Conversation With Kelly Hannon
9/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Michigan State women's soccer team picked up its second Big Ten award of the 2005 season Monday, Sept. 26, when defender Kelly Hannon (Elmhurst, Ill.) was selected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. The sophomore has started all 10 games for the Spartans this season, and contributed at both ends of the field in MSU's conference win over Ohio State on Sunday. Ohio State's best scoring chance of the game came late in the first half, when a Buckeye forward redirected a corner kick towards the back post. Hannon's timely header cleared the ball off the line and away from danger, preserving a scoreless tie. The Spartans would go on to win their conference opener, 1-0. Recently Hannon took a moment to discuss the award, the success of the defense this season and her increase in intensity during Big Ten play.
On being chosen as the Big Ten defensive player of the week...
"I was caught completely by surprise. It was totally unexpected and I didn't even know I had won the award until I heard from my dad that night. Normally he comes to all of our games, but he wasn't able to get out here for Ohio State; he checked the website and called to tell me. I was pretty excited, but its more of an award for our entire defense, everyone has been playing so well."
On the success of the defense this season...
"This season we are all on the same page. All of us communicate really well, which is important, because you need to have all four backs communicating. I think we just have a good feel for each other and we really mesh well out there."
On the team's performance against Ohio State...
"The Big Ten games are so different from the non-conference games. We go into these games with a whole different mindset because we know how important they are and how tough they will be. We know we have to come out ready to play ten times harder for these games. It was good to get the win and to bounce back from a couple of shaky performances."
On her goal-saving play vs. the Buckeyes...
"Honestly, I don't remember the specific play. I try to get a head on every corner kick that comes into the box. We all have our zones, but in my mind every ball in our area is my ball. If an opponent is going up for the ball, I want to beat them to it. If a teammate or the goalie is going up for the ball, I'm going to go right up with them."
On the importance of a good start in conference play...
"First of all it really helps to get our confidence up. Even though it is just one game it sets the tone for the team and our opponents. It shows that we're ready to play and that we expect to win in this league."
On her role on offensive corner kicks...
"I try to do the same thing on offense as I do on defense. Again, we have our own zones, but I want to get to every ball. Wherever that ball is I'm going after it, I don't care who else is going up for it. It's fun for me, because that is pretty much the only time I make it onto the offensive half of the field."
On continuing the team's success this weekend and for the rest of the season...
"We need to be ready this weekend and we're hoping to come away with two more victories under our belt. For the rest of the season, we need to continue to step up like we did in the Ohio State game. We want to come out in the first five minutes of every game and get the first kick, the first foul, the first shot, the first goal, the first everything.
