Big East Volleyball Tournament

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SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Big East Volleyball Tournament Live Streaming

-WBB: Cards sign 3 for Class of 2013


-Down goes Griner...Baylor loses to Stanford 71-69

The Big East Volleyball Tournament is being live streamed by the Big East.  The stream is available via the Big East website at multiple links, but I found it at:

http://www.bigeast.org/Sports/WomensVolleyball/2012VolleyballChampionshipCentral.aspx

Click on the green "Live Stream" bar.

UPDATE #1....THE CARDS DID WIN IN THREE SETS AND FACE CINCINNATI TOMORROW AT 2 p.m.

UPDATE #2....WBB UPSET!!!!! STANFORD HAS KNOCKED OFF #1 BAYLOR IN HAWAII 71-69.


RUCKER KEY IN CARDS VICTORY OVER RED STORM

The #10 VolleyCards easily handled St. John's in BIG EAST VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT quarterfinal play yesterday in Milwaukee, WI...zipping to a 3-set 25-15, 25-23, 25-17 win over the Red Storm.

Senior middle blocker and All-BIG EAST First Team selection Gwen Rucker had 13 kills in 15 attempts for a .867 hitting percentage. This sets a new record in the BIG EAST.

BIG EAST Player of the Year Lola Arslanbekova added 13 kills for the VolleyCards, who have won their last 10 matches in a row.

Who's next for Anne Kordes' machine? The UC Bearcats, who escaped with a five-set battle with Connecticut earlier in the day. The Cards defeated Cincinnati twice in regular-season conference play.

Game time is 2 p.m.

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CANNON, HENDERSON and BREEDLOVE SIGN LOI'S

As expected, Jeff Walz received letters of intent from the three to comprise the 2013 recruiting class for the Lady Cards.

The Cards get a strong paint prescence and two talented point guards to complement the already deep and strong Cardinal roster for next year.

Louisville leaves Sunday for three games in Mexico.

First foe is future BIG EAST member Central Florida. They play Tuesday at 7 p.m. (E.S.T.)

We lament the fact that there will be no TV for the Cards conquest but you can follow the action through the radio broadcast on 790 AM WKRD...or Gametracker...on the GoCards.com Super Scoreboard.

We'd love to be with the team covering the action live but will still try to provide you with updates on how the Lady Cards "south of the border" soiree goes. The Cards, at #8 in the polls, are 3-0 on the season...with wins over Texas A&M, Portland and Austin Peay.

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STANFORD KNOCKS OFF #1 BAYLOR IN HAWAII

Early season speculation about the women's college basketball season involved quite a bit of discussion on whether Baylor could go two seasons in a row unefeated.

Nope.


Griner and the Baylor Bears take a upset loss at the hands of Stanford 71-69. 

"The failure to communicate this important event is illogical,
Captain Kirk."

It's a shame this one wasn't on national television because it was quite the exciting game. The Stanford feed was choppy at best, I couldn't get any audio and there were no screen graphics. The camera guy would show the overhead scoreboard during timeouts...but keeping track of who was in the lead was a chore most of the game.

ESPN will show Friday night football featuring two mid-majors but can't pick up this important women's college basketball contest? 

C'mon, man...

It's just another example of how the four-letter network serves their own agenda and does whatever the he!! they want, when they want to and everybody else can either watch it or not.  

The days of kings, dictators and monopolies are no longer in fashion. J.P. Morgan, Carnegie, Idi Amin and Hitler are dead.  ESPN still believes they are the only dog barking on the block, that's why we welcome the advent of other broadcasters (CBS, NBC, Fox) expanding on their college sports broadcast networks.

Football may be the revenue magnet but it doesn't mean that it's the only game in town. Last night's Stanford vs. Baylor WBB game should have been shown nationwide.

At least the ESPN guys delivered a pretty good post mortem.

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It's Tuesday so it must be laundry day at Sandy's!

