Balanced scoring against Blue Raiders leads Cards

SPECIAL REPORT:

-Balanced scoring leads Louisville to rout of Blue Raiders.

Six Cardinals in double figures this afternoon as Louisville wins 118-41. The Cards
were up 58-19 at half-time and had 84 points in the paint. Cierra Warren led the way
with 18 points and Shawnta Dyer with 16. The Cards led in rebounding 53-19.

All 13 Cardinals that dressed played and all but Nita Slaughter scored. The starting lineup was a bit of a surprise to us...Walz went with Shelby Harper, Tia Gibbs and Becky Burke at guards, Monique Reid at power forward and Cierra Warren in the paint. His first substitution was five players...Asia Taylor, Shoni Schimmel, Sara Hammond, Bria Smith and Shawnta Dyer. Charmaine Tay was not dressed for this afternoon games...no official comment on why but academics were later given as the reason.

Same for Ashley Rainey on LIndsey Wilson. She did not dress or play because of academics.
Monny Niamke looked good at the point for the Blue Raiders..getting in 32 minutes and scoring a team high 15 points but fouled out late and had nine of Lindsey Wilson's 29 turnovers.

The halftime parade of costumes was adorable!

The "Show" was up to her old tricks of no-look passes and eye-popping ball control. She had nine points and eight assists in 15 minutes. No Cardinal played more than 20 minutes in the game (Tia Gibbs) and Dyer had nine boards to go with her 16 points. 

The Cards grabbed control of this one early and led 11-5 with 17:28 to go in the first half after a Cierra Warren jumper in the paint connected. Louisville went on a 22-5 run after that and Bria Smith's fastbreak layup made it 33-10 with 9:26 remaining in the first half. The Cards closed out the first half on a 13-0 run to lead by 39...Cierra Warren getting 10 of her points and Bria Smith adding eight of her game total ten points in the first twenty minutes.

Charlie "Dracula" Meade with his father Mike

lindsey Wilson struggled against the Louisville defensive pressure the entire first hald and that did not change to open up the final twenty minutes. The Cards outscored the Blue Raiders 22 to 8 in the first seven minutes of the second half and led 80-27. A Jude Schimmel three sent the Cards over the century mark with 7:26 remaining in the game -making it 101-35 - and held the Blue Raiders to six points the rest of the way.

Lots of good things happened this afternoon for the hard working Cardinals. Bria Smith showed why she was one of the top-ranked guards in high school basketball last year...she has an explosive first step and drives the baseline well. Same old steady and dependable Monique Reid inside...getting nine points this afternoon in just ten minutes of action. Jude Schimmel pulling the string from deep and nailing both her three point attempts and ending with 10 points in 15 minutes of play. Cierra Warren was an absolutely dominating force inside against the weaker Blue Raiders and went 9-13 from the field.

Hello, princess!

Louisville head coach Jeff Walz spoke with the media after the game and was pleased overall with team's performance. No real goals or objectives for today...just to play hard and the Cards certainly did that..in a variety of lineup combinations and situations. He even jokingly suggested that he drew today's starting lineup from a hat. He loves Shawnta Dyer's work ethic and Warren's strength in the paint.

"It was nice to get out and play against someone you don't see everyday." Walz reflected after the game.

Walz on LWC's Monny Niamke:

"Monny is a strong player. She's a great on-ball defender and, even though she fouled out...she did it by playing too hard, which is something you like to see."

Walz on what needs work:

"We are going to go to work Tuesday on fundamentals. We've got to do a better job defensively. We have to get into the passing lanes. We have to do a better job blocking out. We did OK rebounding but that's just because we were bigger than them. We can't just rely on our size and strength. We have to do the fundamental things better."

We were impressed with the freshmen. Hammond is a hard working, give no quarter paint player who can also pass, drive and rebound. Jude Schimmel did get schooled a couple of times by Niamke but her shot is picture perfect...maybe even better than Shoni's...if that os possible. Smith is destined to be one of the top guards in the country down the road. She knows the game, her first step is soooo fast and she glides down the court effortlessly. 

The Cards even shot the ball well from the charity stripe with a 9-12 performance. This is going to be a fun and exciting team to watch this year. Strength galore in the paint, multiple guards that seemingly can score at will and, of course, the "Show".

