GUSTATUS ADOLPHUS POST-GAME QUOTES:

Head Coach Jeff Annis on winning two games in one day to stay alive in the tournament: “We knew what we had to do coming in, and that was get two wins. I think the schedule worked out well for us playing the first game and having the opportunity to get back to the hotel and relax and get a bite to eat. That made tonight just another game for us. It was a good long day.”

Annis on the pitching performance of sophomore right-hander Erin Truebenbach: “It was excellent. She only gave up three hits and didn’t walk anybody. Defensively, we made some pretty nice plays behind her, especially in the outfield. [Kirsten] Prunty made a nice grab going back, [Jenny] Ewert in right made a couple of nice running catches on balls hit hard. We played another errorless game, and when you don’t give your opponent extra outs, it makes it a little bit easier game. But Erin did a great job on the mound, and [catcher] Kelly [Myers] did a great job behind the plate.”

Truebenbach on the errorless play of her defense behind her: “I love my defense. They save my butt so often. All of our outfielders performed amazing tonight. I was surprised at some of the great catches. There also were great plays by our infielders as well. We all have each others’ backs throughout the game.”

Truebenbach on whether she felt extra pressure tonight after suffering a hard-luck defeat last night: “I was a little bit more nervous today because we already had a loss. All of us want to do real well. I try to take each game the way it is and accept how it comes out. The team last night [Messiah] was a great team, and their pitcher [Jessica Rhoads] was really good. You have to give credit to both teams for how they have performed.”

Annis on sophomore first baseman Emily Wendorff beating out a potential double-play in the fifth inning to extend an inning which resulted in a three-run rally: “That was typical Emily. She’s going to give it her all. She dislocated her finger in the process, but again, she saved that out and we were able to put together a rally. Our other senior [Rachael] Click then comes through with a gap shot and [Tufts] throws the ball around a little bit and she ends up scoring. Psychologically, a play like that lifts us and maybe drops them a little bit.”

Annis on a potential rematch with Messiah and pitcher Jessica Rhoads: “She was the difference maker. We certainly have to get by Coe, but we want another shot against her. We’ve been through seven innings with her, and she’s a different pitcher. Right now she’s up a notch from anyone else in the tournament. Our bats are going to be there if we can just get more looks at her. We’d love another shot.”

Wendorff on being one of just four Division III teams still playing: “It’s amazing. I think it’s amazing how far we’ve come. We just keep battling and taking each game as it comes.”

Truenbach on whether she feared her team would not get an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament after losing in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament: “There’s always that little voice that says you might be done, but I had confidence and everyone else on our team had confidence [that we would be selected to the NCAA Tournament] because we had a great season. We played some good teams and we beat some good teams. We thought we had a good shot, and we made the most of it.”

Annis on whether he feared not being selected to the NCAA Tournament and being seeded seventh in the Indianola Regional: “Once we didn’t get our automatic qualification, I thought we were going to get in. However, I thought that last year and we didn’t get in. But we had beaten too many quality teams this year. I thought our losses to good quality teams. As far as being seeded seventh, I didn’t care where we were seeded. To win the regional, you have to win your games no matter where you’re seeded. We were a dangerous seventh seed, and just happy to get in [the tournament].”

TUFTS POST-GAME QUOTES:

Milligan on the Jumbos’ season-ending defeat: “We didn’t hit very well at all. [Gustavus Adophus pitcher Erin Truenbach] pitched great and kept us off balance. She used both sides of the plate very well and moved the ball around in the zone. We just couldn’t catch up. We like to think on days like this our speed will help us out, but again we couldn’t get any base runners. It was hard to get base runners on and use our speed. It wasn’t a good hitting night for us. We’re pretty proud of what we accomplished this year, but obviously not satisfied.”

Milligan on the closes of the games in the National Championship Tournament: “In these games, the ball bounces one way and one team wins, and if the ball bounces the other way, the other can wins. That’s why you come here, because everyone is just so good and so ready, so it’s really fun. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very disappointing when it doesn’t bounce your way. There were a few pivotal points in the game where it got away from us a little bit. I don’t think we played our best game tonight, [Gustavus] deserved to win, and that’s unfortunate for us.”

Senior catcher Cara Hovhanessian on Tufts’ 44-3 season: “Obviously it was a phenomenal season. We expected to win our regional, and in the past that was a very lofty goal. There were eight seniors on our team, and we weren’t going to let our careers end without doing something that no one at Tufts had done before and no one in New England had done for a long time. We won a lot of close games because of the heart we had.”

Senior center fielder Laura Chapman on the Jumbos’ storybook season: “You can’t ask for a whole lot more. It’s definitely a season to remember and a season to go out on. Do we wish we’d gone further? Sure, but I won’t say I’m disappointed because it was an amazing ride that you don’t expect to take. It had a lot to do with the eight [seniors] saying that this is our time. It was a team effort in which the team went above and beyond.”

Senior second baseman Danielle Lopez on whether she realized early that Tufts was in store for a special season: “As early as our Spring trip to California, I remember taking one of my teammates aside and saying that there is something special about this team. I didn’t know quite how special until tonight. We didn’t play our best game tonight and lost, but I couldn’t ask for anything more than a fourth place finish to end my career. We had an outstanding roster, all 16 players are special, and I can only hope that we leave some type of legacy that the program can build on.”

Milligan on the Jumbo’s fourth place national finish: “We talk a lot at Tufts about being grateful and realizing how lucky you are to be able to play with such great athletes, to be supported the way that we have been supported, and to be able to attend an institution like Tufts. What we are now is grateful to have had a season like this with eight great [senior] leaders who pushed us with tons of heart, refusing to lose, and not taking no for an answer whenever things got tough.”

Milligan on her team’s National Championship experience at Montclair State: “We had a great time here. It’s been really, really fun and everyone’s been great. We’ve had a fantastic time at the National Championship, and everyone has been extremely helpful, friendly, and supportive. Everything that you could ask for in a National Championship.”

Milligan on why a New England team has not won the National Championship in 19 years: “I don’t know. Ithaca has won a few times, and the weather can’t be any better in Ithaca than it is in Boston. Somebody will break through some day. Maybe it will be us.”

Milligan on her team’s near perfect regular season and whether any Division III team can produce an undefeated regular season in the future: “I think it’s possible. It takes a mix of talent and a little bit of luck. This team was close, because they were an incredibly talented team when it did what it was capable of doing. It will take a team with a complete package in terms of hitting for power, hitting for average, speed, pitching, and very good defense. It will take all of that, and an edge, and some senior leadership.”