Catching up on....softball, women's golf and track. Plus a "thank you!"

WEDNESDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE

Bill the Goat likes softball but doesn't have opposable thumbs,
so he can't bat. You should see him run the bases, though!

-Softball hosts the Hoosiers

-Golf wins in Indiana

-McCarty named BIG EAST Field Athlete of the Week

-The Aggies down Notre Dame

-Oliver upsets Andrews...

-Thanks, readers!

The University of Louisville softball team takes on Indiana University tonight at Ulmer Stadium. Game time is 5:30 p.m. Looks like a great night to be at the ballpark!

Caralisa Connell is expected to get the start against IU (20-14) for tonight's contest. Louisville (26-10, 5-1) defeated the Hoosiers 11-0 in the last meeting between the team in Bloomington on March 24th, 2010. The Cards have won their last seven in a row and are tied for third in the BIG EAST. USF (4-0) leads the conference and Pitt and Notre Dame are 3-0. The Cards are getting great offensive production from Chelsea Bemis, who is batting .362 and has five home runs this season. Alicja Wolny is hitting .385 and leads Louisville with 35 runs batted in. Sophomore Jennifer Esteban has touched home plate 33 times and is batting .378 on the season.

The Cards have been getting a yeoman effort from Connell since the other two pitchers that started the season, Tori Collins and Chelsea Leonard, are out with injuries. She's 13-4 on the season and has struck out 92 batters in 117 innings. The true freshman has a 2.37 ERA and won nine out of her last ten games on the mound.

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The Cardinal women's golf team won the Indiana Invitational yesterday by 22 strokes in the rain delayed event. Maria Castellanos took first place with a two day total of 145. Sara Maude-Juneau and Anna-Karin Lljungstrom tied for second with 147's.

The medalist title is the first ever for Castellanos at UofL and the third time this season that a Lady Cards golfer has claimed top honors.

UofL heads to Palm Harbor, FL. next...to compete in the BIG EAST Championships. They tee it up for first round action on April 17th. GOOD LUCK, Ladies...bring home the title!

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D'Ana McCarty has been named BIG EAST Field Athlete of the Week for her outstanding tosses in the Florida Invitational. She won the shot put down in Gainesville and finished fifth in the discus. McCarty has the top throws in the shot and discus in the BIG EAST this season.

The Cards will have their first home outdoor meet at Cardinal Park...the Texas Roadhouse Border Battle on Saturday, April 9th. The field events are slated to begin around 10:30 a.m. You owe it to yourself to go early and see the incredible women's throwers...McCarty and Khadija Abdullah are two of the best in the nation and teammates Hannah Baker, Patrice Gates and Chinwe Okoro, among others, are also top flight competitors as well.

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Give it up for the Texas A&M Aggies, who took the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship last night over Notre Dame 76-70. Massive center Danielle Adams pounded the paint for 30 points in the Aggies first ever women's basketball title. They trailed the Irish by two at the half, but rode the sturdy shoulders of Adams to the victory.

Adams spent two years at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, MO...a junior college...before heading to A&M and College Station, TX. While at Jefferson, she was on the team with Louisville's LaToya Johnson and both were targets of Jeff Walz's attempts to get them to come to Louisville.

LaToya was a first team WBCA/State Farm JC/CC All-American at Jefferson and the Cards had high hopes for her on the court when she arrived at Louisville in 2009. Injuries, however, plagued her during her two year stay...participating in only 10 games her junior year and just five contests this season.

Adams was the ju-co Player of the Year when she came to visit Louisville in April 2009. She chose A&M over Louisville, Mississippi State and Auburn. WE'VE always felt she was the second best center in the BIG 12...behind Baylor's Brittany Griner...but she was definitely the best center on the court last night.

All in all, a good season of women's college basketball. We were disappointed that the much ballyhooed match-up between Tennessee and Connecticut never materialized in the NCAA Tournament and a bit disappointed that Louisville's furious rally against Gonzaga fell a bit short...but enjoyed following the action in the BIG EAST and saw some great games this year. We've said it before and we'll say it again...the BIG EAST is the best conference in college women's basketball. Two participants in the FINAL FOUR. As John Calipari said, a few days back...paraphrazing..."They want to be us."

Had a recent conversation with someone who was disappointed that the none of the four #1 seeds made the final game. Like I told him, the favorites don't win every race...and the Aggies and Irish both won and advance...which is what you have to do this time of year. They both defeated teams that defeated them three times during the regular season to get to Indy's final game and deserve the kudos. On any given night...you know the rest.

