Virginia Post Game Quotes vs JMU
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Nov. 9, 2012
Recap | Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
Coach Joanne Boyle
Opening statement:
I thought it was a great game for us. I thought we had a will to a win, a lot of fight in us. I thought we did a really good job on the boards tonight – it was our Achilles heel all last year. I thought they really responded to doing all the little things. It was just a really good opening game for us.
On Simone Egwu’s injury:
We knew on Wednesday that she was feeling some pain in her shin. She got an MRI, and when we got it back we saw it was a stress reaction. We are hoping she will only be out two to three weeks, not too long.
On Sarah Imovbioh’s potential:
You never know. It was a very different Sarah I. the last thirty minutes of the game than it was the first ten. That was her working through her nerves. She was running in mud there for a minute, and I think it’s all the jitters and excitement. Once she got in and we ran a play for her and she scored, I thought she kind of started to loosen up a little and get her wind back. Everybody did great. We didn’t get a lot of four players averaging double figures last year, so it’s really nice to look down and see four players averaging double figures. That’s why balance is so good for us.
On the catalyst after first ten minutes:
I thought we really started getting on the boards and the whole team was crashing. They had some really long outlets and we just attacked them and converted. We’ve really been working on our transition game and I thought we did a really good job tonight of trying to push it down their throat a little bit. I thought we finished well, too. We made good decisions on two-on-one situations.
On China Crosby’s return:
Her energy and her talk really helps. I thought that the wings did a great job in the zone. They were really mature. China brings an energy like [Ataira Franklin] does. I think defensively, she got in the passing lane, got some tips and steals, and we really needed that. She just has a fire. She fires this team up, and you need that. We welcome it back.
On preparing for the game in replace of Egwu:
I knew that I had to step up to fill Simone’s shoes and do the little things. I think we just wanted it more tonight.
On being comfortable:
At the beginning I was kind of nervous, but when the game into me, I just wanted to play and have fun.
On her game:
I feel like I am still getting there, still getting better. I’m trying to move it up. I’m still learning and I’m enjoying the process.
On feeding Imovbioh:
That’s the game; you feed the hot hand. I think we took this game personally. We wanted to win for everybody, it wasn’t about one person. We had a balanced game. We got scoring from pretty much everyone. Sarah Beth (Barnette) came in and gave us some great minutes. Sarah I. was huge for us on the boards and when we have that kind of balance, we are successful. Sarah (Imovbioh) was hot tonight, so why not keep feeding her?
On the personal aspect of the game:
This has been a rivalry for years. They beat us my first year at JMU. Last year we beat them here. Then they beat us at JMU again, so it was another opportunity. What better way to open the season, playing against the team that you lost to (in the WNIT)? It gave us more hunger and momentum going into the game. The vets on the team were really pumped, and the younger kids understood that and brought it into the game as well.