Saturday Cardinal Couple -- Softball goes 1-1 in Orlando

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


- Softball falls 2-0 to Texas, defeats Temple 8-0

- Lacrosse with a Rocky Mountain "High" in Denver

-Women's swimming/diving #1 after Day 3 of Big East Tournament

-CARDINAL COUPLE on the air.


The softball Cards got the bats rolling against Temple but ran into a strong pitching performance from Texas' Blaire Luna in Day 1 of the 2013 Citrus Classic in Orlando, FL. Friday.

TEXAS 2 - CARDS 0

Scoreless after two innings, the Longhorns strung together three singles in the third to go up 1-0 on Louisville. They added a run in the fifth on a two-out walk and Louisville fielding error.

Luna held the Cards bat at bay...keeping them hitless until seventh inning. Katie Keller smashed a two-out double and Alicja Wolny reached first on a hit-by-pitch to give the Cards a shot in the inning but Luna got her 13th strike out of the day to end the rally and the game.

Caralisa Connell took the loss (8-2) two runs, one earned and seven hits allowed.

CARDS 8 - Temple 0

Louisville struck early in the second game of the day for them with two runs in the first inning. Keller singled and scored on Alicja Wolny's double (she didn't get hit by a pitch!). Wolny made it home on a Hannah Kiyohara single.

The Cards added three more runs in the fourth. Singles by Jennifer Esteban, Keller and Katelyn Mann scored Esteban and a error got Keller to the plate. Taner Fowler's base hit sent Mann home to make it 5-0 UofL.

UofL added three runs in the fifth to end the game. Kiyohara led off with a single, Whitney Arion walked and Chrisanna Roberts got hit by a pitch to load the bases full of Cards. Kiyohara scored when Keller got hit by a pitch (stop the violence!) Mann singled home Arion and a based-loaded walk to Wolny forced home Roberts (although she probably went willingly) to make it 8-0 and end the game.

Rachel LeCoq with the win (5-1) allowing four hits.

Cards get Ga. Tech tomorrow on ESPN3 at 12:15 p.m. Tune it in after listening to CARDINAL COUPLE from 11-noon on CRESCENT HILL RADIO 

It'll be their second game of the day...they start Saturday versus Longwood University.

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Lacrosse is on their first road trip of the season, the LAX crew in Denver to play the Nuggets...oops, scratch that...the Pioneers of the University of Denver. First meeting between the two schools, Denver is 2-1 on the season, Louisville 3-0 and in the top 20 at 20 in the WLA rankings.

Louisville has outscored their opponents by an average of +9.67 a game in their three wins and Nikki Boltja leads the team with 11 goals.

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Louisville women's swimming and diving in first place after Day 3 of the BIG EAST Tournament...a narrow lead over Notre Dame. Cards the defending BIG EAST Tournament champs.

More info at www.gocards.com

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Finally, tomorrow morning is the first broadcast of the Cardinal Couple Radio show...11 a.m. to noon E.S.T. on Crescent Hill Radio.

You can listen on line at www.crescenthillradio.com . Click the link to listen on the left hand side of the site.

We'll cover ladies hoops, softball, lacrosse and have a live human sacrifice at 11:37...just kidding about the sacrifice!

Staff communists columnists Jenny O'Bryan and Jeff McAdams are slated to appear with Paulie and we expect it to be a great time!

Join us, won't you?

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Thursday Coupnal Cardpile -- Jeff looks ahead

THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

( After spending the last several days tracking down errant Shoni threes, wide-right net shots by Nikki Boltja and practice balls hit by UofL women's golf team members, staff columnist Jeff McAdams has parked the jeep, taken off the hard-hat and yellow vest and returned to the CARDINAL COUPLE Corporate Headquarters deep below the Parrish House to compose the Thursday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE. Losing a bet to Sandy on how many free-throws Bill The Goat could consecutively hit...Billy drilled 14 straight...Jeff has taken over the role of laundry attendant and catches us up on the Cardinal women's sports schedule and recruiting news. He's also training the staff chimps on proper procedures to follow in the event of a zombie Apocalypse...but all they want to do is run with their hands over their heads and scream. Now on the tee...the southpaw from the scenic Highlands...Jeff McAdams.)    

I'm Looking at You, Weekend

As is frequently the case, not a lot going on mid-week, but there are some other news items to pick up on from over the course of the week that haven't gotten mentioned.

First, though, a little bit of a look ahead to this weekend's activities.

