But we really focus on what we can control -- namely, our effort and improving each day.

In this day and time there's a lot of focus on effort, how much effort to take out of a horse. If they really put in their A-game, how quickly does it take for them to bounce back?

J.T. lost control a little bit toward the end, but he battled all day, especially with the cold. And the 10 strikeouts was especially good for the defense, keeping the ball out of play.

Alfred was fantastic at the Olympic training center this summer. We were fortunate to have him come and share his energy and skills. He is a marvelous defensive player and his competitive spirit infused our practice sessions with fire and joy.

He's not the senior member of the team but he does have the most on-court experience. We're counting on Mitch a lot to lead us.

We had lost some matches and needed to try something different. We were extremely hopeful and enthusiastic about the way he handled it. He just came to practice and worked really hard, to his credit. That's what a coach wants to see.