Recap?|?
Box Score
On her feelings after the match
"Obviously this is a tough night for us. Western Michigan came out and did what they had to do. This is a tough situation for us. I told the team that we cannot let tonight take away from what has been an absolutely tremendous year. This team has taken this program places it hasn't ever been. Tonight's loss can't take away from that. When the sun comes up tomorrow, I hope the team is very proud of what they've done this year.
On the bad breaks of the game
" Tonight things just didn't go our way. A couple of balls in the first half that with the wind at our back blow into the goal, but with the wind in our face blew out of the goal. We fought hard. We created some chances. We didn't finish those chances. Western Michigan did. This is a game of chances. They made the most of theirs so they get to go on and play."
On what is coming back
"We'll obviously miss our senior class. When you see these emotions, that's who you feel emotional for. That senior class has led us to the best season ever. The sad part about tonight is that it's over for them. The core that's coming back, I think, has something to build on. We took what happened to us last year and built on that and had a great regular season and a great conference tournament. The players coming back will lead next year's team, we hope, to even great heights.
Illinois senior defender Meghan Kolze
On the team's outlook coming into the second half
"We were positive going into halftime. We had the wind at our back. We were confident coming out into the second half. We have very good attackers and very good forwards that finish the ball very well. That's the way things go in soccer. You win some, you lose some. We just couldn't put one in and they did."
Illinois junior goalkeeper Leisha Alcia
On the prospects of next season
"After all the emotions, tomorrow we'll sit down and realize (what we accomplished this year) and be proud of what we have done."
