I'm looking forward to an extra set of games.
Q: Do you think that these three games will help the group to take more read of the game in the game?
A: I think it's always good to have some exhibition games where we have a chance to go against another league, another team. I haven't spent too much time thinking on it, just because we're in the middle of our season right now, and there's a lot to focus on. And our team is in a building year, truthfully, being an expansion group. So with extra games under our plate, it's more time for us to work on being a team and working on our style of play.
Q: How did you kind of prepare your team for this win today?
A: I don't know if I could have prepared my team for quite as much drama as we expect tonight. Didn't expect that. I think it was like five yellow cards, two PKs, 10 plus minutes of extra time. The beginning of our week looked like us preparing and working on box details. So all that defending work in the box that you saw tonight, getting those first contacts, cutting in front of their runners, battling it out, being ruthless with them in our 18 -yard box, that was a main focus of this week. I'm pleased to say that it paid off because you saw how much we had to endure, but we withheld a really strong North Carolina side that was coming down our throat, especially in those last 10 minutes.
Q: How much confidence is that instilled into the team to know that you can not only play up against the North Carolina courage, you can beat them as well?
A: We beat one of the best teams in the league tonight. And I'm proud of the group. I'm not surprised. I felt like this group was ready for it. We had a sour taste in our mouth when we dropped 2 -0 against Chicago last week. These guys had something to prove, and they did that.
Q: When Ally scored the goal her reaction appeared to be kind of like yeah no big deal I've done this 100 times before. What are your thoughts on that mentality from a player so young?
A: So I didn't see Ally's reaction but that does not surprise me at all. It is rare to find someone as humble and hard -working as she is and to score one of the best goals I've seen in a long time. It's no surprise that she shrugged it off. I was elated, obviously. There was no humbleness in that moment for me. Ally Sentnor couldn't speak more highly of that player and the goal. Phenomenal. I was celebrating with my bench and my team.
Q: I know it's literally only been two games, but you look at those two games, the stats are almost literally flipped between them in terms of possession, shots. Do you think that speaks to this team's ability to be versatile right off the bat, their comfortability with the ball or without the ball?
A: We saw two different teams this week, with Chicago on the front end and then now Carolina. We knew that Carolina was going to be a possession -based team, and I was fine with that. I think our press at times is excellent, still a lot to build off of. But I was OK with Carolina having the ball as long as it was in front of us. They probably got through us a lot more than I wanted them to and put me on the edge of my seat. No shortage of drama in this game. But I care that we got the three points at the end of the day. And this week in training, we'll go back and focus on the details and improve what we need to.
Q: Can I just follow up on that partnership that you're developing between Kate Del Fava and Kaley Riehl as center backs back there?
A: I'm pleased with the partnership between Kaylee and Kate. They held it down for us today, and they had to withstand a ton of crosses. And that, is box organization. Where those players have quite a bit of experience in the end of your cell, And that showed tonight. And I think that's how we got away with this win.
Kate Del Fava
Q: Kate, just kind of take us through the sequence that led to the goal and also kind of tell us how you feel that you got the first goal of Royals 2 .0.
K: The team did really well to build up on that right side and earn a corner kick. We trained that with Paige, driving in a ball. And hopefully, I would be open at the back post, and I was, and saw it coming in. I was just like, oh my god, it's coming right towards me. Hopefully, I just can get this in the back of the net, and I did, so I was happy with that. I'm really happy to score the first goal. It feels like kind of a full circle moment for me. Being drafted by Utah, being able to score the first goal is a really special moment.
Q: It felt like some frantic defending. Can you just speak to the group's mindset that you guys were able to see out that 2 -1 lead and get the first victory?
K: I think it was just a great performance. We knew we were going to have to dig in. They're a really strong, possession -based team. They want the ball. We just had to be tough defensively. And I think every single person played a part in that. And you can see everyone was giving it all on the pitch. So, I couldn't be happier for the group.
Q: That double penalty sequence there, had you ever seen anything quite like that?
K: I literally was talking like, I have never seen that. We were able to force a miss on the first one. And then Mandy came up huge for us. And we had all the faith in the world that she would. I think we just used that to kind of push us through the next couple of minutes. Really used that as a momentum boost.
Q: And you guys had the 2 -1 lead pretty early on and had to hang out. So what was that like and how were you guys able to come out with the win?
K: I think it's just sticking to our defensive principles and knowing that, I was going to be a little bit of a grind, but we wanted that win so bad, we wanted those three points and we were happy to dig in and get them.
Q: Going back to that penalty save by Mandy, Can that kind of a moment galvanize you guys? Can that set a tone for the second half?