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Our illustrious staff columnist Sandy Walker grabs the Tide and harumphs in acknowledgement as she heads to the multiplex CARDINAL COUPLE laundry room/ orchestrial chamber/ late income tax filing center and stromboli bistro. It is Tuesday. Here's Sandy: 

Volleyball falls in five sets to #11 Texas

Despite Lola Arslanbekova's season high 29 kills, Louisville Volleyball fell in five games to Texas last night in the KFC YUM! Center. The Cards played their hearts out in the 21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 26-24, 15-10 loss. We expect CARDINAL COUPLE correspondents Jeff McAdams and/or Jenny O'Bryan will have more on the loss in a future article. The VolleyCards go to 16-3 with the loss. About 5,000 attended the match. Timmy the Intern was ejected for handing out whoopie cushions to the season-ticket holders and telling them that they were "thunder sticks"...

  

It's Raining Top 25 Cardinal Rankings   

KFC YUM! CENTER & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

As a follow to Jenny’s article about the YUM! Center I wanted to share a discovery I made this last week concerning the playing facility of Stanford University.  A couple of other UL fans and I are fortunate to be able to attend the University of Conn.  @ Stanford game scheduled for Maples Pavilion, which is their women’s and men’s regular home court.  At first I was concerned that the best seats available to the general public were closer to the top of the arena than to the playing floor.  That is until I was shocked to learn that the entire arena seats less than 7500 fans.      

                                               

I had no idea that a historical premiere NCAA women’s basketball team plays in such a small arena with a fan base that does not average an attendance greater than 4,250 attendees which ranks as 22^nd in the nation.  I point this out for the purpose of making sure that Louisville fans never find that we are envious of a far away or well respected team’s situation.  We absolutely are so very fortunate to have such an exciting team to watch that we drew the 2^nd highest numbers of fans per game but that as fans we are also are able to enjoy our 60,000 sq. ft. arena and a place that many indicate as the best facility in the nation.  Let’s take advantage of it again this year – and also remember to bring an extra fan to every game.

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GOLF

September’s Big East Women’s Golf Player is Louisville’s Louisville’s sophomore Emily Haas.  Emily is a Nicholasville, Ky native.                 

                                                                 

Emily Haas

Last Tuesday the women’s golf team finished in ninth at the Johnie Imes Invitational.  Update:  Former University of Louisville women's golfer Sara-Maude Juneau has recently earned her LPGA Tour card. She finished No. 10 on the season-ending money list in the 2012 Volvik Race for the Card which gives her an exempt status for the 2013 LPGA Tour season.  Juneau describes herself as a simple girl from a small town in Canada and says "I'm playing golf for a living, how can it get better?"

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SOCCER

Women’s Soccer student-athlete of the week is Angelika Uremovich.



Angelika Uremovich


Also, for those of you who have signed up for Cards TV and watched Head Coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes weekly show...  since last week, the Soccer team took away a 1-0 win (goal by Charlyn Corral) over Villanova and played to a 1-1 draw against 11^th ranked Georgetown.  Check out

http://twitter.com/ULFlyingCard/status/254354869853491200/photo/1 to see a photo of the women’s soccer team wearing their special uniforms for the Villanova October 5 PINK game.  (Nick Stover (@ULFlyingCard) is responsible for  the information and pictures)             

                                                                                  

The team does not play at home again until October 19.  In the meantime they play Rutgers then Seton Hall on the 12^th and 14^th.

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BASKETBALL

RECRUITING

Jconline reports from Purdue source 




Emmonnie Henderson

                                                                                                                                                                     
http://php.jconline.com/blogs/mike/purdue-womens-basketball-recruiting-update/ that 2013 recruit Edwardsville, Ill., standout 6’1” power forward, Emmonnie Henderson, will decide between Purdue, Louisville, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.).  Louisville is currently reported to be at the head of her list.  Emmonnie responded to questions with ”I like Louisville. I like them all. I don’t know why. It’s all based on good feelings.”  The good feelings from Louisville fans are mutual.  She has been to Miami for an official visit, will be in West Lafayette on Oct. 12 and 13, Tennessee on Oct. 19-20 and Louisville on Oct. 26-27.  She plans to be a team member of both basketball and track as she is the defending Class 3A state champion in the discus and won the shot put state title twice.  Last reports indicate a school decision will occur before the end of the year.

Coach Walz spent last week traveling coast to coast – we believe visits occurred to Mercedes Russell and Emmonnie Henderson --- possibly also to others but I don’t have specific information.  Fortunately we have the scholarships available so the more the merrier.