Softball in Florida

After last weekend in Las Vegas and starting off with a 4-1 record, UofL Softball heads to sunny Florida this weekend.  They're really suffering for their sport, you know.  In all seriousness, I can only imagine the toll the travel schedule of an NCAA sport would take on a person over the course of a season or four.

In Jacksonville, the Louisville squad has an early start with a 9:30am first pitch on Friday versus Stony Brook, followed by a noonish...listed at 11:45am, but after the first game of events like this, scheduling always seems to be approximate...start with Bethune Cookman.  

Saturday is apparently UofL vs Ohio State day as Softball starts the second day of the Jacksonville Tournament with OSU at 11:45 or so.  OSU will make another appearance here in a few paragraphs, so hang onto the thought of beating the Buckeyes for a minute.  The evening game for our Cards is 6:30'ish with the home team Jacksonville.  

No staying out late and celebrating though, as Sunday brings another early start, this one at 9am, against Stony Brook again.

Katie Keller was selected BIG EAST Player of the Week for her hot hitting streak in Vegas. Congrats to Kate 'em Up...she ate them up!

Lacrosse Here at Home

Paulie and I enjoyed watching the home opener of UofL Lacrosse beating Canisius...though we do both remain a bit mystified at some of the rules, we're learning a bit at a time.

The second game is Saturday at 2pm, again here at home with Ohio State showing up in the picture again.  With a high temperature barely above freezing forecast for Saturday, you'll want to bundle up for this one.  I've been fighting off a bit of a head cold for the past day, so I doubt I'll make it out for this one, but I will be present at other match-ups later in the season, for sure.

Do I Even Need to Mention Basketball?

1:30pm tip Sunday for the next installment of Walz Ball at the KFC Yum! Center, with DePaul coming in for the return engagement.  The Blue Demons got the W up in the windy city.  McGrath Arena only seats around 3,000...I made the road-trip up there a couple of years ago...let's show them what another 10,000 people cheering can do in a top-notch arena.

This game is the annual Pink Game honoring breast cancer survivors.  Shelby Harper always loves this one...she gets to wear even more pink than usual, and sure enough, she's on the season tickets for this one...wearing pink, of course.

More Commitments

After last week's singing...I mean signing...day, we only had one confirmed commitment to talk about.  We've got a few more that have been announced since then.

Field Hockey

Hailey got game....oh, yeah!

Justine Sowry is taking the slow and steady approach to announcing her commitments, this week announcing the signing of a local, Hailey Netherton, from Assumption High School here in Louisville.

Assumption is, of course, quite well known for Volleyball prowess...you knew I had to get a Volleyball mention in here somewhere...but they also have a stand-out Field Hockey team.  This year's team picked up the runner-up spot in state this year, and Hailey got the team MVP award.  She also has two years worth of All-State selections, as well as a couple of placements on Kentucky Select first teams the past couple of years, and a second team nod the year before.


Basketball

Sydney Brackemyer gave a verbal commitment to Louisville earlier in the week, as most of you reading this probably know. She and her mom will be in attendance at the Sunday game against DePaul. They plan on attending South East Christian for services before the contest and are looking forward to the visit. Sydney is ahead of schedule on her knee rehab and excited about several things...more strength and conditioning, getting her driver's license, getting her (teeth) braces off and cheering on UofL Sunday. If you see her and her mom at the game, give them a big CARDINAL COUPLE howdy!


 

Soccer

Karen Ferguson-Dayes isn't teasing us.  She announced her full recruiting class of six players this week.



Taylor Smith should provide lots
of...hey, wait a second...that's
Taylor Swift. Timmy! To Sonja's
office immediately. Darn chimps.

One local, Taylor Smith out of Christian Academy and the Javanon club.  Out of Aurora, IL, basically Chicago area, is Rachele Armand.  Paige Brown hails from Jackson, MO down around where the Mississippi and Ohio rivers join up.  Caroline Kimble comes to us from Ashton, MD, which about splits the difference between Baltimore and Washington D.C.  Christy Monroy is from what is basically a suburb of NYC in Scotch Plains, NJ.  Lastly, welcome Kari Weinland out of New Albany...no, not that New Albany, this one is in Ohio...a suburb of Columbus.

Welcome, to the newest Cardinals.  You all are gonna love it here !


