Rich Manning Great Quotations

Playing a team of UCLA's quality was great for us. We played some good soccer. We moved the ball really well, especially in the second half. Even in some tight spaces, we were able to create some rhythm and be threatening in the attack. They forced us to be alert on defense and to make some quick decisions. We gave up some soft chances and it cost us. But we found some things we can go back and work on.

Jena has great qualities for a defender. She is fast, tough and good in the air. I also love the way she communicates in the back. She has a forceful, but positive tone that helps organize the defense. Jena has been to our soccer camp in the summer and we have seen tremendous improvement in her game over the years. She is a great find and her best soccer is ahead of her.

Kelly and Jena bring with them so many positives for our soccer program. They're talented soccer players with good experience. They will be ready to contribute right away. They fill needs for our team. They demonstrate great teamwork. They are positive people. And, in due time, they will be good leaders.

I think we got some good experience and learned some valuable lessons on the day. I was very pleased with our ball movement and speed of play. I also thought we had some periods of good understanding on the field. We showed some signs of rust in our transitions and our defense. But we got some great feedback on where we are at the moment.

The Academy is a great way to improve yourself and your game. Our goal is to challenge each player to be the best she can be, on and off the field. We have coaches that will push you out of your comfort zone while interacting with you in a positive way. At the end of the camp, we want you to be more... more educated on the game, more confident in yourself and more inspired to play your best. We welcome players of all abilities to come and join us for some great soccer and some great fun!

This was a great trip and a good way to finish our spring season. We got a couple of good games under our belt. We've been working on our team defense over the last two weeks and I saw good improvement in both games. Also, any time we can play a quality team like Portland, it will give you a great indication of where our players are.

The Utah State game was a great lesson for us. They always play with such great energy and passion. It is hard for us to play with any rhythm. We've been working on our speed of play and we were too slow in our skills, reading and running off the ball. It shows that we still have significant work to do in this area.

This was Jeff's best performance of the season. He has great speed and hand strength. I am just glad that he is on our side.