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TIP OFF LUNCHEON

Reminder: The basketball tip off luncheon is set for Tuesday October 23.  Be sure to call and make your reservations for the noon start time on center court of the KFC YUM! Center.   $30.00 tickets can be purchased by calling the U of L special events office at (502) 852-0706 or completing the form found at http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lou/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2012Luncheon.pdf.  Jeff Walz is the featured speaker. Bill the Goat declined an offer to sing the National Anthem.

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NATIONAL RANKING

Lindy’s sports magazine has ranked Louisville women as number 6 in the nation with UK number 7.   The December 2 UL-UK game at the KFC YUM! Center should be a match-up of national interest. 

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ECKARD COLLEGE GAME

Halloween night (October 31) is the date our U of L women will match up with the St. Petersburg, Fl. Eckard College for its’s first exhibition game of the season. Eckard sophomore guard Kayla Bowlin will get the opportunity to be back in her home state of KY. whose hometown is Monticello.

There are some who have complained that the women’s pre-season games are too easy but I think this presents a great opportunity for Coach Walz to see all of his players in action while playing together in different combinations.  If the schedule is light then we must presume that the coaching staff created the situation for a reason and the people on the outside looking in just need to come out and watch everyone have the opportunity to show their improved skills. THe BIG EAST will be plenty tough. Sometimes, you gotta ride downhill...

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CBS SPORTS NETWORK GAME BROADCASTS

This year the CBS sports network will continue its Big East women’s Tuesday night package.   January 15 will feature U of L’s game with Connecticut.    That’s great for folks who want to have a tape of the win or for those who can’t make it to Louisville for the game but the locals will be at the game packing the arena.

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VOLLEYBALL

On Sunday the VolleyCards sweep the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 25-20, 25-13, 25-18.   Lola Arslanbekova had 20 kills and 14 digs and became the all-time kill career leader in school history. The KFC YUM! Center match was also a Pink Out Dig for the Cure day where the team sported special pink uniform tops.  The Saturday Seton Hall and Sunday’s Rutgers wins bring Louisville to a 16-2 and 5-1 in Big East record.

The Cardinals are now No. 4 in the Ratings Percentage Index which is the highest in school history.

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KAITLYNN JAMES

A Courier Journal interview of Senior Kaitlynn James, both written and video at

http://buzztap.com/link.jsp?id=15693440&cid=304&source=feed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed includes her decision to transfer back to U of L after first playing for Nebraska.  The Assumption High School graduate credits the hiring of Coach Anne Kordes for her decision to return to Louisville.

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FIELD HOCKEY

On Sunday the Field Hockey team pulled off an upset by defeating number 11 Iowa by a score of 2-1. Two freshmen team members helped pull off the win with Victoria Statton making her first career goal while Elisa Garcia scored her 5^th career goal.

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CARDINAL COUPLE CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE UofL WOMENS' ATHLETE CONTEST

It does look like Becca Shine will advance to the round of eight after soundly thumping softball's Katie Keller in first round action. Congrats, Becca!

 Our next matchup features top-seeded Shoni Schimmel against Krissie Brandenburg.

Krissie is one of the best on the UofL women's swimming and diving team. She was the 2009 Kentucky High School Girls Swimmer of the Year and has been selected All-BIG EAST three times in her days at Louisville.

Schimmel...you've probably heard of.
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Sandy W.

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Tuesday Cardinal Couple: Lacrosse, WBB Great Eight, 2012 Battle of New Orleans and Watson

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TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:


-Lacrosse to face Cincinnati 


-Two advance to the FINAL FOUR in WBB


-Mickey Clark records update of CARDS NCAA song


-Watson...on UK vs UofL


It hasn't been the smoothest of seasons so far for Kellie Young's Louisville lacrosse squad...but they look to gain their first BIG EAST win of the season this afternoon in Cincinnati against the Bearcats. Game time is 5 p.m. in venerable Nippert Stadium.

Louisville (2-6, 0-1) travels to the Queen City after falling at Notre Dame this weekend. Faced with the rebuilding of the lacrosse Cards after heavy senior graduation, Young has found at least one budding star in sophomore Nikki Boltja, who is second in the nation in scoring average with four goals per contest. 

