Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines
Opening Statement
"Again, I keep talking about it, but character and character-building moments. It's been a while since we've gone a goal down [at home], especially in the regular season, but to be in that situation today at halftime, we talked about what type of team do we want to be when we're 1-0 down? I thought in the first half, we played a lot of direct play, and I wanted us to control the game, get a few more passes, use the middle, find the 10 in the middle and the first half we didn't do that. The [first Rayadas] goal is frustrating because what led to it, the free kick and we've been very good at defending set pieces this year. So that was disappointing. But again, the second half was a different team. We played a lot more through the middle. The second goal epitomizes what we're trying to do. A good pass out to Celia, a great 1v1, a great run from Jules [Julie Doyle] and an unbelievable finish to make it 2-2. So, that was the pleasing part.”
On how practicing penalty kicks in training this week impacted the result tonight
“The players can only answer that. I do think it did help going through that experience of last week away in North Carolina. We did practice them, we practiced them yesterday, at players’ request. They wanted to practice them and replicate the situation towards the end of the game. We did our best to replicate that. We had the staff behind the goal, we made them walk from the halfway line, we had the speaker going to replicate the noise in the crowd. If we're doing it, we're doing it properly as best we can, and it's five great finishes today. I think going into the next game we’ll have to practice them again.”
On Alex Kerr’s first home start and first home goal
“Again, first half, I think we didn't get the most out of some of the players. So we swapped both her and Ally [Watt] in the forward line. We also moved Larro[quette] and Eve [Duljan] from 7 to 10 as well to get the most. But Alex, it's a great goal. Receiving it in the in the wide space, having the ability to turn and face up, cutting inside. It’s a lucky ricochet but having the composure to go back across goal and it's a great finish. Then again, talking about character taking that fifth penalty to ultimately get us that extra point, especially in her debut is massive. But that's kind of what you want from a striker. You want the forwards to step up in those high-pressure moments and produce, and she fully deserves it.”
Orlando Pride Forwards Alex Kerr and Julie Doyle
Opening Statement
AK: “We knew this was going to be a hard game and we needed to get some points. So we just kept fighting and stuck to our core, basic values. And, yeah, we played well.”
JD: “Something about this team. I think you saw in the last game [at North Carolina] is, no matter what the score line is, we never give up. So, even though we didn't technically get three points today, I'm still very proud of the group to get it to PKs.”
For Alex Kerr: On getting her first goal and first start tonight
“I'm just so grateful that it gets to be with this team because as Julie said, this team is so special and I just feel really lucky to be part of such an awesome group of girls and to help in any way I can. So, yeah, very special.”
For Julie Doyle: On what she saw on her equalizing goal
“When I was on the bench I saw that Celia was getting a lot of success on that wing and if you know Celia, she can serve a ball on the dime. So I knew I just had to hold my run a little bit and not close my own space and I knew she was going to put it right where I wanted it and that's exactly what she did. She beat her player, she put it on the carpet and all I had to do was guide it into the goal.”
On how the rotated lineup performed together tonight
AK: “We, obviously, in practice are always together and always working and trying different things. So it just shows how special this team is because we have so much depth and we can play with everyone, and we have those relationships on and off the field. It is just such a cool group that we can kind of play with anyone who's on the field.”