Outstanding work today by Jeff. As mentioned earlier in here, the Sunday game is the wear your pink for Breast Cancer Survivors. The Cards are facing a dangerous DePaul team that recently defeated Rutgers without star Anna Martin. Whether Martin's knee will allow her to go against UofL or not...we're not sure yet. One thing we're very sure of, though...is that the team needs you to show up in big-time numbers for this one on Sunday. Jeff Walz would like to see the top deck curtains pulled back and fans in the seats in the 300 level. He has personally promised to go up there before, after and during the game to sit with each one of you, bring popcorn, Reese's Cups and a wide selection of beverages. ((OK, that last part isn't true...he's going to be busy coaching...) but please turnout in force for this one, Cardinal fans. There are only three home games left before the BIG EAST Tournament. Show up Sunday! Maybe we can talk Candyce Bingham into bringing the beverages, candy and popcorn up to the 300 level seats... 

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Cardinal Couple Friday Edition - The "Jeff Slept In" Edition

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

( Columnist Jeff McAdams gets out of the dentist chair, has another whiff of nitrous oxide and brings us today's column. We have an emerging, abundant interest in Louisville Lacrosse here at the staff and Kellie Young won't know what hit her this spring when we show up with the chimps and Bill the Goat.)


(Apologies for the late posting...I'm not sure how Paulie does it...well, how he does it when he's not off adding to his fruity-drink umbrella collection anyway)

All is quiet on the Cardinal Couple Front

This is the time of year when there's only one Cardinal women's athletics team playing - basketball, of course - the sport that probably draws the most readership here to the CC blog.

Alas for us fans, basketball has been on a bit of break this week.  Nearly all of the players had the opportunity to go home to visit with their families for Christmas.  Hopefully they haven't been totally overindulging and not doing any work...like me.  They are returning to get a few days of practice in before the Tennessee State game on New Year's Eve.

That all means that there isn't much news to share in the UofL Women's Athletics world right now.

2013 is nigh

Jenny shared her new year's resolutions for her involvement with UofL Athletics yesterday.  I made a new year's resolution a number of years ago that I have kept...to not make any more new year's resolutions.  So how about my hopes for the new year, both for myself and others.

A Trip to New Orleans

Of course this one is on the list.  The men's basketball team went in April.  I hear there's a few UofL fans down there right now and into next week, but I'd like to make the trip this coming April for the women's Final Four.  St. Louis was a nice trip, but I think I would enjoy a weekend in New Orleans even more.

Lacrosse Tutorial

I've been to a few Lacrosse games, and came away with a basic understanding of the game, but I'd love to learn about some of the finer points so I can comment intelligently on a game.  Kellie Young, if you're listening, I'd love to see some sort of tutorial or clinic for fans to be able to learn about your game and be better fans.

While we're talking about tutorials or clinics, learning a bit more about Field Hockey would be nice as well.

Social Softball

In general, I'm not much of a fan of the sport of baseball.  Though I do like to go to the park with friends, I won't watch it on TV.  I enjoy watching softball more, though.  Both of them are a great social event as well. I made it to a few games last year, and I hope I can make it to more this year.  For the dog lovers among you, bringing your dog and sitting on the outfield berm is an enjoyable afternoon/evening as well.  If you're lucky Coach Pearsall's dog, Summit, will make an appearance, and apparently, there's a new family member, Sierra, as well.

Soccer and Field Hockey

Obviously, my favorite sport is Volleyball, but in the fall, I like to try to get some chances to check out the Soccer teams (both men and women) as well as Field Hockey.  I only made it to the very end of one Field Hockey game this year...I'm disappointed in myself over that...and I hope to step that up a bit more.

My family gave me some cold-weather UofL gear for Christmas, hopefully I can give it a bit of an opportunity for some use with some late-season games from the soccer and field hockey teams in tournament appearances.

Can't leave out Volleyball

I've made a couple of road-trips for Volleyball the past couple of seasons, and those have been tremendously enjoyable...so I hope to keep that up in the fall.  I'd like to make it to the Big East tournament, and a first and second round NCAA road-trip.  We host a regional in the NCAA Volleyball tournament next year, so that won't be a road-trip, but I've always wanted to visit Seattle!

Post to Cardinal Couple about more than just Volleyball

Sometimes I feel like I'm a broken record talking about Volleyball so much.  Of course its a passion, but there's so much more to enjoy in UofL Athletics.  Hopefully I'll be able to make to some of these other sports a bit more, and learn enough about Field Hockey and Lacrosse to comment intelligently, so I can have more to share with you, our readers, in the coming year.

I've enjoyed writing for CC, and looking forward to more in the coming year.

Go Cards!

