North Carolina State University Athletics
Upper 90 With Women’s Soccer’s Jenna Butler
8/17/2018 12:33:00 PM | Women's Soccer
After Thursday's 2-1 win at Navy, GoPack.com sat down with freshman Jenna Butler on Friday to talk about her experience in her collegiate debut. She was the only freshman that made the starting lineup and played all 90 minutes of the match.
Q: How did it feel to get the start in the first match of the season?
A: "It was very unexpected and a great opportunity, but a bit of a whirl wind. It was a bit surreal to be out on the field as a freshman with all these other girls that are so experienced. I wanted to do my best of matching that experience right away and fitting in with the team."
Q: What was the experience like from when the team got off the bus to when the clock hit 0:00 at the end of the second half?
A: "I was a little nervous, but it was very exciting to finally get out there and start playing. When the game was over I thought to myself, 'Wow I just played in my first college game,' and it was all I expected it to be. It was really intense and the speed of play was very fast. Every game is just as important as the next and as important as the last one, so I knew that we needed to win."
Q: Were you itching to get out there after going through almost three weeks of preseason training?
A: "All of the preparation made me that much more excited to get out there and start playing. I was ready to experience what all of the girls have been talking about and have been waiting for."
Q: Was it nice to finally see everything the team has been working on in preseason come to fruition last night?
A: "Yeah, after we played UNC in our exhibition we started working a lot more on our defending, and it was nice to see that transition into our game last night. Obviously we still have a lot to work on, but it was fun to see how we've already made so much progress as a team. We were able to put together a lot of the stuff we we've been working on into the game."
Q: What are some differences between club/high school soccer and college soccer?
A: "The level of intensity. College soccer is a lot more intense and the speed of play is much higher and quicker. You have to be mentally checked in every second of the game, and every game is a must-win. You can't go into a game thinking that any team is easy, you have to push just as hard every single time."
Q: Now that you have one match under your belt, what will the preparation be like ahead of Monday's home match?
A: "I think it will still be the same, I can't start to get comfortable. It was nice to see what I did well and will continue to fine tune those aspects, but it was also good to see what I need to work on. I'm sure I'll still get just as nervous and excited for Monday."
Q: What are you most excited for about competing on your home turf Monday in an official match?
A: "Just being able to represent NC State. Even as a freshman it's just fun getting to go out there and play. I can't wait to see all of our fans as well friends and family in the stands."
Q: How did it feel to get the start in the first match of the season?
A: "It was very unexpected and a great opportunity, but a bit of a whirl wind. It was a bit surreal to be out on the field as a freshman with all these other girls that are so experienced. I wanted to do my best of matching that experience right away and fitting in with the team."
Q: What was the experience like from when the team got off the bus to when the clock hit 0:00 at the end of the second half?
A: "I was a little nervous, but it was very exciting to finally get out there and start playing. When the game was over I thought to myself, 'Wow I just played in my first college game,' and it was all I expected it to be. It was really intense and the speed of play was very fast. Every game is just as important as the next and as important as the last one, so I knew that we needed to win."
Q: Were you itching to get out there after going through almost three weeks of preseason training?
A: "All of the preparation made me that much more excited to get out there and start playing. I was ready to experience what all of the girls have been talking about and have been waiting for."
Q: Was it nice to finally see everything the team has been working on in preseason come to fruition last night?
A: "Yeah, after we played UNC in our exhibition we started working a lot more on our defending, and it was nice to see that transition into our game last night. Obviously we still have a lot to work on, but it was fun to see how we've already made so much progress as a team. We were able to put together a lot of the stuff we we've been working on into the game."
Q: What are some differences between club/high school soccer and college soccer?
A: "The level of intensity. College soccer is a lot more intense and the speed of play is much higher and quicker. You have to be mentally checked in every second of the game, and every game is a must-win. You can't go into a game thinking that any team is easy, you have to push just as hard every single time."
Q: Now that you have one match under your belt, what will the preparation be like ahead of Monday's home match?
A: "I think it will still be the same, I can't start to get comfortable. It was nice to see what I did well and will continue to fine tune those aspects, but it was also good to see what I need to work on. I'm sure I'll still get just as nervous and excited for Monday."
Q: What are you most excited for about competing on your home turf Monday in an official match?
A: "Just being able to represent NC State. Even as a freshman it's just fun getting to go out there and play. I can't wait to see all of our fans as well friends and family in the stands."
Players Mentioned
Defender
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