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Pam Oliver sprang the upset on Erin Andrews in the final match up of the Sideline Reporters Championship here at Cardinal Couple. Oliver received a strong blast of votes at the beginning of Tuesday and was able to hold off a furious Andrews rally late Tuesday evening. We did close the voting at midnight. If we had let it run until Wednesday morning, Andrews would have been the winner..since several e-mail in he favor arrived after midnight. OK. It's over. Thanks for participating and we'll send Bill the Goat over to the Oliver's household to perform landscaping and trash disposal duties, in the way only Bill can do them, as a reward.

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We would like to thank our readers for the overwhelming hit count we received Tuesday. We received 5 times the number of average daily hits..and we're  guessing that it had nothing to do with the Sideline Announcers Championship. We're glad you chose CARDINAL COUPLE and invite you back as regular readers. We got tons of e-mails yesterday, too and almost all of them were positive, enjoyable to read and enlightening. We were proud to announce and detail the news of Jude Schimmel's comments. We think she'll like Louisville and Louisville is definitely going to like her.

We must make one thing perfectly clear, though. We are an independent site and not affiliated with the University of Louisville in any way, shape or form We are NOT a UofL run site and we are not paid by the University of Louisville. (They are nice enough to let us dine at the media buffet, though, at selected sporting events.) We very much appreciate all the things that the University does for us though...media access to sporting events, e-mails on specific sports from sports information directors and chances for player and coach interviews. We provide this coverage as a non-profit, unbiased entity. We haven't quit our chosen professions, though...we need no 'thank you's' or 'attaboys'. We also don't need any kibbutzing or back seat drivers.

CARDINAL COUPLE tries to express UofL women's sports for a fan's perspective. And, that's what we are... fans. We've got a combined 100+ years of following and attending events and games for women's athletics at UofL between Paul, (46) Sonja (31) and David Watson (26). We were Cardinals, when Cardinals weren't cool. We've seen changes in coaches, staff, administrative and support personnel. We've been told we should drop the format and cover "sports people care about..like football and men's basketball". We didn't listen. We were there and in the stands way before Jurich, Pitino, Walz, Ramsey or McCoughtry arrived. And, We are still there.

Make no mistake on this next part and read it carefully if you need to. A lot of the opinions and comments made here are those of the staff of CARDINAL COUPLE. We sometimes have to temper, change and alter what we say, how we say it and decide if we can say it or not because of deferrence to those who are involved for pay with UofL women's athletics. We gladly do this. But, we are nobody's "boy" and won't be imtimidated by entities or threats. We will shut this sucker down before that happens. We gladly take and appeciate advice and comments. We don't take dictation, though. Other blogs and websites out there may be more popular and receive more readers...but they will never control or decide what we report on and how we do it.  You run your site(s), we'll run ours. You're legal threats don't scare us, and you have no idea who we have retained as legal counsel...and you don't want to find out.

Freedom of speech, press and the rights to discuss topics and events are inalienable. Ours will never be silenced or controlled by other parties under duress or means of intimidation. We will not be intimidated by bully tactics and we'll battle like hell to defend our rights and freedoms. No puppets on a string here...dancing for "the man". We aren't "a pay for" or suscriber site. We will never be...and we'll defend that right and privledge. This little dog isn't going to stop barking.

After all, it's you... the reader, that ultimately decides whether CARDINAL COUPLE is a site you want to visit or not. We've gotten praise for this site from sources and people we never, ever thought or imagined would read it. We've also gotten slanderous threats, attempts to control and dictate formatting and hateful e-mails like you wouldn't believe. It's all part of it. Opinions are opinions. You say "tomato" We say "ketchup".

Sometimes, we wonder if it's all worth it. Then, we think of a solidary figure, running and sweating in the hot summer sun, striving to be a little better at what they do. Doesn't matter if it's non-revenue or not. Doesn't matter if there are 23,000 people or 23 watching. It's the effort. The personal acheivment. The dream of bettering a performance by a second...practicing a shot,  perfecting a kick and working on a pass, throw, draw or fielding opportunity. Doesn't that person deserve a little press, a little praise and print, too? We, as fans, applaud the effort and we'll spread the news about it.

We're still here. We're growing daily and have to shake our heads in wonder and amazement over how much we've grown in popularity and internet traffic since we started this site (basically on a dare and challenge) and we're not changing. Not trying to brag or be boastful. Just stating the actual and factual.

