Men's Soccer in NCAA Championship Game

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Soccer defeats UNC 2-1, goes to Championship game

-Lady Cards face Dayton in YUM doubleheader

-Rockcastle, Marion County girls win

(Photo by Mark J. Terrel/Associated Press)

It's not often that a University of Louisville sports team play for the national title, but Ken Lolla's Louisville men's soccer team will get that chance Sunday at 4 p.m. in Santa Barbara, CA. after defeating UNC 2-1 last night inthe semifinals of the NCAA College Cup. The Cards got the win in the final minute of the match when Aaron Horton broke free from a wall of TarHeel defenders and corralled a pass from Ryan Smith. Horton drove to the net and tapped a shot past UNC goalie Scott Goodwin with 52 seconds left in regulation.

Louisville (20-0-3) will face Akron (21-1-2) in the title match. Akron defeated Michigan in the semis 2-1. Akron played but lost in the championship game last year. ESPN 2 will televise the Louisville vs. Akron game.

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Jeff Walz's Lady Cards host Dayton today in the KFC YUM Center at 5 p.m. The game is the second of a Louisville basketball doubleheader...Pitino's men face UNLV in the first game at noon. For Walz and the Cards, it's a return to competition after defeating Kentucky 78-52 last Sunday in the YUM.

The Cards will enjoy Dayton's style of hoops because it mirrors theirs...pushing the ball in transition and creating turnovers with defensive pressure. The Cards (6-3, 0-0) face a Dayton team (5-3) that has four starters back from last year and that went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Dayton defeated BIG EAST member Cincinnati earlier in the season and is currently on a three game winning streak.

No word yet on whether sophomore forward Asia Taylor will dress and play in this afternoon's contest. The Columbus, OH. forward did not participate in the Kentucky win and watched the game in street clothes in the seats instead of on the bench.

Shoni Schimmel and Becky Burke won't be the only three point specialists on the Denny Crum Court this afternoon. Dayton has six players that are fond of the "long ball"and the Flyers attempt a mind boggling 32 threes a game. They are 66-170 on the season with the trifecta, good for 38% and Justine Raterman, Kristin and Kari Daughtery, Louisville Manual's Brittany Wilson, Patrice Lalol and Aundrea Lindsay will put it up without hesitation.

Headed to the 'Bucket'...see ya there.

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Sara Hammond had 16 points and 15 boards in #3 Rockcastle County's 77-52 win over Scott County last night. Marion County got balanced scoring in their 74-38 dismantling of Washington County. Marion County returns to the floor tonight.