Rayfield Looks Forward To Weekend
August 30, 2005 | Soccer
Aug. 30, 2005
Illini soccer coach Janet Rayfield met with the media Tuesday at a news conference. She previewed Illinois' weekend matches with No. 17 Nebraska and Western Illinois, and highlighted the new athletic department policy of free student admission to most sports.
On this weekend's matches:
"We're playing some good soccer, but we've got to find some goal-scorers. Nebraska will play a style that will be exciting to watch. I think we'll both score some goals. I don't think it'll be a 2-1 game this time around. And then we'll close out the weekend after football has their great debut, we'll play Western Illinois on Sunday. I think there are eight D-I schools with soccer programs in the state, so there's some great competition just within the state. But right now we're focused on Nebraska on Friday night. It will definitely be an exciting home opener. If we can get people out to this game, they'll be back because it's going to be an exciting game."
On the new athletic department policy of free student admission:
"I'm excited about the policy for the students. One of the great things about being a college student is participating in things that bring about school pride. So I think it's great for the athletic department to make the statement that we want the students to participate in our process. We just got back from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who had a great group who was out there, yelling and screaming, chanting our goalkeeper's name every time she took a goal kick. So I can't wait for our students to do the same and provide the kind of atmosphere that's going to infuse us with energy and confidence. I know this team has a lot of pride in the university of Illinois and to have students come out there and share that pride with them is something this team is really looking forward to on Friday night."
On soccer attendance:
"Our average crowd is about 750. Last November we broke the record at the Nebraska game and I think we had almost 1,200 people out there, which is pretty good for a college soccer game. We're probably in about the top 30 in national attendance. We'd like to be ranked in the top 10 and have our attendance in the top 10."
On how her team can increase its scoring:
"This weekend we actually created quite a few chances. Last year we had an individual who was a goal scorer and this year we're going to have to rely on our system and our organization and that always takes a little bit longer. There were several times where the timing of passes or the timing of a run was off and when you're relying on the organization and the coordination between a couple of people to score goals for you, it's going to take a little bit longer to put that together. It takes time to get the service coordinated. Between the two games, we had 13 restarts and we've got to score goals on that. Because of the pace we have, a lot of teams will solve our pace. We've got some frontrunners who can fly and as soon as you fly by, they can solve that by fouling you. If we have 18 restarts, we've got to put some of those in the back of the net. And we'll work on some restarts - those are some set pieces that you put in later in the process. So we'll work on that this week to get ready for Nebraska."
On this year's freshman class:
"I'm really excited about the freshman class that we've brought in. we've got some freshmen on the field playing for us, and as the season goes on and they get more seasoned, they're really going to help us. Emily Zurrer is starting at center back for us right now and is going to continue to be a force in the back for us and also a dangerous weapon for us on attacking set pieces. Marti has taken awhile to learn our system - she's still learning - but I think you'll see an exciting player to watch. She's someone else who's going to be really creative and crafty on the ball. When she gets a little bit more comfortable I think you'll see us start to score goals because she's going to find our frontrunners with balls that nobody's expecting and that's going to be fun and exciting. Our freshman class is really going to add to this program and I think we have some players who will be fun to watch."
On the impact of 2004's Elite Eight run on recruiting:
"I think we benefited a lot with our 2006 class. Recruiting's about a year off. So that elite eight really helped us with our '06 class that we've got commitments from now. And I think it will help us with our '07 class because those classes will be done before this year is out. Our elite eight appearance and our men's basketball trip to the final four national championship appearance happening in the same year was about the best duo you could have for recruiting aside form us both winning national championships. It definitely was a great year for us as an athletic department and us as a program."
On how success in general helps recruiting:
"It spread not just from a recruiting standpoint, but I think success is very contagious. I think the success of the basketball team and of our team creates an atmosphere of success. And when a recruit comes in they just feel that. The exposure and the media part is great, but it's also the atmosphere that that kind of success creates that people who come to visit want to be part of that great environment."
On the upcoming weekend:
"It's going to be a great weekend for Illinois athletics. I can't wait to see the product Coach Zook's going to put on the field and I know Friday night's going to be exciting. So enjoy being an Illinois fan this weekend."