Sorry for the seriousness of tone involved in the above section, but we'll be damned if we're going to be considered as "controllable" and "questionable". You don't like what you read here? Then, don't click on the site. If you do, tell a friend or fellow fan. And don't stop believing. We aren't bullies, we don't like bullies and we'll defend the innocent from them...if we have to. To paraphraze and borrow fron the legendary musician/entertainer Charlie Daniels...

"We ain't askin' nobody for nothing
If we can't get it on our own...
If you don't like the things we're saying
You just leave this Cardinal couple alone..."

Good... now that we've gotten a little housekeeping out of the way...who's up for Chinese takeout?
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Lacrosse loses to Stanford, Zags prepare for Cards

FRIDAY at C.C.


-Louisville lacrosse loses for the first time.
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-Watson looks at the Saturday night game..
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-Courtney comments..we evaluate...
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-IS the Bria Smith Derby open again?
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-Sideline Announcers Contest rolls on
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Liz Lovejoy (pictured here) and the University of Louisville lacrosse team lost their first match of the season to Stanford University 16-12 at Louisville Lacrosse Stadium Thursday. On a cold, cloudy and raw day for the 400 or so fans and players...the Cards (6-1) took an early lead when Bergan Foley scored and held a 3-2 advantage after another Foley goal before Stanford's Leslie Foard and Sarah Flynn scored back to back to give the Trees a 4-3 lead...a lead they wouldn't lose.
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The Cards got balanced scoring against the Stanford squad but could not put one in the net in the final five minutes of the game after rallying to cut the Stanford lead to four. Besides Foley's four goals, Emily Dashiell had two, as did Lianne Bobal. Four other Cards had one each.
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Louisville begins BIG EAST play Sunday when The UC Bearcats motor down I-71 for a afternoon match. It's about time. I've driven back and forth to Cincinnati way too much over the last few days. Let them wait out the highway construction in Northern Kentucky....both ways.
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(Jeff Walz rocks the black sweater vest in Cincy.)

DAVID WATSON has already got his Christmas list ready for Santa. He's sending it to the NCAA Committee first, though. Our special contributor pleads:
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Dear Santa and the NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Committee:
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Even though I know that you two are at the opposite ends of the scale in granting favors and requests, I'm going out on a limb here and shooting a desperation three. Could you please be nicer to the University of Louisville women's basketball team? We call them the Lady Cards down here and they've been treated as bad as Shirley Temple in some of those 1930 classic flicks. I'm sure Jeff Walz or Tom Jurich, maybe Kenny Klein or whoever you want, would be willing to meet that handsomely dressed man down at the crossroads and sell their soul for a freaking break in tournament seeding and assignment. We know that you've already got the contract of Gonzaga in your pocket. How else do you explain an #11 seed getting four home games as a expressway to the Final Four?
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I'm sure you remember a few years ago when Coach Walz came to Louisville. You rewarded his fine first year coaching job with a post season trip to Bridgeport, CT. When he fooled you and won both games there, you sent him to New Orleans..where the Cajun food and Tar Heels finally caught up with him and sent him home. Two years ago, the folks down in Bowling Green, KY had a nice gym all ready for Louisville to open the NCAA Tournament in. You sent Louisville to Baton Rouge instead, hoping Walz would get indigestion again. Instead, he won both games there, including one in LSU's backyard and then took off to Tobacco Road, even though he doesn't smoke, and flattened the Terrapins and scared the Bears. Last year, the Cards watched the NCAA Selection Show from the campus infirmary since everyone on the Cardinal squad except Louie the Cardinal Bird mascot was either injured or ill.
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So this is how your reward the resurgence of Lady Cards hoops in 2010-11? By making them play the underranked #10 Vandy and then #2 seed Xavier on their home court? No matter, they were disposed of. And next, Gonzaga in Spokane? How about sending Louisville to play Lunar University on the Moon next year? Or Moscow College in Russia?
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Please, please be kinder to my favorite women's basketball team next year. Tia Gibbs promises to not raise her elbows above her waist. Monique Reid promises not to set anymore picks ever again. Shoni Schimmel will even call her shots 15 seconds in advance and attempt them with one hand tied behind her back (or your back if you want).
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Just give the Cards a break next year after they defeat Gonzaga and Stanford in the West Coast classic....ooopppss...Spokane Regional this year. By the way, I've been a very good boy so far this year and that silly little incident with the neighbor and the alleged assault with the snow blower...fagettaboutit. Please.
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Sincerely,
Your little friend David Watson