UC (3-3) looks to rebound after a loss to Iona Saturday. This is their first BIG EAST contest of the season. Midfielder Laura Simanski had five goals for the Bearcats in the Iona loss and is a player the Cards will need to keep tabs on in this one. 


As we mentioned earlier, they'll play this one in Nippert Stadium on the UC campus. CARDINAL COUPLE hopes that the 2013 football game against the Bearcats will return to the cozy, on-campus site instead of NFL monolith Paul Brown Stadium. Some great memories over the years of going to football games at Nippert to see the Cards and Bearcats do battle.


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Stanford and Baylor have punched their tickets to the NCAA Final Four in Denver and both did so with little problems. 

"I'll get you now, my pretty!" 

The Baylor Bears got 27 points out of Odyssey Sims and almost a triple-double from Brittany Griner in the 77-58 defeat of the UT Lady Vols. 


This one got a little scary at the end. With 47 seconds left, Sims and Shekinna Strickland got involved in a loose ball tussle that got chippy. Although no punches were thrown, the two were separated and several Baylor players came off the bench to join the fray. Ejections without suspensions were issued to Griner and a couple of other Bears. A riot is an ugly thing.

We're hoping that Pat keeps making
these walks to the locker room.

We're wondering what the future will hold for UT head coach Pat Summit. Not nearly as involved in the game activities from the sidelines because of her onset dementia and Alzheimer's disease, Pat's case is one of  sadness and sorrow.


WE hope that UT does the right thing here, though, and allows Pat to remain on the bench and contribute whatever she can while she can. You don't retire legends until they're ready to step aside. WE'RE fans. Let the first lady of women's college basketball do her thing until she's ready to stop doing it. WE Back Pat. 


Meanwhile, in Fresno, the Stanford Cardinal moves on after disposing of Duke 81-69. Nnemkadi Ogwumike (a spell-check favorite of ours here at CARDINAL COUPLE) poured in 29 points to send Tara's bunch to Denver. We saw this one as the regional final that had the best chance for a #1 to go down...but the "Og" sisters survive and advance. Out of the teams vying for those Denver slots, Stanford has the shortest trip to Denver from the respective campuses. 

Tonight brings Notre Dame and UConn to the HD screen. The Huskies should send Kentucky back to pollen and allergy land and Notre Dame shouldn't have any trouble with over-achieving Maryland. We're calling tonight's action the "...and down the stretch they come !" feature...since two of the participants (Kentucky and Maryland) host horse racing triple crown events each spring. Notre Dame also has a couple of thoroughbred tracks nearby in Chicago (Arlington and Hawthorne). Nothing near Storrs, CT as far as ponies flying down the stretch..but with the Huskies residing there..don't you think that they could at least muster a dog track?  


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Local folk singer and grand ambassador for Cardinal Sports Mickey Clark has released an updated version of his "Battle of New Orleans" Cardinal hoops song. 


Click the link below to give it a spin....courtesy of Charlie Springer and his fine site...UofL Card Game 


MICKEY SINGS!

Mickey is one of the few folk artists that features
balloons as a part of his back-up band. 

We love Mickey! He's been a rambling musical troubadour around these parts since the Nixon presidency and still performs 2-3 nights a week at various Louisville bars and restaurants. He also toils in the same profession as Paul does...advertising. We try to catch his Friday night performances at Fiesta Mexicana when we can...where the margarita's are almost as strong as Tillie the Tour Guide's.

Mickey's five piece Blue Norther band of performing cronies play a lot of classic and original tunes. Red Velvet Cake, Peytona Waddy and Don't (Mist) on my Boots and Tell Me that It's Raining are just a few of our favorites. You can check out the Cardinal Cannonball crooner at his website.


To paraphrase a line from The world's most interesting man:


We don't listen to folk music often..but when we do, we prefer Mickey Clark.

Mickey's Website

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(Finally, DAVID WATSON checks in with this brief piece on the UofL vs. UK battle taking place Saturday in New Orleans. It's Watson. Proceed with caution.)