( And we enjoy having you on staff, Jeff! Even though you leave volleyball nets in the conference room and Bill the Goat gets hung up in them...which necessitates Timmy the Intern placing calls to 911 and Anne Kordes. Strangely, Kordes always arrives first...)

AND....

(This article about freshman Megan Deines. Enjoy! )

Dynamite Deines


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Saturday Cardinal Couple -- Remembering the Past

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SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Jan Langley Brewer recalls early Cardinal Volleyball and women's basketball.

We got a letter a few days ago from Jan Langley Brewer, a member of the Central Cardinal Club and participant on the UofL volleyball and women's basketball team from the early 1960's. Jan and Paul have had a couple of great discussions on sports the way it was back then for Cardinal Womens' athletes and she sent some team pictures as well with the letter. Jan writes:

Dear Paul,

Enclosed are some photos as promised. The photos are of UofL's Women's Volleyball teams in the early 60's (61-62-63?). One photo is the women's early 1960's basketball team.

As the first photo shows - we were the state (college level) Volleyball Champs 1963. Clearly, one of us snatched the "game ball" as that is a Centre College volleyball in the picture. Notice those flashy uniforms!

Unfortunately, there are no dates or player's names on my original photos. I guess I thought I would remember! I do recall some first names and nick names- but, not last names. Except for my friend Linda Tucker. Like myself, she is in all four photos. By the way, I was Jan Langley back then...not married yet.

I do recall that not all team members showed up for photos - so there would be several team members who are not in any photo. The women wearing the blazer in the third and four photos is Lois Massie, who coached all of the women's sports teams back then. She was also an instructor at UofL.

In the top photo, I am the 2nd from the right - kneeling in the front row. I'll leave it up to you and your readers to find me in the other three photos...sort of a game of "Where's Jan?".

My friend Linda Tucker lives in Orange Beach, AL. now and she could probably recall more about UofL women's sports in the 60's. Her cousin was Harold "Butch" Adams, who you might remember.

Mercy sakes! It just dawned on me that a couple of these photos are now 50 years old. Obviously, I must have attended UofL when I was 10 years old!

I hope my photos are of some interest to you and your readers.
-Jan

( What a great look back at the teams on campus back then! Sadly, there are no official records of how the women's sports teams did back in those days. We welcome any input on the sports from that era from you, our readers and maybe participants from then, might have. We have forwarded the photos and Jan's letter to her friend Linda and perhaps she'll recall and contact us with some more stories and memories from those days.

Remember, for every Angel McCoughtry, Gwen Rucker, Lola Arslanbekova and Shoni Schimmel that thrills us these days with their basketball and volleyball skills and talent -- there was a Jan Langley Taylor and Linda Tucker doing the same work and giving the same effort...in an era far before Title IX and large fan bases...
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Weekend schedules for women's athletics

(Cardinal Couple staff columnist Jenny O' Bryan brings us the Wednesday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE with a weekend update on wherre and when the various UofL women's sports teams will be participating. Looks like a great weekend for softball and Sandy Pearsall's sluggers are coming off a great season. See ya at Ulmer!) 


It is a quiet week for women’s athletics.  No scores to report. 

Of particular interest this upcoming weekend is the first of two weekends of Fall Ball for the Softball team.   Coming off of the best record in school history, 55-5, the team will take to the filed for two games Friday, against Bellarmine at 5:00p.m. and again at 9:00 p.m. against Eastern Kentucky.  (Bellarmine and Eastern Kentucky will play each other at 7:00 p.m.).   You can find them again on the field Sunday at 2:00 p.m. against Murray State. 

One final weekend of play will be Saturday, October 6 when the team will play a double header against Bellarmine and Tennessee State, respectively. 

The team returns 7 starters and 12 letter winners from last season’s Big East Champions.   It is a short window of opportunity to get a sneak peak of the team we will see again next spring.  Find your way down to Ulmer Stadium this weekend and support your SoftballCards. 

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You can find the Cross Country team at the Greater Louisville Classic at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park on Saturday at 9:30:a.m.

Swimming and Diving opens the season this weekend at Ralph Wright Natatorium on Friday at 3:00 p.m. with an Intersquad Meet. 

All other teams are on the road:

Field Hockey hits the road to face Syracuse and Albany Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

Soccer is on the road on Friday and Sunday to face Marquette and USF.

Volleyball looks to return to their winning ways away from home while facing USF on Friday and Pittsburgh on Sunday. 

Safe travels to the teams on the road, and to all the athletes competing this weekend, Card Hard!