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DAVID WATSON has also set traps to catch the Easter Bunny and goes around smashing pumpkins on Halloween. From his Volvo. While listening to Peter, Paul and Mary. We worry and wonder about the lad sometimes.
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We're pretty sure the Zags expected to play Xavier for the third straight year in the NCAA Tournament. Got the feeling that UCLA expected to be facing the twin towers from the Cintas Center as well...but it is what it is. The Cardinals from Louisville are making that trip westbound on I-90 and bringing lots of "red from the rez" in Oregon to watch. This hasn't gone un-noticed by Gonzaga superstar Courtney Vandersloot. She commented recently to Dave Trimmer of The Spokesman-Review:
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"We had the mentality we were going to play Xavier because that's who was expected to win. Louisville beat a very good team and they deserved to win that game. They have some gamers on their team."
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Eloquently stated, Ms. Vandersloot. Besides gamers, they also have a precocious, freshman guard that played in your vicinity for four years and was the talk of the Northwest. They also bring 3 players from a team that played in the FINAL FOUR two years ago. If I were you, I'd be camping out in front of the DVR , VCR, YouTube or wherever and doing a little research. Otherwise, you just might "get Schimmeled." Easier time against the Cardinals than against the Musketeers? I hope the Zags are thinking that. This isn't an automatic berth in the "Great Eight" for Gonzaga. Beware a team that survived the nightly wars against the likes of Maya Moore, Sugar Rodgers, Liz Repella, Angel Robinson, Keisha Hampton and Skylar Diggins with a 10-6 conference record. Lace 'em up and game on...
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WE got an e-mail about the Bria Smith situation yesterday. Both the e-mailer and WE thought it might make a nice filler while we wait for Saturday....so....here we go. When Virginia WBB head coach Debbie Ryan stepped down at the end of the season, it paved the way for Bria Smith to ask for and receive her release from her commitment to play for the Cavaliers. The Smith Derby is open again and Louisville has a horse entered. According to most in the know, it came down to Georgia, Louisville and Virginal as Smith's final three. No doubt that Jeff Walz would welcome the talented New York senior guard to his stable of fillies. The question is, is there room in the barn? Only two Cardinals turn in their silks at the end of this season...hard knocking Keisha Hines and seldom used, often injured reserve guard LaToya Johnson. Walz has 6'5" center Quaneisha McCurty and 6'2" powerhouse Sara Hammond already headed to the paddock and a very probable third gamer (who we are sworn to secrecy on). So, where do the extra one or two schollys come from?
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Keep in mind that Walz had had multiple transfers out of the program each year since he became head coach at Louisville. WE speculated several weeks ago that if that situation happens again at the end of this year...possible candidates for departure would be Rachel Story, Polly Harrington and Charmaine Tay. With Tay being "reborn" lately and out of the Walz doghouse..we're scratching her from that list. Obviously, nothing is set in stone and there is absolutely no facts or data to support our conspiracy theories. Smith would give Louisville incredible depth at the guard or wing positions and is a bonafide top ten senior. Stay tuned...
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Pam Oliver made a last minute charge to advance in the Sideline Reporters Bracket challenge and advances to the FINAL FOUR. We didn't see this one coming, Oliver was trailing Alex Flanagan when we signed off last night to watch men's NCAA hoops, but late voting got Oliver the win. We suspect that David Watson has something to do with it, but we can't prove it. Today's match up, the final one of the "Great Eight" has Eamon McAnaney taking on Andrea Kramer. We're seeing a blow out here and Kramer advancing with ease. Quite frankly, we're not sure how Eamon made it to the Great Eight...a voting shocker. Paul, Sonja and David are all casting lots with Andrea. So are Tony Soprano, Syl, Paulie, Big Pussy and Chris from our New Jersey affiliates office. We have no idea who Bill the Goat likes here...we got a text message from him late last night that he had met two dancers from The Rockettes while in the Smoky Mountains and had convinced them to drive him to Spokane for the basketball games Saturday. Hmmmm. You can choose
your reporter here in the comments section or e-mail it to cardinalcouple@insightbb.com .
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Choose wisely.
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Catching up with...

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THIRSTY THURSDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE

-Lacrosse Cardinals face Stanford Cardinal.