It is a reality. The annual battle for state hoops supremacy (no offense, Murray State or WKU) in Kentucky gets a encore performance in the city of hoodoo, voodoo and Bourbon Street. 


The stage is the Superdome and the stakes are high -- a trip to the NCAA Championship game for the winner. These out-of-nowhere, never-say-die Cardinals and the #1 ranked, NBA prospect-filled Wildcats take the grudge match to the biggest showcase in college basketball. The Final Four. 

I do not think Louisville will win this game (get ready Paul and Sonja -- the hate e-mails will be keeping Co-Co busy for the next few days after this remark). Kentucky is way too talented, no weaknesses in their seven-deep juggernaut and they've toyed with and then destroyed all comers in the BIG DANCE. 


Then, again -- I think Louisville could pull one of the biggest upsets in recent NCAA Tournament history. This flock of birds doesn't shoot particularly well, has a point guard who rambles and rolls like Otis Campbell on a Saturday night bender in Mayberry and the shooters can get as cold from three-point range as Uncle Donnie's snow-blower out in his Fargo, ND garage in January. But, they play defense and they find a way to win. That accounts for something. 


I am horribly confused and conflicted. It's a beautiful thing.

The Kentucky Wildcats travel with 15. Seven players and
eight guys who carry luggage. 

It is Pitino vs. Calipari. Two guys who probably won't sit down any time soon over a bottle of house red and discuss deep sea fishing. It is Gorgui and Chane against Anthony and Terrance. A shot-blocking, muscle against bone brawl in the paint. It is red versus blue. The legend of Adolph Rupp vs the legacy of Denny Crum. The Doctors of Dunk vs. the Unforgettables. City Slicker meets Farmer Joe. St. Matthews against Lone Oak. 

This sign should be erected at the state line on
every Interstate leading into Kentucky.

Calipari says it's just another game to his guys. No firm feelings for his Cat players concerning the Battle for the Bluegrass rivalry. He spins about as well as Rick. Rick wants his guys to go out and play basketball. What a stunning strategy, monsieur Pitino!


It is time for Saturday and it is only Tuesday. May the best team win. And, I do honestly hope it is Louisville. GEAUX CARDS! 


(David Watson will watch this battle in his red jogging suit while sipping on a few bottles of Blue Moon Pale Ale. He'll be munching on red salsa sauce and blue corn tortilla chips. After the game, he'll drive the family in his blue van to Red Robin for dinner. 4 1/2 days till tip-off)


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Cards sweep the Pirates, Lacrosse loses and Final Four recap

MONDAY at CARDINAL COUPLE


Cards improve to 5-1 in BIG EAST



-Louisville wins 9-3 over Seton Hall

-Lacrosse falls to Ohio State

-Women's Tennis drops match to VCU

-Who'da thunk it? Notre Dame and A&M?

-Andrews and Oliver reach the final

-Dialed In catches Shackleford in Fla. Derby

Sandy Pearsall's University of Louisville Softball team got a big effort out of Katie Keller yesterday in a romp of visiting Seton Hall. The freshman went 3 for 4 and drove in five runs in the Cardinal 9-3 win. Caralisa Connell added 10 strikeouts in the victory for the Cards.

Louisville took a lead they never relinquished in the bottom of the third when Keller singled home Jennifer Esteban and then scored on a booming Chelsea Bemis double. The Cards added to the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth thanks to Keller, who popped a pitch over the left field fence that scored her, Hannah Kiyohara and Esteban. The Cards plated five runs total in the fourth and had a commanding 7-0 lead.

Louisville inserted Katie Petrino on the mound to start the fifth but it didn't go too well for the newest member of the Birds...Petrino walked two and gave up a single to fill the bags. A two run double and RBI single gave the Pirates three runs on board and Connell re-entered the game to pitch the Cards out of the jam. Louisville got two of the runs back in the sixth when Keller singled home Esteban and then scored on a Alicja Wolny double. Louisville led 9-3 and that ended up being the final score.

Connell was credited with seven innings of work...fanning 10 Pirates and allowing only two hits.

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Louisville Lacrosse rallied in the second half but dropped a match at Louisville Lacrosse Stadium to Ohio State 16-11. Trailing 9-4 early in the second half, the Cards rallied to cut the lead to 9-8 but could never gain the lead. #20 Louisville falls to 8-2 on the season.