(Due to techincal problems, we are currently unable to add pictures to our writers' columns. The writers' can still do this, but we can't go in after the fact and add photos to their columns. Most of you will probably be happy about this. Sometimes life is so unfair...)
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A great weekend for you to follow UofL women's sports! Beginning tonight at 6 p.m., the Field Hockey team does battle with conference rival Georgetown. An hour later, the UofL women's soccer team takes to the Cardinal Park field to engage Syracuse. 

If the bright lights of downtown are your thing, #10 Volleyball fires up the KFC YUM! Center for a match with DePaul at 7 p.m.

Go Cards GO! 
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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Another busy UofL women's sports weekend

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

****** These updates on Friday action...The Cards defeated MTSU in three sets 25-19, 25-11, 25-19 in Volleyball. Field Hockey won 3-2 in double overtime against Central Michigan and Soccer fell to Notre Dame 2-1. Full stories on all three games in the Saturday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE. Be sure to check back! ****** 

-Volleyball hosts Louisville Tournament...MTSU first opponent

-Women's soccer travels to Notre Dame

-Field Hockey @ Spartan Invitational 

-Jay Miller joins Softball coaching staff

-Two special WBB recruits in this weekend

-Notre Dame to ACC -- Some final thoughts

A very busy weekend for UofL women's sports coming up...beginning today with volleyball, field hockey and soccer all in action. Let's get right to the coverage! 

Three Volleyball matches in the KFC YUM! Center

UofL will occupy the KFC YUM! Center for three matches as part of the Louisville Invitational this weekend, the first match against Middle Tennessee State University. Despite the Blue Raiders record (3-9), they pose a tough challenge for the Cards. MTSU has had a brutal pre-conference slate of opponents and the roster is young. They'll have a say in the Sun Belt Conference title this season and are led by freshman Chelsea Ross (177 kills, 103 digs) and Ashley Adams (144 kills).

Louisville will also face UNLV and Miami (FL) on Saturday. The MTSU game starts at 7:30 p.m. tonite.

Soccer travels to South Bend

If you're in a road-trip frame of mind...

Karen Ferguson-Dayes' soccer squad begins BIG EAST competition against Norte Dame today at 4 p.m. The match will be televised on ESPNU and also available on-line at ESPN3 at WatchESPN.com. 

The Irish (3-3-1) return from a west coast swing that saw them tie Portland and lose to Washington. Louisville (5-1-0) comes into the game after hosting the Marriott Louisville Airport Classic where they bested Toledo and lost to Kentucky. 

The Irish hold a 8-3 lifetime series advantage over the Cards, but Louisville won both contests last year...winning 1-0 at South Bend and 2-1 in the semifinals of the BIG EAST tournament at West Virginia. 

Field Hockey battles in Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational

Another destination you could motor to would be catching Louisville Field Hockey on the road. 

Justine Sowry's girls also swing into action with a 4 p.m. clash against Central Michigan on the M.S.U. campus in East Lansing, MI. They'll also face either Michigan State or American University on Saturday, depending on the outcome of the games. 

Central Michigan (3-2) takes the field after a loss at Stanford and win over Maine. They feature Erin Dye, who has netted four goals on the season and Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week in goalkeeper Anastasia Netto. 

The Chippewas lead the series against the Cards 17-11. Louisville won the last match back in 2010...getting five goals from Nicole Youman in a 9-0 drubbing.

Chong, Harris visit this weekend

Jeff Walz and the University of Louisville basketball team host two major players in the class of 2013 this weekend for official visits. Saniya Chong, a do-everything guard from Ossining, NY and Alexandra "Alex" Harris, the 6'3" board terminator from Lorain. OH. will take in the sights and see the best college sports town around this weekend. Could be a busy weekend for the duo, with football at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium against North Carolina and the volleyball at the YUM. 

Chong is one of the best, if not the best, point guard in the 2013 recruiting class. A prolific scorer, distributes the ball well and a team leader. She's down to four schools...the CARDS, UConn, Maryland and Ohio State. WE feel once she sees all that the Louisville campus and facilities offer, she'll pare that list down further. She was low-flying on the national radar until the beginning of her junior year. She's blossomed into the type of guard that can be a difference-maker in a close game. Imagine her in a lineup with Mercedes Russell in the KFC YUM! Center. If we dream it, we can achieve it...

Harris dominates action on both ends of the court with her paint presence. Scores easily from inside and is a ferocious rebounder and defender. She's pared her list to the CARDS, Penn State and Michigan. Watching her game film eerily reminds me of a slightly taller version of Candyce Bingham. She'd be a great catch for the Cards. I bet she'd like playing with Chong and Russell, also. 

