Wisconsin Postgame Quotes
Wisconsin vs. Northwestern
May 1, 2016
Goodman Diamond – Madison, Wis.
 
Head Coach Yvette Healy
On the competitiveness of today's doubleheader:
"Again, we have that chance to win the game. It's exciting to get a win from Northwestern. Every series so far, we've gotten a win. I think that was a big goal going into it of the season… let's go out and try to get one win against every single Big Ten team we face, and with Northwestern, we knew it was going to be a tall order. They've been just red hot and winning all of their games. We gave up the one home run of the series and it was a single with no one on base. I was really happy with the hitting. Also really happy with the pitching. I think there was just a lot of good, and to be in three really tight ball games against a team that good, I'm proud of this group."

On the effect of starting out in the second inning today:
"I thought the team did a good job of just being focused. We tried to treat it like a double header and they did a nice job. Kirsten Stevens got us through the line up those first two innings, so Taylor-Paige Stewart came on strong, but you've got to give Kirsten Stevens a lot of credit for getting us through so we could get to that point where it was already a couple times through their line up."

On what she's looking for at Nebraska next weekend:
"I think we're just happy that we're playing such good teams late in the year that it's going to help us play well at the Big Ten tournament. The seeding is kind of a toss up because so many of the teams are evenly matched. There's nobody that I'm hoping to play and there's nobody that I'm hoping we don't play. I think we've got the ability to play with anybody in the conference, so now you just want to face good competition and be playing some good softball late, and we saw that this weekend. We played some really good softball and we were competitive the whole time, so that's definitely a sign of progress."

On the four seniors and what they mean to the team:
"I love that group. I don't think that those four were really high-profile kids coming out of high school, and they have been just such great character kids for us. They were the perfect fit. They believed in what we said, that the program was going to start making strides, and they came and were a part of it and they really changed the culture here to make it so that there was a lot of energy and great families. I'm really happy with what they've brought just to make the program into a really great atmosphere. I think that anybody in the country would want to play here now thanks to what those four helped to create."

Kelsey Jenkins
On her homerun in the first game:
"It was kind of a funky start, starting in the bottom of the second. I was just thinking that I wanted to get a solid hit, and how can I get on base and help the team. Making solid contact is one of the best ways that I can help the team and that was just super solid contact and it ended up going over the fence, so that was pretty awesome."

On how the mentality changes starting the game with a two-run lead:
"We were kind of excited. It was fun for us to go home and think about how we didn't finish the game, but we were winning the game. We kind of went home thinking on the positive side, and it was nice to have it on our side. Having a random 2-0 lead starting in the bottom of the second… that's actually never happened to me before. I've never stopped playing a game, so it was pretty different, but it was great to come out and already have the lead without doing anything in the beginning of the game."

On what she's looking for in the series against Nebraska:
"We know that Nebraska has all of the accolades. They're a great Big Ten school and they're a great softball team in general. We have goals ourselves to put them under pressure and make them make errors and force them to play the game that we want them to play. I think that's something that we do very well. How can we keep the game close enough so that we can have a chance in the sixth and seventh innings to get a couple of runs to scratch across and get a win. I think that's what's going through our heads. We know they're a great team and we know they have pitching, they can hit, and they can play defense. We're excited to go out onto their field because they have awesome facilities."

On the four seniors:
"Those four seniors, they come out and play hard for us every game. Every one of us underclassmen looks to them for leadership and they are the definition of leadership and understanding of how to play Badger softball from being here for four years. It's an honor to be able to play next to them."