The Cards got 4 scores from Liz Lovejoy in the match, Katie Oliverio, Emily Dashiell and Bergan Foley added two goals each in the defeat. Jamie Redding added one goal for the Cards. Redding is a perfect five shots for five goals in the season.  After Louisville cut the margin to one...the Buckeyes rallied for five straight goals and led 14-8...a margin Louisville couldn't overcome.

The Cards hit the road next for a Friday tilt again BIG EAST opponent Loyola (MD).

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Women's tennis got ran by VCU yesterday 6-1 with first team doubles partners Julie Fellerhoff and Rebecca Shine picking up the only win of the day. The Cards lost all the singles matches in two sets except for Fellerhoff's three set defeat as the #1 seed. The Cards are 11-8 on the year in dual matches and end the season with competition on the road at Tulsa, Rice and Houston before the BIG EAST Tournament.

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The NCAA Final Four Semifinals didn't go the way most experts predicted (including the 'so-called' experts here at CARDINAL COUPLE) with #1 seed Stanford falling to #2 seed Texas A&M Aggies and #1 seed Connecticut bowing to #2 seed Notre Dame. All season long we heard about how predictable the upcoming FINAL FOUR would be..with Tennessee, Baylor, Stanford and Connecticut the expected participants. Goes to show that upsets can and do happen  in the ladies's game as well and that the mighty Connecticut is beatable.

WE like it here at CARDINAL COUPLE. Both winners last trailed at halftime but never gave up. The Aggies vs. Trees game was especially exciting at the end..a wild finish that saw the Aggies' Tyra White score on a pass from Sydney Colson with 3.3 seconds left to win 63-62. Hats off to senior Stanford star Nnemkadi Ogwumike for 31 points and a go-ahead Stanford score with 9.2 seconds remaining...but A&M would not be denied their first trip in school history to the title. The Aggies center Danielle Adams reminds us so much of former Lady Card Tise Wright and Louisville was one of the final schools that Adams considered coming out of junior college before coming to College Station.

Notre Dame got a huge effort from sophomore Skylar Diggins to defeat the Huskies for the first time in four attempts this year. Maya Moore was spectacular in defeat with 36 of Connecticut's 63 points and leading the charge to cut a sizable Irish lead to three late in the game...but depth prevailed here and the Irish led by 12 with six minutes to go. Forget the rhetoric that all coaches pare down their lineups to 6-7 players at tournament time. A&M played 10 last night. Stanford nine. Notre Dame eight players and Geno would have used more than seven if he'd had the bench and talent available to do it.

Quite often this year, the "Fab Four" of UConn, Tennessee, Baylor and Stanford have held the national headlines concerning women's basketball captive and it's refreshing to see two teams that haven't been in the national title talk advance to the final game. Granted #2 seeds making the National Women's Championship game isn't as big a underdog story as what has transpired on the men's side of college hoops, but how many of you had a Final Four women's bracket that had UND and Texas A&M advancing to the final game? Thought so. We didn't either. We know that Maya Moore is the best college women's hoopster. Brittany Griner is the best post player in the women's college game. But, it goes to show that basketball is a team game and anything can happen on any given night...We like the affable Aggie coach Gary Blair and his positive approach to the game. Muffett McGraw and her wild fashion statements and the famous sideline squat during game action. They paint a contrasting picture to the austere Tara Vanderveer and smirking, quizzical Geno Auriemma. We realize that Geno and Tara are two of the top coaches in all-time history...but sometimes the sun shines on someone else besides the lead dogs. Tuesday night's game should be a doozy.

