Postgame Quotes

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Postgame Quotes
No. 18 Virginia 89, No. 8 Maryland 81

Virginia Quotes
Head Coach Debbie Ryan
Opening Statement:
“It’s been a really hard week for me and I can’t tell you what made the difference tonight. All I know is my team was down at half time but we fought it back to eight. I know that in the locker room they were very confident and they talked a lot about what they wanted to do and we made a couple of adjustments. We came out knowing that (Kristi) Toliver was going to take over the game and she is such a talented player that we really had to key in on everything and Monica (Wright) had that assignment for most of the second half. We were able to get a couple of stops in a row and catch up and then I just challenged them to try and get two or three stops in a row and score and it just worked out.

“It wasn’t like I had to do a lot of things. It was a simple game. We just did what we normally do and fortunately it worked out.”

On Wright’s play in the second half:
“She was struggling the first half and I think that is just because she wanted it so bad but not for herself for the kid sitting next to her. She takes so much responsibility and she really wanted this. She was really hyped for the game and in the second half she just settled down.”

Maryland Quotes
Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening Statement:
“I thought Virginia played a tremendous second half. Between (Lyndra) Littles, (Monica) Wright and (Aisha) Mohammed, we had no answer. They were physically stronger than us and made us pay for it.”

On the second half:
“I thought Virginia played tougher. They played with a lot more heart. This is what life on the road in the ACC is all about. We did not change much in the second half. Virginia was in a big time attack mentality. They are a great team and they showed it.”

On traveling to Kay Yow’s funeral today:
“It puts it into perspective. To go down there and come back to a game was difficult.”

On playing on the road :
“This is where you find out a lot about yourselves. We have played plenty of road games. We have to take this and learn from it.”

Senior Guard Kristi Toliver
On momentum:
“I thought we came out well in the second half and then Virginia started getting the loose balls and was out-hustling us. Once they got their confidence, they had the momentum.”

Senior Guard Marissa Coleman
On Virginia’s run in the second half:
“All the things we pride ourselves in doing, Virginia did. They defended and they rebounded.”