May 22, 2009

Arizona State Head Coach Melissa Luellen
On winning the NCAA title...
"It's almost relief. We started tough after the first two days and the resolve and the determination and the talent of these players just came through. I really feel like the best team won."

On moving into position after the third round...
"I felt like we had momentum from yesterday because we played really solid. You get some momentum and you keep it going. They just decided to leave everything out there and just played hard.

On her team...
"This was a true team effort. Our senior, Aza Munoz who wanted to defend her title, started out with a 78, but the way she played these last three days was the mark of a champion. It was a tremendous effort and she's a great leader. Carolotta playe.d Juli made three birides in the last five holes ... it was ours."

Arizona State Senior Azahara Munoz
On hitting the putt to win clinch the win...
"I was really nervous at the end. No one can see it because I'm pretty calm. I didn't want to play bad, I was just nervous. I tried to be calm."

On whether she was aware the team was leading...
"I didn't look at one leader board today, but I think at 14 I felt it. Looking at the coaches, I felt it. I didn't know until 18 and coach just said to make the putt."

On the win...
"Things happen for a reason. Missy taught us about overcoming something so serious (Assistant coach Missy Farr-Kaye's bout with breast cancer). The new players helped us a lot, my surgery (on her wrist) helped out. They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and that's what we kept saying all season."

Purdue senior Maria Hernandez - NCAA Individual Champion
"I don't think I believe it right now. It was just kind of surprising really. I knew today that I had to go all out. I had a really rough start, but I've been playing good golf the entire week. I've not been scoring as well as I should. I finished pretty well today, but that putt for birdie on 18 I thought was right there, but it didn't go in. I'm lucky.

"When they told me that I was one shot behind after finishing on 18, I was crushed. Being one shot behind, I saw Song go in the bunker and it plugged. I never thought she would make double-bogey. It was a great week. My putting felt good, but I didn't make the putts I wanted this week. I was hitting it pretty good, I just had three or four bad holes which is why I didn't have a lower score in this tournament. It was good enough though."