-Volleyball will play in Great Lakes College Challenge.

-Women's Tennis to face Austin Peay and Marquette.

-Rowing wins BIG EAST Boat of the Week

-Sideline announcers challenge continues

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Time to play a little catch up here at CARDINAL COUPLE..

as we update something else besides Lady Cards hoops and softball.

Louisville Lacrosse faces undefeated #7 Stanford this afternoon at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium. This battle of the undefeated comes after Stanford slammed Cincinnati Tuesday 20-8 on the Bearcats turf. Louisville gulped down Manhattan 20-2 at the L.L.S. last time out. For the Cards to defeat the Trees, they'll need a big effort out of top scorer Bergan Foley and her goal producing teammate Liz Lovejoy. Louisville is second in the nation in scoring offense and Stanford seventh. The Cards, under freshmen goalie and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week Emily Dashiell, are fifth nationally in scoring defense and Stanford is 24th. It'll be the toughest test of the season for the Louisville squad and Louisville will need to pay close attention to the Stanford attack of Sarah Flynn, Lauren Schmidt and Leslie Foard.

Game time is 5 p.m. It's also Kidszone Day at the L.L.S. and Astro Events will have events, including a giant slide set up. Admission is free to UofL Lacrosse events. Lacrosse is a fast paced, high scoring and exciting sport. WE like to call it field hockey on steroids, If you haven't caught a match yet, you owe it to yourself to get out there. Who knows, you might even see Paul out there with the staff chimps wailing on the giant, inflatable Steve Kragthorpe punching bag...

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Louisville women's tennis is 9-6 on the season and faces two foes this weekend in the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center. Austin Peay comes in Friday and BIG EAST Conference foes invades Saturday. Louisville defeated Loyola Marymount 5-2 last time out in Los Angeles.

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Louisville Volleyball will be playing in the Great Lakes College Challenge beginning March 26th in Chicago. The Cards will be in a field with Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Marquette, Western Michigan, Toledo and Valparaiso. New Volleyball head coach Anne Kordes will face Wisconsin in the first match. This will be Kordes' first match as Cardinal head coach.

The Cards return most of last year's BIG EAST Tournament Championship team...losing only Amanda Simmons and Lindsey Mango to graduation.
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Louisville Rowing's Varsity Eight was selected BIG EAST Boat of the Week as the Cards defeated Kansas State and #10 Wisconsin last week in the Longhorn Invitational. Louisville went 2-2 in the events, losing to Texas and Oklahoma. The Cards travel to Knoxville next to compete against Dartmouth and Tennessee on March 26th. Varsity Eight consists of Ali Wood, Anastasia Prokopenko, Morgan Dunham, Kayla Monchenko, Kristin Falovo, Lauren Mensch, Cara Littleton, Samantha Kayser and Erin Bennett. Congratulations to the girls who make it happen down by the Ohio River!

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Allison Williams snuck by Tony Siragusa in the sideline reporters challenge brackets. She advances to take on Erin Andrews in the Final Four. Today's match-up pits Alex Flanagan (left)vs. Pam Oliver. Paul and David Watson are going with the popular Oliver...a sideline fixture for NFL Contests, Sonja sides with the willowy Flanagan. Bill the Goat was unavailable for voting...he's on a UPS truck or plane currently en route to Spokane for the Lady Cards basketball team regional matchup against Gonzaga. Hopefully, some of the reservation folks in the area will pick him up at the McDonalds we've sent him to and adopt him as a mascot. Would hate to think that the burgermeisters would put him to work in the drive-thru, or worse...stick him on the back line and have him flip burgers. WE saw Lady Cards impresario and fan in the stands reporter J-Bone at the softball game yesterday (by the way, he does an excellent job on the P.A. mic announcing Lady Cards softball) and gave him 'up front' money to keep an eye open for Bill in Spokane. Just don't feed him, J...it'll cost you plenty. And don't let him get near the court...Bill likes to lead the fast break... with disasterous results.

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You can vote for either Pammie or Alex in the comments section here (although no one ever does) or e-mail your pick to cardinalcouple@insightbb.com (which a lot of you do...while making comments ).

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Rockcastle County down Manual in O.T. for title

SUNDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE

-Rockcastle Co. takes 2011 Kentucky Girls Basketball State Championship.

-Softball splits Saturday.

-McCarty, Abdullah in NCAA Championships.

Lacrosse vs. Jacksonville

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Sideline reporters contest.

