Lola BIG EAST Player of the Week...Field Hockey heads to Ohio State...BIG EAST Standings

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WELCOME TO TUESDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE

-Lola gets third BIG EAST Player of the Week Award

-Field Hockey headed to Columbus

-BIG EAST Standings for Volleyball, Field Hockey and Women's Soccer

-Watson weighs in on the BIG EAST.

Some players in UofL sports history are often identified by just one name.
Angel. Grif. Scooter. Rodney. Shoni. Add Lola to the list. The junior outside

Lola

hitter for the UofL Volleyball team has been named the BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Week for the third time this season. Lola averaged 6.71 kills per game for the Cards last week..double-doubles in both Cardinal wins and leads the league in kills.

The Cards are in a three-way tie for first place in the BIG EAST Volleyball standings and travel to Seton Hall and Rutgers for weekend matches. The Pirates could be a challenge Friday in South Orange, N.J. They're 3-0 and somewhat of a surprise on the BIG EAST Volleyball circuit.

Rutgers stands at 0-3 and will host Louisville Sunday.

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Ziva

Lola

We never really paid much attention to it...but our buddy Charlie Springer, who is a huge NCIS television show fan, commented last year on how much alike Lola and actor Cote de Pablo, who plays Ziva David on the show, look alike.

It's worth a second look  Here's the pics...see what you think.



As long as Anne Kordes doesn't start giving back of the head slaps to Lola, we're OK with the comparison. We also wouldn't mind if Tony showed up for a few games...but keep that annoying, little Jimmy Palmer in the van.

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Field Hockey makes a rare middle of the week, out-of-conference trip to #20 Ohio State for a Tuesday, 3 p.m. game. The #19 Cards are are 7-4 on the season...coming off a 4-2 loss to #4 UConn.

It's the end of the game! Will there be
a tie or a win in overtime?

Louisville and Ohio State have faced each other 20 times...the Buckeyes holding a decisive 15-5 record against UofL. It should be noted that six of the last eight contests have been decided in overtime.

Which brings us to the question...Why do field hockey games go to overtime but have no ties and women's soccer games have overtimes and ties?

The Cards are looking for big effort from their defense...which has allowed only 14 points in 11 contests. They'll also need offensive production from leading scorers Hayley Turner (seven goals, six assists) and Elizabeth Vance (four goals). Ohio State is on a five game winning streak and 2-0 in the BIG TEN...with wins over #11 Michigan and #13 Indiana. 

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BIG EAST STANDINGS:

VOLLEYBALL

LOUISVILLE      4-0
Villanova       4-0
Cincinnati      4-0
Marquette      4-0
Seton Hall     3-0
Syracuse       2-1
Pittsburgh     2-2
USF              2-2
Notre Dame   1-3
Georgetown   1-3
DePaul          1-3
WVU             1-3
Rutgers         0-3
UConn           0-4
St. John's       0-4

FIELD HOCKEY

UConn          3-0
Syracuse       3-0
Villanova       1-1
LOUISVILLE  1-2
Rutgers         1-2
Providence     0-2
Georgetown   0-2

WOMEN'S SOCCER (National Division)

Georgetown    4-2-0
LOUISVILLE   3-1-2
Notre Dame    3-2-1
Seton Hall      3-3-0
Villanova        2-4-0
Cincinnati       1-3-2
Rutgers          1-4-1
DePaul           1-4-1

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(Cardinal Couple special correspondent David Watson looks at the BIG EAST. We're proud of the fact that he even spell-checked his column for once...)

So, how much $$$$$ is enough to get Syracuse and Pitt out of the BIG EAST before their scheduled 2014 departure date? I say $15 million each. If they wait, they can bail for $5 million. What's a mere $10 million per school when you're headed to a conference that prides itself in raiding the BIG EAST for talent? They'll get to re-connect with former BIG EAST schools Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College. Not that they'll be able to compete with them in football, which is why they're leaving, but those Boston College vs. Syracuse grid-iron match up will be "must-see" TV. 

(If you're an insomniac.)

 Women's basketball should be just as exciting when Pitt takes on Virginia Tech. Someone pass the 5 Hour Energy.

The major question is if the fans of Pitt and West Virginia will
miss the "backyard brawl" in football in the upcoming years? Maybe it can be an out-of-conference game. Here's who the schools are currently playing out-of conference.

Pitt scheduled Buffalo (not the Bills, OK?), Maine, Iowa, Notre Dame and Utah.

David Watson

The WVU out-of-conference contests this year are Marshall, Norfolk State, Maryland, LSU and Bowling Green.

So far, the two teams are 5-3 in out-of-conference games. WVU lost to LSU and Pitt has fallen to Iowa and Notre Dame. So much for cupcakes in the cupboard.

Finally, the BIG EAST is pursuing an expansion strategy. For football only. Yet, they won't turn the screws on Notre Dame and put a pressure hold on them to commit for football. At least, the league is trying to stay together. Until the Big 12 comes calling for Louisville and the ACC woos UConn and Rutgers. If you're South Florida or Cincinnati, who may have two of the best three football teams in the BIG EAST this year, you're praying that the Marinatto glue being applied to the structure holds. And, if you're TCU, you have to be thinking:

"What in the heck did we get ourselves into?"

My solution? Combine the BIG EAST, ACC and BIG 12 and just call it the BIG Conference. Sometimes, simplicity is best. 

Finally, the women's basketball team at UofL might get neck strain when they travel to Texas A&M this year for a game. The Aggies have 6'7" Rachel Mitchell, 6'5" Karla Gilbert and 6'4" Kelsey Bone on the front line. Just don't let Shelby guard any of the three, Coach Walz.
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