 Louisville returns to action next on November 13th, with a trip to Springfield, MO. to take on Missouri State.

nochoiceisachoice

Lindsey Wilson tipoff changed to 3 p.m.

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TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Lady Cards will go at 3 p.m. Sunday against Blue Raiders

-Conrad named BIG EAST Field Hockey Defensive player of the Week

-Women's Golf tied for 7th. in Vegas

To accomodate the BIG EAST Women's Soccer Quarterfinal match involving
Louisville at Cardinal Park, the University of Louisville Women's Basketball
exhibition start time against Lindsey Wilson has been moved from 2 p.m. to 
3 p.m. The Soccer Cards get the winner of the Providence vs. Rutgers match

Let's look at the Blue Raiders:



Rainey was an NAIA All-American last year

Lindsey Wilson returns two starters from a team that went 24-9 last year. Star forward and former Lady Card Ashley Rainey averaged 21.1 points for LWC last year. Also returning is 5'9" guard Tiffany Williams, who averaged 5.9 points. 

The Blue Raiders finished second in the Mid-South Conference in the 2010-11 season and made it to the 2nd round of the NAIA National Tournament in Jackson, TN...where they lost to Azusa Pacific University. 

They've been ranked #16 in the NAIA preseason poll for 2011-12. Two other Mid-South members made the poll...Shawnee State (OH) has been picked to finish fourth and Campbellsville (KY) ninth. The Blue Raiders  and picked to finish second in the Mid-South behind Shawnee State.

The Blue Raiders will look for help from an impressive incoming freshman class. Monny Niamke, originally headed to Louisville, will try to lock down the other guard spot. The 5'5" native of Rouen, France is a steady ball-handler and can knock down the three. Lindsey Wilson also signed some impressive height...with 6'3" Ranika Rose, out of Niceville, FL. and 6'3" Caitlyn Radeck, from Franklin, OH. LWC will play Berea the day before scrimmaging the Lady Cards. 

Rainey will be the player the Lady Cards will need to contain to secure an opening win. WE'LL be watching with interest on how well Monny plays...we're assuming she's still on schedule to join the Lady Cards after her freshman season at Lindsey Wilson.

Louisville is offering a $2 admission ticket to those who wear Halloween costumes to the game in the KFC YUM! center and there will be a halftime parade for those who don Halloween outfits. 

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Cardinal field hockey goalkeeper Erin Conrad has been named BIG EAST Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. The award comes after the Cards shut out Providence and Indiana last week. Conrad, a redshirt junior from Wilkes-Barre, PA., had three saves against each opponent. The Cards are 10-7 on the season and Conrad has six shutouts so far this year.

Louisville ends their regular season on the road against Northwestern on Oct. 30th.

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Women's golf sits tied for seventh after the first round of the Las Vegas Collegiate Challenge. The Cards shot a team total of 288...11 strokes off leader UC Davis.

Freshman Emily Haas leads the Cards with a 69...six strokes off the leader. Maria Castellanos scored a 70, Katie Petrino carded a 74, Anna-Karin Ljungstrom toured the 18 with a 75 and Tara Lyons finished with a 76.

Three Cardinal golfers are participating as individuals...Maike Klein reporting in with a 74 and Candice Wiley and Sara Karlsson firing 79's.

36 more holes to negotiate for the Cardinal chippers. They begin play today at 7:30 a.m. Vegas time.




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Just in case you were wondering about her, Lady Card and Atlanta Dream superstar is back in Europe...playing for Turkey's Fenerbache again. She's teamed up with WNBA legend Penny Taylor on the roster, which also includes several European stars. Angel did nothing to disappoint in her first game....scoring 19 points in a lopsided win for her squad.

McCoughtry can ill afford not making the trek across the Atlantic...since she's one of the highest paid players in women's Euroball. Should be interesting next WNBA season to see how much the Dream are willing to shell 
                             out to keep Angel... 