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Erin Andrews romped Allison Williams and Pam Oliver squeaked out a narrow win over Andrea Kremer in the Sideline Announcers' Final Four here a CARDINAL COUPLE. WE'LL have the final match Tuesday. Place your votes in the comments section here or at cardinalcouple@insightbb.com

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A major prep race leading up to the Kentucky Derby was held yesterday at Gulfstream Park in Hallendale, Florida and DIALED IN made a claim to be a horse that needs to be considered when making those Derby picks. His late running style prevailed yesterday in the mile and eighth race on the dirt...catching longshot SHACKLEFORD at the wire and winning by a head. The efforts of SHACKLEFORD last time out in the Fountain of Youth gave no indication that he'd be a front runner and almost pull the upset...especially against a field that contained other Derby hopefuls Soldat, Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve. He finished a dismal fifth in the Fountain of Youth but trainer Dale Romans felt the 3 yr. old had a big race in him based on workouts leading up to the Florida Derby. He got a perfect ride from Jesus Castanon, led down the stretch and narrowly missed at 69-1. Churchill Downs based Romans also got a big win in the Appleton Stakes earlier in the card when 4 yr. old Little Mike went wire to wire and won by a length.

WE were rewarded for our efforts from tossing the Romans/Castanon entry into our wager for the Florida Derby . A simple $1 exacta box with Dialied In, To Honor and Serve, Shackleford, Stay Thirsty and Soldat cost $20 and returned $169.80. That, and a nice exacta score in the previous race with SS Stone and Jackson Bend, easily covered the afternoon's wagering and returned a tidy profit.

Whether Dialed In can turn the tables on Kentucky Derby Future Wager favorite Uncle Mo or upstart Premier Pegasus remains to be seen...but the Churchill Downs stretch is a long one and Dilaed In loves to fly from last or far back. We got down $5 on him...along with Uncle Mo...just in case.

Churchill Downs simulcasting when the horses aren't running at the 'most legendary track' in the world can be hit or miss...Despite the profitable day yesterday, long lines and a lack of tellers at the windows nearly caused us to miss several eventual winning wagers. We finally started using the automatic betting machines...but people who have no idea how to work these things need to refrain from the temptation of trying to use them and watch and observe a few times before attempting. Paul watched one befuddled guy spend three minutes trying to figure out how to place a $10 show bet...and then he forgot his cash voucher  when he finally accomplished the feat. A honest person waiting paitently behind him recalled him to the scene to point out his $40 balance. Stick to betting with live tellers, rookies...
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Softball sweeps Seton Hall, Lacrosse vs. Ohio State today

CARDINAL COUPLE SUNDAY

-Cards improve to 4-1 in BIG EAST with sweep

-Katie Petrino joins softball squad

-Lacrosse against Ohio State today

-The Final Four...some thoughts and picks

-Sidelne Announcers Final Four

Louisville softball relied on the arm of Caralisa Connell yesterday and powerful hitting as the Cards sunk the Pirates 7-2 and 10-2 in BIG EAST softball action at Ulmer Stadium.

It's a Louisville team that is without the services of 2/3rds the pitching staff. Last year's #2 and #3 pitchers Tori Collins and Chelsea Leonard, who figured prominently in Sandy Pearsall's plans for the 2011 season are sidelined...Leonard most likely for the season with a knee injury and Collins with a fractured foot. Collins could possibily return in a couple of weeks. The pitching job has been turned over to true freshman Caralisa Connell and she's responded with six straight wins...since last Saturday...all complete games...and a 12-4 record on the year.

Louisville took the fight early to the Pirates in the first game, a Maggie Ruckenbrod double scored Chelsea Bemis in the 2nd inning to make it 1-0. Louisville added two in the third when Ruckenbrod singled to score Alicja Wolny and Kristin Austin's single brought home Chelsea Bemis. Katie Keller's solo shot in the 4th. increased the Cards lead to 4-0 and they ended the inning ahead 6-0, thanks to a timely triple from Alicja Wolny.

After the Pirates plated two runs in the top of the fifth, the Cards added their final run in the bottom of the inning when Hannah Kiyohara singled home Keller for the 7-2 win. Connell struck out eight in the victory and scattered seven hits.

In game two, the Cards gave up an early run to Seton Hall in the first but tied it in the bottom half on the inning when Keller reached on a fielder's choice and scored on an error. Louisville broke it open in the home half of the second with five runs on five hits and an error. Taner Fowler's double and Keller's single were key in the the outburst.

After Seton Hall got one back in the third, to make it 6-2...Louisville (25-10) went wild in the fifth with four runs for the final 10-2 margin. Singles from Austin, Fowler and Kiyohara produced two runs, Esteban double put runners on second and third and she and Kiyohara scored on a Keller double to end it.