Enjoy Louisville, girls! It's a great place to spend four years! If you see the dynamic duo on campus or at a sporting event this weekend, flash them an "L" and tell them you'd like to see them in the red and black. 

Jay Miller joins Cardinal Softball staff.

Miller comes to Louisville as a volunteer assistant after an impressive career. Head coach at Mississippi from 2003-11. Prior to that, 15 years at Missouri from 1987-2002. 11 NCAA tournament appearances. A lifetime record of 1004-668, just one of 13 NCAA Division I coaches to hit the 1000 win plateau. 

"We're very happy to have somebody of Jay Miller's caliber join our staff. He brings a great deal of experience not only with the USA team, but also has an extensive college background and we are excited to have him join our program." -- Sandy Pearsall, UofL head softball coach. 

A great addition to an already stellar staff that Pearsall had on board. Miller replaces Lacy Wood, who has accepted an assistant coaching position at Eastern Kentucky. Miller's offensive strategies will only buoy a Cardinal attack that features eight returning starters this year. The Ulmer will be rocking! 

When Irish Eyes are smiling...

 So much has already been said and discussed about the Notre Dame departure from the BIG EAST to the ACC, that I'll limit my commentary to the effect it will have on women's sports in the BIG EAST. 

Muffett McGraw takes a talented basketball team that has been near or at the top of BIG EAST women's hoops for a decade to a conference that may well be the second strongest in women's college basketball.

New challenges in recruiting. New opponents to learn and face. And, with the vacating of the top rung on the ladder that the Irish shared with UConn, who will climb up? 

Obviously, Louisville will vye for that spot. DePaul, Rutgers and St.John's will try and lay claim to that rare air as well. 

The Irish were contenders in BIG EAST softball, volleyball, soccer, field hockey, track and field, swimming and diving and golf each and every year. Their departure weakens the league but also provides the chances for other programs to capitalize and move up. 

Most people I've talked to in the 48 hours since the Irish announcement agree that it is a strong blow to BIG EAST conference stability but rationalize that it doesn't hurt the already wobbly football coalition.  

These same people, in a vast majority,  also would like to see the Cards follow suit and try their fortunes in another conference. Big 12, Big 10, ACC...with the BIG 12 getting the majority of the favoritism. 

Here at CARDINAL COUPLE, we'll go on record as wondering if it's better to be a big fish in a rapidly draining pond or a new fish in a different lake? 

Notre Dame and Louisville have easily been the top two programs in BIG EAST overall women's sports since the Cardinals joined the conference in 2005. With the departure of the Irish, more conference championships are in Louisville's women's sports destiny. Better to be a giant in a small kingdom? 

Of course, any move in the future will be dictated by the economic engine of football. For now, Tom Jurich better get the UofL maintenance staff busy installing more trophy cases and shelves. Cardinal superiority will only increase.

And, that's not a bad thing at all.

Finally, if you attend the Louisville vs, North Carolina football game Saturday...make sure and stop by 80 under 80 to hear Robbie Bartlett and take a bath with Poobah, Sonja and Carol the Kid. MArkie MArk might even tell you about the festivus stick we left in Charlotte. 

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Monday Cardinal Couple -- Soccer wins, Golf tees off today

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MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Soccer back to winning ways over Toledo 3-1

-Women's Golf team starts season in Colorado

-Happy Birthday Robbie! 


Uremovich the difference as Louisville defeats Toledo

The University of Louisville soccer team improved to 5-1 on the season with a 3-1 win over Toledo Sunday at Cardinal Park in the Marriott Louisville Airport Classic. Angelika Uremovich scored twice for the Cards in the triumph.

A slow start for Karen Ferguson-Dayes kickers, who were knotted in a scoreless tie after the first half. Toledo hit the board first in the 52nd minute of play and held that advantage until the 59th minutes...when Chelsea Hunter connected on a penalty kick. It was her first score of the season. 

Louisville took the lead for good in the 70th minute of the 90 minute contest when Uremovich scored her first goal of the game. A precise header off a corner kick from Charlyn Corral made it 2-1 Cards. 

She tacked on the insurance goal the the 81st minute, driving a pass to the right post past Toledo's goalkeeper. Uremovich has 15 career goals and the junior from Ontario also was named to the All-Tournament team with Hunter for Louisville. 

