Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines
Opening Statement
“Disappointing result... Obviously, tough as well when you go so long for a break. I didn’t feel like we started the game too well. We allowed Seattle to get on top in the first 15 minutes, and then we got back into the game with some really good opportunities to score. And when you have great opportunities like that, you have to punish the team. We didn’t in the first half. We started the second half well, right on the front foot, everything that we asked. We made some adjustments, we changed [Jacquie] Ovalle over to the left-hand side, [Seven] Castain to the right-hand side, asked Barbra [Banda] to stay more on the left-hand side and we got the reward with the goal. And then, we let ourselves down towards the end. But there’s going to be some growing pains, as well. There’s a lot of new players, young players as well, finding their feet within the league. I just told them you don’t lose the league in the first game. We have to keep building, we have to keep moving forward, and they fully understand that."
On Barbra Banda’s performance in her return from injury
“Just her constant threat, getting in those positions, threatening from behind. I think in the first half, [Ally] Lemos plays a terrific ball, weighed perfectly, and again, it's just getting back into where I think her touch goes a little bit too wide. She forces the [Claudia] Dickey into a good save, but I think on another day, she takes that more central, eliminates her defender and slots it away. Like I said, one of the hardest things is to create chances, but we're creating chances with the threats that we have and it's just the finishing part of it.”
On Seven Castain’s professional debut
"She scored a couple of goals in preseason. The last two games, I think she scored two goals, so she had good momentum playing in a different position, as well. At TCU, she was a striker and she’s evolved her game to play as more of a winger. You know, versatile, playing inside, playing on the outside, and at times being up front with Barbra [Banda] and I thought she was a constant threat. To say it was her debut, you wouldn’t even have recognized that, so credit to her. It’s a tough environment, especially if you’re a young player, coming here and you know the expectations are high. The league is relentless, regardless of who you would play, so for a lot of them, you know, they’ve got their feet wet and now they have to progress in the right way, and I know they will do.”
Orlando Pride Forward Barbra Banda
Opening Statement
“First game of the season, it didn't go our way, but I think we played well as a team and it's a lesson for us going into the next game. We know the league is very tough, so we need to pull up our stockings and hoping for the next game we need to get the maximum three points.”
On returning from injury and scoring a goal
“It feels good. Been out for a long time and my first game, and scoring on my first game, that gives me a go-ahead into the next game also to work hard and keep on scoring. I miss scoring, so I want to keep on scoring.”
On her emotions returning to play
"I think it’s the trust from the team and everyone. Coming back from the injury and finding myself in the lineup, I think that keeps me moving and to work extra hard because it’s a game of competition and everyone’s fighting for your number. Each and every time you need to up your game.”
Orlando Pride Forward Seven Castain
Opening Statement “It's disappointing. You never want to lose at home, but I think we did a lot of good things tonight, and it's about capitalizing on our opportunities and being sharp in the back.” On her professional debut “I don't know if there were expectations, to be honest. This is a dream; I've been dreaming about this since I was so young, so really it was just coming out here, having a good time, working hard and hopefully giving my team what they needed.” On the transition from collegiate to professional soccer
“It’s very transitional. It’s up and back, up and back, so you kind of have to be ready to go, you have to be ready to sprint all the way up with [Barbra] Banda. Sometimes you're going to sprint all the way up and not get the ball and you have to be okay with that and you have to be able to do it every single time because you never know when that ball is finally going to slip through or if she's going to take a shot and it’s going to get rebounded and that's my chance to be there, so it's giving her full effort regardless of if you get the ball or not, so I think that’d be my biggest lesson for sure.”