The teams match up for the final game in the series today at 11 a.m.

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The Cards added backup pitching relief to the roster when Katie Petrino walked on the team before action on Saturday. If the name sounds familiar, it is. Her father Bobby Petrino was head football coach at Louisville for five years before accepting the job with the Atlanta Falcons NFL franchise. Katie is a redshirt freshman at Louisville who came here to compete on golf team. She was the starting pitcher on two Fayetteville, Arkansas state championship high school softball teams, though...and won several regional and local awards while on the mound...including two First Team All-Arkansas roster selecions. Ms. Petrino can "wail it a ton off the tee" according to Louisville women's golf coach Kelly Meyers Rothberg. Let's hope she carries the right ball to the mound if she toes the strip for the softball Cards...

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Lacrosse brings in Ohio State for a 1 p.m. match today at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium. The wicket Cards are ranked #20 in the nation and are coming off a 12-6 win over Vanderbilt in their last outing. The 8-1 Cards have scored in double digits in the last 19 games. Liz Lovejoy had four goals in the recent win and Bergan Foley added the final two scores i the win over #13 ranked Vandy.

This is "Friends of Jaclyn" day at the stadium and donations will be accepted for the foundation that strives to improve the quality of life for children who have pediatric brain tumors.

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The Final Four is set in Indy and Connecticut, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and Stanford fight today for the right to play in Tuesday night's title game at the Conseco Fieldhouse. The Irish and Huskies are no strangers to each other, having met twice before this year. Connecticut defeated the Irish 79-76 in South Bend and 73-64 in the finals of the BIG EAST Tournament. The Huskies haven't loss since a 71-59 defeat to Stanford on Dec.30th. in the Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto, CA.

WE see UConn surviving a close battle against the Irish in the 9:30 p.m. game tonight. The Huskies will have to win the battle of the boards against Bruiser Bruszewski  and Devereaux Peters. They'll also need to shut down guards Skylar Diggins and Brittany Mallory. WE'RE impressed with the improvement of Huskies' freshman center Stefanie Dolson throughout the season, though...and there's the Maya Moore factor, as well. A key could be the play of freshman Bria Hartley at point for UConn. 

The evening of hoops begins at 7:30 with the Texas A&M Aggies squaring off against the Stanford Cardinal. The Aggies surprised most by punching a ticket to 'Naptown' with a win over Baylor...a team that had beaten them three times in the regular season. Danielle Adams is a powerful center and prolific scorer. Stanford cruised through the PAC 10 schedule and then ousted Cinderella story Gonzaga in Spokane without much trouble. Coached by Tara VanDerveer and featuring the powerful Ogwumike sisters in the paint, Stanford can hurt you several ways...younger sis Chiney was named to the First Team Freshman All-American team and big sis Nnemkadi to the State Farm All Coaches First Team. Hmmm...Ogwumike must translate into "basketball" in Nigeria. They also have two younger sisters and older sis Gabe has played professionally in Europe and the WNBA. WE'RE betting those back yard battles in Texas are something to see...

WE'LL be pretty obvious here and selected the Stanford squad to slip into the Finals over A&M. Seniors Kayla Pederson and Jeanette Pohlen give the Trees a couple of more scoring options and Stanford is the only team to hang a "L" on UConn this year...that's enough to convince us that they're the shining star on the west coast. 

Is college basketball ready, though...for the possibility of BOTH title holders being from Storrs, Connecticut? Do the people in Connecticut need their egos inflated anymore? Are Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma actually the same person? How flooded was the Lexington. KY crisis hotline last night after "dem Kats" bowed out to the Huskies? Yeah...looks like a beautiful Sunday on tap today.

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Erin Andrews takes on Allison Williams in one of the semifinals today in the Sideline Annoucers Final Four. Is she the UConn of microphone holders?





The FINAL FOUR in our sideline announcers contest takes place today also. We've got Erin Andrews takng on newcomer Allison Williams and Pam Oliver matched up against Andrea Kremer. You can vote in the comments section here, or at cardinalcouple@insightbb.com



Does the veteran Kremer have what it takes to hold off Pam Oliver?

We'll announce the results in the Monday edition of CARDINAL COUPLE...