" I was not happy with the way we started the first half but the increased energy and effort to start the second half was the difference. The credit goes to our kids for the second half. We have to understand that we must respect the game from the opening whistle in every match we play." Louisville women's soccer head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes.

Respect could be tested this Friday when the Cards play the first of two on the road, a nationally televised contest on ESPNU against Notre Dame. The game is set for 4 p.m. Louisville finished the road trip at DePaul on Sunday. 

Tee time: Louisville women's golf begins season

The Louisville women's golf team starts the season this morning at Windsor, Colorado as part of a seventeen team field in the Colonel Bill Wollenberg Ptarmigan Ram Classic. Louisville will play 36 holes today and 18 Tuesday in the two-day event.

A solid returning nucleus for first year coach Courtney Trimble. Candace Wiley, Tara Lyons, Emily Haas, Katie Petrino and Sara Karlsson will tee it up. Wiley is the only senior in the group and all five saw extensive action for the Cards last season. 

Lady sings the blues (except today)

Finally, a very happy birthday to Louisville singer/performer Robbie Bartlett. A favorite of the CARDINAL COUPLE ownership, Robbie's a fixture at Saturday afternoon tailgating events at the Parrish House...performing her eclectic mix of pop, rhythm and blues, Motown and soul. The only downer to the Louisville win over Kentucky a couple of weeks back in football was that the pre-game rain kept Robbie and her excellent band from performing.  

We love it when she sings the national anthem at Louisville women's basketball game and you'll find her in the stands cheering on Jeff Walz's troops even if she isn't scheduled to perform. We'd love to see her become the regular singer for these contest, seems like Louisville always wins when she delivers the "stars and stripes". Are ya listening, Tom and Julie? 

It also so happens that Robbie shares her birthday with Cardinal women's basketball great Angel McCoughtry. 

You can also catch Robbie at various other venues around town and we've provided a link to her website. 

Rockin' Robbie 
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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Three women's teams in action this weekend.

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Volleyball, Soccer and Field Hockey in action this weekend. 

"72 hours, six events, a full tank of gas and I'm not
wearing sunglasses" (Photo by Charlie Springer)

If you're a University of Louisville women's sports fan (and would you be here if you weren't?) you've hit the trifecta this weekend. Volleyball plays three times over Friday and Saturday, field hockey gets in two matches on Friday and Sunday and soccer hosts Purdue Friday night. Any fan who attends all six contests deserves a medal of honor from Julie Hermann...Cardinal Couple will have reports on all six contests...so let's get to the preview essentials! 

(Maybe we should get the medal of honor...)

VOLLEYBALL

The Volley Cards take over the KFC YUM! Center Friday night and all day Saturday with three matches in the Active Ankle Challenge. First up are the WKU Hilltoppers at 7:30 p.m. Friday night. No pushover here, the 'Tops' were 31-4 last year and lost to Marquette in the NCAA Tournament. 

Make sure and go early if you're attending this one. They're will be an All-Sport Pre-Game Autograph Session where various student-athletes will be signing autographs in the Main Concourse of the KFC YUM! Center from 5:30-7:00 p.m. A free autograph poster will be distributed. Your chance to get your favorite UofL athletes on ink. UofL is asking that fans just bring one additional item to be signed. Can't have Jordan Trimble wearing out that rocket arm...

The Cards also face Morehead State Saturday at 11 a.m. and Penn State at 7 p.m. A busy weekend for Anne Kordes' net-blasters! 

FIELD HOCKEY

#23 in the nation Cardinal Field Hockey will open their 2012 season with the Sherrill Brakemeier Classic. The Cards first opponent is #21 Northeastern. A perennial C.A.A. power, the Huskies went 14-8 last season and return an all-conference goalie in Lizzie Priest. 

Louisville looked impressive in an exhibition against IU last weekend...getting a goal from freshmen Kendall Weeding and two from Victoria Stratton. Senior Erin Conrad had seven saves in the 3-0 scrimmage win. 

Game time is 6 p.m. Friday. The Cards will face either Northwestern or Miami (OH) on Sunday. Admission is free for all field hockey contest this weekend. 

SOCCER

#18 Louisville soccer hosts Purdue Friday night at 7 p.m. at Cardinal Park. The Cards enter the match off a 2-0 win at Butler last Friday. Casey Whitfield and Angelika Uremovich scored for the 'Ville" in the win. 

Chloe Kiefer notched her 11th career shutout at goalie for Louisville, aided by the strong Louisville defensive backfield. 