K: I think once we saw that, we were not letting the ball go in the back of the net, and Mandy's not letting this ball go in the back of the net. I think that definitely helped boost us a little bit. We were getting tired right around that minute, and I think that just added energy to the group that we definitely needed. And Mandy's a beast, so it was a great save. A little bit of extra to keep you going for the next 10 minutes of stoppage time or whatever it was.
Q: Will you talk about your partnership with Kaylee? How's that going? How's the communication? What do you expect in the future with that partnership?
K: Kaylee's a great defender, great player overall. And she's been a center back in this league for a long time. So I think just me learning from her and how she reads the game and being able to bounce off of each of our strengths has been really good so far, these last two games. And I can't wait to see how our partnership grows. I like playing alongside Kaylee a lot. She's a great player.
Q; Kate, you played with Amy when you guys were here last. What has it been like having her as a coach? What kind of adjustment is that?
K: I feel like everyone's asked me this because everyone wants to know how different Amy is as a coach, but I say that she's the exact same. she's super intense super competitive like she's just instilling that she's so passionate and you can just feel that like in the huddle after the game like you can just sense how much this means to her and she's just instilling that within the group. I'm lucky to have been a teammate of hers and I'm lucky to be coached by her now.
Q: It's your second NWSL goal, and you definitely make them count for drama. The other one was the playoff game winner. Any recollections on that goal or comparison between the two feelings?
K: Obviously, that was in the playoffs. It was a big moment. But scoring the first goal for Utah after they drafted me, peaks it. Honestly, I'm so happy to score for the club and do what I can and just build off this momentum.
Q: So Paige Monahan had the assist for you tonight. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about playing with her, how she is both on the field and off the field as the team's captain for Royals 2 .0.
K: Paige is the best person we have to have leading us this year. I think shes the perfect balance of servant leader like she will work her butt off on and off the pitch so I think that's been evident and yeah she put in a beautiful ball we talked about it I was literally like Paige I want you to have that first assist so I'll do everything I can to put the ball in the back of the net so I was happy to do that for her.
Ally Sentnor
Q: Hey, Ally. Just so what is like for for the team to get the first Franchise win?
A: I mean the vibes are just incredible right now. I think everyone's just so happy It was a complete team win. Every single person from people on the bench to people that came in made that game a win for us. So I'm just so proud of the way we fought through kind of there at the end and Just so happy to get the first first dub.
Q: Just kind of take us through that sequence
A: Like I said before, it was started with our box organization and we've really been working with that all week. So I'm super proud of our defense for clearing that cross and Kale Played me a great ball into space and just saw a space in front of me and ran as fast as I could.
Q: Can you at least, humility aside, tell us what went through your body and your brain and your soul as that ball went in the back of the net?
A: I’m not a big celebration person. I'm so happy though. And I promise like I'm so happy. And I think just all my teammates were so incredible. They knew it was coming from a couple of shots and practices. And they were just so happy for me celebrating with me. And I think just to put us up in the game was such a great feeling. So I'm just so proud of us. And ready to score some more goals hopefully.
Q: Ally I'm kind of wondering if you can compare this week's game against last week. What was the difference between the two games on the field for you?
A: I think that's the game of soccer, honestly. Any team can win on any day. And I think that's something I really appreciate about the NWSL. And you don't necessarily have to have the most possession. You don't necessarily have to have the highest stats. But it's about putting the ball in the back of the net. So I think that was one of the big changes from last game to this game is we finished our chances. And then also switching presses a little bit during the game and just being organized collectively. I think there were things we worked on all week that we changed for this game. Obviously, need to clean up a few things in the second half towards the end of the game so we don't give it a scare. But once again, I'm just very proud of us. There's always going to be things to work on game to game. But I am proud of us for kind of, since we didn't have most possession, getting those goals and finding our way to win.
Q: Ally, obviously, coming in as a top draft pick. Did you feel any pressure coming into the season and then now having only two games into the season, finally getting your first goal. It wasn't like a long time that you had to wait for that. Does that kind of free up your mentality for the rest of the season moving forward? -
A: I think for me, it was mostly a pressure to help the team and a pressure to help perform for the team to win. I try not to put too much pressure on myself because I definitely play worse if I do, but I'm really just trying to enjoy every moment. And at the end of the day, like I'm doing everything I can on the field to help our team excel and to help our team win. So the goal tonight was just a testament to everyone, a testament to the work we've been putting in. And I was just the one to be able to finish it. So I think hopefully going forward can continue to do that for this team. But at the end of the day, I think just knowing that we all have each other's backs kind of lifts that pressure a little bit