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Niamke to Lindsey Wilson...Rainey receives honor...Mercedes reportedly seen on campus

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE REPORTS:

-Lady Cards Recruit to go NAIA route

-Ashley Rainey receives honor

-Mercedes sighting

-We think it over

According to Jeff Walz, speaking on the radio show Cardinal Insider, French point guard Esther Monny Niamke did not qualify academically and would be attending a NAIA school in Kentucky and would not be with the Lady Cards next season but will be the season after that. WE have learned that Monny will attend Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, KY. If Monny enrolls for the 2011-12 season, she would be a sophomore at UofL in the 2012-13 season. We're not sure if she would have to sit out a season after transferring to UofL after playing a season of NAIA basketball..we know players don't have to if they transfer from an NCAA school to NAIA...but going the other direction...little help here? Thanks to CARDINAL COUPLE reader Kenny S. for the scoop!

This relieves a little of the congestion that the Lady Cards back court was facing in 2011-12...and probably means that Walz won't have to bring in campus traffic control personnel for practices this fall. Ever seen those guys and gals direct traffic after a home football game? Ever watched a Three Stooges movie? We're

hoping Monny has a great NAIA season and comes to Louisville ready to roll.

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Speaking of Lindsey Wilson, a former Lady Card had a banner season there last year as a sophomore and has had her jersey put on display in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame's Ring of Honor in Knoxville, TN.

Ashley Rainey joins an elite group of over 100 players' jerseys that will hang in the ring. There are high school and college All-Americans displayed from the 2001-11 season.

The Ring of Honor has become one of the most popular exhibits at the Hall of Fame. Fans can recognize the acheivements of young basketball players in the sport there.

Rainey led the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders last season with 21.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and was named a NAIA All-American First Team member. She left UofL midway through her freshman season in 2009-10.

It also leads to the question of whether Rainey will re-test the waters of the NCAA DI ranks again in the future. One thing is for certain, Lindsey Wilson's WBB team is going to be a tough opponent for anyone in the upcoming season if both Rainey and Niamke are out there ballin' .

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WE'VE received several unconfirmed e-mails that Mercedes Russell did, in fact, pay a unofficial visit to the UofL campus earlier this week. Unofficial = parents paid for it...No official word out of the UofL camp about this and no statement we've been able to find from Mercedes on how it went.

Mexico to Louisville and then back to Oregon...an interesting way to spend your summer vacation from high school. Beats mom and dad driving you to summer camp or Aunt Jenny's farm for a week.

Also, a special thanks to CARDINAL COUPLE reader Jenny O. for her thoughts and news on the Mercedes sighting. You can read Jenny's thoughts in the comments section below...

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One of the things we run into when we get reports on UofL women's sports activity via anonymous e-mails is the accuracy and veracity of the reports. We try to get official acknowledgement or verification from either the athlete, program or University but some times that doesn't happen. We understand that. Sometimes, the University cannot comment on these items. Sometimes, they're way too busy to take time to offer an explanation to a website. We have a tough time in the decision making process on whether to report the activities or news. If we receive multiple reports on something and if these reports include comments from a trusted source, we'll go with the story

Sometimes, stories that are out there never make it to these pages out of deference to situations, respect and courtesy.

We're not trying to become a gossip site or take a National Enquirer path here at CARDINAL COUPLE. You, the readers, have told us innumerable times that you want information of UofL women's sports. We try to do this from a fan's viewpoint and we figure that as fans, the news of future, present or past Cardinal women's athletes is of interest. We always welcome corrections to stories we offer here and have received such over the months...including official clarifications, requests and reports out of UofL coaches and staff.
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Where are they now?

Welcome to the Monday view at Cardinal Couple!

-Where are they now?

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-WE try to predict the BIG EAST

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Ashley Rainey (pictured right) is playing at Lindsey Wilson College and averaging 20.8 points a game and 10.4 rebounds for the Blue Raiders (10-3). She has been named the Mid-South Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week twice for the NAIA school. Rainey played in 22 games for Louisville in the 2009-10 season...starting 16 before leaving the team. She averaged 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in her one season at the Ville.

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Janae Howard is at Western Kentucky University and the third leading scorer on the Hilltoppers (4-7) squad. She's started 5 out of the 10 games she's played for the Toppers and is averaging 24.6 minutes per game. Howard leads the WKU squad in three pointers made and attempted (25-69). Howard was a reserve on the 2008-09 Louisville squad that made it to the NCAA Championship game.

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Another player on that team, Mary Jackson, is at Memphis after sitting out her transfer year and comes off the bench for the Tigers. She recently had 11 points against North Carolina A&T and averages about 3 points a game. The Tigers (8-3) have won their last 5 in a row.