Tough loss for Pitino's Cards.

Congratulations to Rockcastle County, winners of the 2011 Kentucky Girls Basketball High School title. They came from behind to down Louisville Manual 62-60. (Photo by Joe Imel, AP).

Senior point guard Angie Lawrence hit an off-balance runner down the lane with under two seconds left in overtime for the two point win. Rockcastle County had trailed by as many as nine in the third quarter. Lawrence finished with 18 points and All-American senior post Sara Hammond had 26 points and 11 boards against the Crimsons. Leasia Wright had 19 for Manual. It is the first state championship in history for Rockcastle County.

"She had that look in her eye, like she was ready to take over and win this thing...so we just got out of her way and let her go to work." Sara Hammond commenting on Lawrence's winning score.

They got there with a semifinal win over Calloway County 57-38 Saturday morning. Hammond had 15 points and 13 grabs for the Rockets and Lawrence 12 points. Manual made the finals by edging out Marion County 56-54 in the semis. Kyvin Goodin-Rogers totaled 20 and Makayla Epps 18 for Marion County in the close loss.

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Louisville split in two games yesterday at Ulmer Stadium in the Louisville Softball Classic. Michigan won the opener 4-1 and the Cards edged WKU 3-2 i the nightcap.

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Michigan used a three run top of the seventh inning to grab a 4-0 lead. The Cards were in a position to tie in the bottom half of the inning. After Chelsea Jordan scored to make it 4-1, the bases were loaded for Alicja Wolny but she grounded out to end the game. Tori Collins (7-4) took the loss for Louisville. Michigan goes to 24-0 with the win.

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The Cards grabbed an early lead against WKU in the second game and the teams battled back and forth before freshman Taner Fowler smashed a two RBI double in the sixth inning to put Louisville on top to stay 3-2. Carlisa Connell started on the strip and went 4 innings before Collins came in for the relief and the win. Freshmen Fowler and Katie Keller had two hits each for Louisville in the win.

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Louisville plays two more today...Michigan at 1 p.m. and WKU at 3 p.m. Looks like a beautiful day for it, get out and get some!

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D'Ana McCarty finished ninth in the finals of the women's shot put at Texas A&M in the NCAA Indoor National Championships. Khaldija Abdullah also competed but did qualify for the medal round.

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Louisville Lacrosse defeated Jacksonville 17-7 on the road yesterday. Bergan Foley with five goals, Emily Dashiell added four for the Cards. Louisville held a narrow 4-3 halftime lead before the second half surge that improves the Cards to 4-0 on the season. Freshman Ashley Herbst had 10 saves at goalie for UofL. The game was held at a Georgia high school football field and it was the first ever Division 1 field hockey game played in the state. Louisville extended their streak of scoring at least 10 goals a game to 14 games.

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Alex Flanangan survived a late voting charge for Bonnie Bernstein and advances to the round of eight in the CARDINAL COUPLE Sideline Reporters Contest. Today's match-up pits Pam Oliver against Stacey Dales.

The heavenly looking Oliver (pictured left) does foosball for Fox Sports and was the one who originally broke the story that Donovan McNabb was leaving the Philadelphia Eagles. Stacy Dales (formerly Stacy Dales Schumann) was an excellent college hoopster and does both basketball and football for ESPN. She's seen here keeping Maryland's Ralph Fridgen from the team buffet at a college football game. Feel free to vote in the comments section here (which few of you ever do) or e-mail us at cardinalcouple@insightbb.com (which many of you do) with your choice. Paul is Oliver smitten, Sonja likes Dales and David Watson voted for Ralph...

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Tough loss for Pitino's Cards last night to Connecticut in the BIG EAST finals 69-66. Can't understand why people are bashing Mike Marra over this and making him the goat. Louisville had a chance to take it to overtime and Preston Knowles had a good look at the three ball, it just didn't drop. Can't blame Marra for the intercepted in-bounds pass earlier (it was tipped) or missing the second of three free throws with a chance to tie and 4 seconds on the clock. Louisville will receive a great seed in the NCAA Tournament and the Cards won a lot of hearts and minds out there in college hoops land with their frenetic style of play and the guts and determination of this squad...that battled back from double digit deficits to lead late two nights in a row.

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You win as a team and lose as a tea. Wouldn't surprise US in the least if Marra comes back and has a fabulous NCAA Tournament. Kemba Walker is a warrior, no disgrace in losing to him and the Huskies.

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