Postgame Quotes
Chattanooga 48, ETSU 46
Chattanooga, Tenn. | The McKenzie Arena
Saturday, January 25, 2025
 
Head coach Deandra Schirmer
Opening statement
"I feel like this season is such a teaching point to our players as far as perseverance goes. We've been trying to preach to them that if you do things the right way, things are going to work out for you. I feel like it was an ugly game down the stretch. We couldn't put the ball in the basket, we're missing free throws, we're making uncharacteristic plays and turnovers. But I feel like when you do the things the right way, when you're communicating, when you're playing together, when you're playing unselfishly, and when you're playing good defense, you know our defensive rebounding really held us in the second. I think that things are going to naturally flow your way. And I think a credit to our team, there was a few moments in that fourth quarter that were crazy. I think they had more composure than I did in those moments, which I'm very proud of them for that, but just so very thankful for these two leaders that we have (Sigrun Olafsdottir and Caia Elisaldez). I think that when you look at why we're in the position we're in right now in our conference standings, it's because of these two and I am just so happy that they've been able to really shine in these moments and have big games for us to bring out the win."
 
On the Mocs defense
"I feel like defensively, I have players that should be Defensive Player of the Year in conference. I'm putting the plug in now. Sigrun should be Defensive Player of the Year in the conference, and then Caia should be right behind her in votes. I feel like we have players that are very talented in that. But then also, the reason we're able to do that is because our players dedicate to scout. When we go through a lot of scout, we go through a lot of film, and they are so locked in. They know exactly what they're doing. And then also I think that they've really bought into our system. And I think that the way that we defend, it's kind of strange because it is man-to-man, but when it's a ball screen, it looks like a zone at times. So for them to fully buy in and start really feeling how aggressive our defense can be and how good we can be in it, I think that only drives us to continue to play hard in it and to continue to have success in it."
 
On facing SoCon teams for the first time
"I feel like in this conference, we have a lot of phenomenal coaches. And one thing that I have said to my staff that I feel a little bit at a disadvantage is I don't have familiarity with the coaches as much as I'm used to. So down the stretch, I don't know all the late game calls that they might have, that they've had in their pocket for five years, that I know they're going to bring out and so going to the conference, not knowing how they're going to defend the Princeton, not knowing how they're going to attack what we're doing defensively, It's a little bit of a challenge. When we're prepping for games, we saw the UNCG game, which was our worst game in conference and our only loss, we thought they were going to pressure us. We thought they were going to be all up in our space. And they just packed it in and sat in and said, here, shoot the ball. And we were kind of spooked by that. And so I feel learning how each coach is going to attack the different things that we're doing, and then also I think that even though it's my first year in the conference, the reason that we've done as well as we have is because I have veteran players like this right next to me. They know the ins and outs, they know the ebbs and flows. And we'll talk about somebody on scout, and they'll add into it. They'll say, 'yeah and she likes to go right'. They have nicknames for some players in conference, which is sometimes funny, but that's something that they've been good veterans to help kind of bridge the gap of things that we might not know as a coaching staff."
 
On Sigrun Olafdottir's half court shot at the end of the third quarter
"We talk about being really good in the end of quarter situations, and so we talk about the last minute. We want to win every quarter in the last minute, whether it's getting a two for one or whatever. So when it was a short shot clock, Sigrun gets the ball, and her eyes are already up, they're flying past her and she gets to her spot. That was fantastic. I don't know if I've ever seen anything like that live. That long of a shot and that big of a game for it to win us the game. But I mean, it couldn't happen to a better person. And on the night that we're honoring her, for her to have not only a big shot, but she had some big drives too. She had some big defensive plays."

Caia Elisaldez, So., G
On the driving shot in the late minutes of the game
"What was going through my head at that exact moment was: we're not losing. We didn't wake up this morning, we didn't prep all week, we didn't have a whole five days of practice for us to come out here on our home court and lose. I knew that the whole game I was going to do whatever it took for our team to win. If that meant I needed to score today, then today was the day for that. If that meant that I needed to find someone else, I found a way to do that in the second half. In that moment, it was like, I just need to read. Once I saw that, that no one else was on that side, I thought 'okay, this is it right here. We're winning'."

Sigrun Olafsdottir, Sr., G/F
On the play of Gianna Corbitt
"I think she grows every day. She comes in every day, works hard and it shows in the game. She gets after those rebounds every game and saves us a lot of time. But yes, she just goes out there and plays hard."