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Laura Terry played in 11 games for Louisville in 2009-10 before a knee injury put her on the sidelines during her junior year. She twice hit double figures for the Cards last year, with 11 points against IUPUI and 10 at Central Michigan. Terry is now a student assistant coach for the Cards and you can see her on the bench during Cardinal home games.

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Nikki Burton took part in 18 games as a part of the 2009-10 Cards and started 11 of them before going to the sidelines with injuries. She's on the injured list this year with a groin injury and is expected to redshirt this season. Burton averaged 5.9 for the Lady Cards last year and had 36 steals...good for second on the team despite playing only about half of the Cardinal contests.

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With BIG EAST play right around the corner, the action will be coming fast and furious amongst the 16 teams in the league. WE'VE got some very early conference season speculation on how the teams could finish up. Read at your own risk...

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Them that has:

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-Connecticut is loaded again and is our pick to win the BIG EAST schedule. Will Maya Moore ever graduate? They may eventually lose a game...we figure either the Connecticut men's team or the WNBA Connecticut Sun are the two most likely candidates to knock them off.

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-DePaul has a wealth of talent and can score from anywhere on the court. Sam Quigley and Keisha Hampton should be able to lead the Blue Demons to the runner up spot in the BIG EAST and....they did knock off #2 Stanford recently. UConn beware.

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-Georgetown has talent with Sugar Rodgers and Monica McNutt and will be a tough opponent for anyone who crosses their path in the BIG EAST. These Hoyas are a rough and tumble bunch...bring the first aid kit and team physician. Rutgers loss a wake up call.

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-Louisville is 2-2 against top 25 opponents this year and features a well balanced scoring attack led by freshman Shoni Schimmel. The Cards can be deadly in their zone presses and can score in bunches with the transition game. Try and zone them and they'll burn you from deep.

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Them that is pretty good:

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-Notre Dame returns talent from last year's team and led by Skylar Diggins...they can shut you down with pressure defense and tear you up outside. Wouldn't be surprised at all with a top four finish in the BIG EAST regular season. Muffet McGraw knows a thing or two about hoops.

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-St. John hasn't disappointed in the pre-BIG EAST schedule and returns a talented bunch of hoopsters that can light up the scoreboard. You won't win many rebounding wars against them and your defense better be clicking if you expect to beat them.

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-Syracuse plays the brutal possession by possesion ball that Quentin Hillsman teaches and it's paid dividends for them so far with an undefeated record. That'll change in the BIG EAST...but don't be shocked in the Orange pull off a few major upsets.

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-West Virginia is highly ranked so far under the tutelidge of Mike Carey and features one of the best players in the league in Liz Repella. The Mountaineers are well disciplined and won't beat themselves. They will whip up on quite a few BIG EAST opponents, though.

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Them that is so-so:

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-Rutgers is rebuilding under C.Viv Stringer but still has talent with April Sykes and company. They can throw scary defense on opponents and C.Viv is rarely out-coached. They did beat Georgetown.

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-Marquette returns three starters from last year and has gotten off to a strong start in pre-BIG EAST play. They don't get blown out and no one puts up big numbers on them.

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-Providence returns two starters from a team that made it to the WNIT quarterfinals last year. Mi-Khida Hankins are Symone Roberts are legit hoopsters.

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-USF has gained a couple of talented transfers in the Smith sisters and they've turned it around in Tampa. Beware BIG EAST teams that venture into the SunDome.

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Them that aren't so much:

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-Villanova will compete with anyone but the talent level there isn't quite enough to get them into the over .500 bunch in the BIG EAST. Harry Perretta begins his 34th. year there.

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-Pittsburgh does have four starters back from last year...four starters from a 16-15 team. Agnes will need a few miracles in the Peterson if they are to improve on that record.

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-Cincinnati has a young and bright coach in Janelle Elliott. It's a shame the Geno prodigy can't suit up for the under-manned Bearcats. They'll fight to stay out of the BIG EAST cellar.

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-Seton Hall is in Anne Donovan first year of coaching. She'll turn the program around in South Orange...we have no doubt...but it isn't going to happen this year.

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We're Back....