Purdue is 2-0 so far this season...with wins over Toledo and Eastern Illinois. 

Admission is free for the match and the first 200 fans entering the gates get a free Louisville Soccer t-shirt. 

We hope you'll get to at least one or more of the games this weekend on campus or at the YUM! 

CARDINAL COUPLE will have full recaps on the madcap action this weekend and the soccer match will be available on CARDS TV for subscribers....in case you're up in your summer igloo in Nome or basking on the beach in Bimini. Have a great weekend and...

LET'S GO CARDS! 
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Friday Cardinal Couple -- Revisited

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Oops!


-What we are...


-Happy Birthday Mercedes!


( Written while looking for my shuttlecock & racquet.)


Somehow, the gremlins ate the earlier post we had up here for Friday. Not sure what happened, hope you got a glimpse at it earlier today and we'll try to re-create some of it. 

(Runs into backyard, shaking his fist and screaming at the heavens..."Why? Why? Why? The best stuff I've written since 1989 and you take it from me?" AARRGGHHHH!)


We thought this was a phenomena that only happened to our writer Sandy Walker. Guess we were wrong. 


Maybe the dingo ate it? Link below:


The Dingo ate...


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IF I recall correctly, we were looking at UofL athletes that were competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Lotta swimmers in that group and our #35 Angel McCoughtry on the hardwood. Carlos Almedia and Pedro Oliveria are swimming for Portugal. Joao De Lucca for Spain and Eszter Povansky for Hungary.

Francisco Garcia and Edgar Sosa were trying to get there for the Dominican Republic men's basketball team but the D.R. failed to qualify. The only silver lining in this cloud is that we don't have to watch their coach (John Calipari) on the sidelines. 


Over 5500 hours of the Olympics on NBC and their affiliates. That's the equal of watching 184 episodes of
Seinfeld. 


Do you have a favorite Olympic event? We've got a poll on the left side of the side you can vote on. 

I like the badminton events. Reminds me of when I won the inter-murals singles tournament in college.
I was pretty ferocious with the shuttlecock and racquet. 


(Insert your joke or wise guy comment here)    


Of course, I also like the basketball, track, swimming...well, I like all of it. Except maybe for rifle events. Not a big gun enthusiast. 


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We had previously discussed the state, art and philosophy of recruiting here at CARDINAL COUPLE. Jenny did a bang up job on this Wednesday and we've had some great e-mails about it. Make sure and read her article if you missed it. 

We also had some comments that I went in and deleted later. 


Just for the record: 

CARDINAL COUPLE is a website primarily dedicated to the joy and excitement of women's college sports at the University of Louisville from a fan's perspective. (Most of the time). We understand that some of our readers and fans are passionate about recruiting. We like to know who's a prospect to come to Louisville also.


What we won't tolerate is bashing, bad-mouthing and cynical, snarky comments about the program or possible additions to the program here. Feel free to e-mail those to us...but please keep them out of the comments section. 

We appreciate you reading CARDINAL COUPLE. We're excited about the upcoming fall sports at UofL. Let's do what we can to promote the joy and excitement of womens'  sports at UofL and stay away from the "Debbie Downer, Curtis Critical and Sammy Slammer" type of stuff. 


Remember that coaches, players, recruits and parents read CARDINAL COUPLE. Let's express to them the great things about UofL, the coaches, staff, players and campus. 


L1C4, baby! 


Thanks. 


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Finally, a very happy birthday to high school girls basketball superstar Mercedes Russell! We hope it's a GREAT one for you!


GO CARDS!


(I had Paul McCartney write and sing this song especially for her. OK...I really didn't...but it's a fun, little birthday ditty to get up and boogie to for a couple of minutes. Consider it a mini cardio-vascular workout.)


Stay seated, Asia...we want that hip to heal.


If it's your birthday today...first of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY and show your receipt to our CARDINAL COUPLE cashier when leaving to receive a free toothpick!  


The video below was filmed in the KFC YUM! Center last night when word got out it was Mercedes' birthday. 


(OK...that's not true, either..but wouldn't it be fun to have Paul McCartney come to the YUM?) Maybe for a WBB game.


LINK: BIRTHDAY SONG 


Have a wunnerful Friday everyone and a "tip of the hat and wink" to CARDINAL COUPLE reader and my "bestest, little buddy" J.P....glad the surgery went well and you'll be tossing touchdown passes again in no time. 


Be strong, Live strong, Stay Strong.


--your senile, senior columnist and co-owner
Paulie
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