HELLO, AGAIN. Thank you for bearing with our short absentee status on UofL Women's athletics. Some minor computer adjustments were necessary and now we're good to go.
(By the way, the hamsters did return from Truckee..a bit nervous but otherwise in good health.) California dreamin...

The young lady in the picture above wearing the blue #42 jersey is Cierra Warren. Please welcome her as the newest signee for the UofL women's basketball team. Cierra has transferred from the University of North Carolina, will sit out the 2010-11 season and wil have three years of elgibility for Louisville after that.

Warren is a 6'4" post that was ranked 18th best in the nation when she graduated from Los Osos high school in Rancho Cucamonga, CA in 2009. She went to the Tarheels and averaged 4.2 points and 2.6 boards her freshman year as a back up post.

The scoop on Warren is that she is a strong, physical interior presence. Picture Tina Charles or Kia Vaughn and you'll get an idea of her skills. She scores with ease in the paints and is a feared shot blocker. She'll be the type of brawling, agressive post that is a definite plus in the brutal Big East.

Louisville has fared well with transfers in recent years. Candyce Bingham came to the Lady Cards after two years at Xavier. Toni Slaughter joined the team after starting her college career at Cincinnati. Currently on the roster is talented guard Tia Gibbs...here after a year at Vanderbilt.

Sometimes, it goes the other way. Janae Howard left the Cards after one season to transfer to Western Kentucky. She'll be on the court this year, as will Mary Jackson who shipped out to Memphis after a year on the national runner up team.

Welcome to the nest, Cierra.

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Jeff Walz has made official what we've been telling you for weeks here at CARDINAL COUPLE. Gwen Rucker will concentrate on volleyball in 2010-11 and not don the basketball jersey. Laura Terry's career is finished...a victim of knee problems. Ashley Rainey is at Lindsey Wilson. All three of the Cardinals had their shining moments in the red and black and we wish them the best of future endeavors as they go onward toward their degrees and careers. Rucker will be fun to watch on the volleyball court this year. Rainey will probably average double doubles each night at NAIA Lindsey Wilson. Laura will be an inspiration for the team from the sidelines.

And so it goes. They come, they leave, they contribute and they learn.

Rainey to Lindsey Wilson

According to a report from the Lindsey Wilson Athletic Department, former University of Louisville freshman forward Ashley Rainey has transferred to the school and will participate in women's basketball there during the 2011-11 season.

Rainey started in sixteen games for the Cardinals during the 2010 season but left campus over the Thanksgiving break and did not return. Rainey's sister and father played basketball for Lindsey Wilson. The school is a member of the NAIA...so Rainey would be elgible to play without having to sit out a transfer year.

Rainey came to Louisville from Warren East high school and was a Ky. Girls High School All State first team selection her senior year. Front line injuries for the Cardinals early last year pressed Rainey into immediate playing time and she responded well for the Cardinals at times but had a tendancy to foul out or get into quick foul trouble in games.

Rainey was also involved in an off-campus incident before Thanksgiving where she and a couple of other Lady Cardinals broke curfew and disobeyed a coach's order by going skating and then created a cover up story concerning the curfew violation.

Rainey did not return to the Cards after the Thanksgiving break and a statement was released that Rainey was undergoing some personal and family issues at home. Reports of a car accident near Bowling Green involving Rainey also surfaced but no official statement was releaseed concerning this.

Her rebounding and scoring skills were useful to a thin Lady Cards front line last year. The Cards should fare a little better in that area next year with Asia Taylor, Keisha Hines, Laura Terry, Polly Harrington, Shawnta Dyer, Sherrone Vails and Antonitia Slaughter available to compete for power forward and center spots.

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Rainey's departure frees up a scholarship for the Lady Cards who have their eye on Portland, OR point guard Shoni Schimmel. Returning Cardinals on scholarship are:


Dez Byrd
Tia Gibbs
Becky Burke
Nikki Burton
Rachel Story
LaToya Johnson
Keisha Hines
Asia Taylor
Laura Terry
Monique Reid

A player from 2010...Shelby Harper, a walk on who played point guard last year is currently not on scholarship.

Louisville currently has five incoming freshmen that are also on scholarship. Teams are allowed 15 scholarship players...so the Cards do have room and a scholarship available for Schimmel when she decides.

Written by Paul
5/17/10