Thursday Cardinal Couple -- Softball stumbles @ IU...Lacrosse today!

THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Hoosier rock Softball Cards 8-3

- Lacrosse final home game today vs. Marquette



The University of Louisville softball team played their final non-conference game of the season at Bloomington, IN on Wednesday evening against the Indiana University Hoosiers and the results were less than desirable against the BIG 10 foe...Louisville falling 8-3 to IU.

A rocky start for the Cards...allowing three runs in the first inning...two more in the third and two in the fourth before plating three runs in the fifth to avoid the five inning, game ending rule.

Coach Pearsall used all four pitchers on the roster in the event but Caralisa Connell saw 0.1 innings of action before being replaced and the Hoosier batters teed off on Maryssa Becker, Rachel Le Coq and Tiarra Sanabria.

The Cards return home to host AAC foe Temple for three games this weekend...first pitch is Saturday @ noon.

The Cards need to take care of business to have any shot at contending for a conference title. Standings below:

                               Conference            Overall
     Team                   W   L   T   Pct       W   L   T   Pct
     UCF.................   9   3   0  .750      33  15   0  .688
     Houston.............  11   4   0  .733      28  15   0  .651
     Louisville..........   9   6   0  .600      28  17   0  .622
     USF.................   7   5   0  .583      33  13   0  .717
     Rutgers.............   5   7   0  .417      21  16   0  .568
     Temple..............   5   7   0  .417      15  20   0  .429
     Memphis.............   4  10   0  .286      20  26   0  .435
     UConn...............   3  11   0  .214      12  31   0  .279

Louisville also needs some losses by UCF, USF and Houston...plus a sweep of Memphis next weekend @ in Elvisville to be top-ranked for the AAC Conference tournament in Houston....which begins May 8th.

Maybe not the season we hoped for....Louisville pitching has been marginal at best despite two returning starters. A pleasant surprise from freshman Becker...but less than spectacular results in a conference that isn't all that strong.

If it wasn't for transfers Kelsi Jones and Brittany Duncan, one wonders if this team would actually be that close to the leaders in conference.

 Saturday’s games will honor the military and on Sunday, Louisville will honor seniors Caralisa Connell, Taner Fowler, Katie Keller, Hannah Kiyohara, Rachel LeCoq and Maggie Ruckenbrod.

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Lacrosse puts their undefeated conference record on the line today against Marquette at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium at 4 p.m.

This should not be a problem for the Cards. Marquette is in their second season of Lacrosse and they are mired at the bottom of the BIG EAST conference standings with Cincinnati.

One can expect the scoring juggernaut of Boltja, Brust, Daley and Morissette to provide plenty of chances for Al Greenert and the pep band to play the Louisville Fight Song.

Hats off to one of my favorite Lacrosse player to interview....Faye Brust...for the award below:

April 22, 2014
BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Faye Brust, Louisville, Jr., A
Brust registered a pair of five-goal games last week, beginning with a crucial showing against Connecticut on Thursday before duplicating the performance against Rutgers on Saturday. After the Huskies started off with a 1-0 lead, Brust provided the game-tying score before adding the go-ahead tally two minutes later as the Cardinals never lost their lead from that point forward. The junior’s five goals against the Scarlet Knights came on five shots. She also picked up a pair of ground balls last week as the Cardinals remained undefeated (6-0) in BIG EAST play to clinch the top seed in the upcoming Championship.

All the way, Faye !!! (or 'Fabian'...as some of the other Lacrosse players instructed me to call her Saturday)


Come out and support your University of Louisville lacrosse team today as they try to run the BIG EAST table !!

Louisville	6-0	1.000	98	43		12-3	.800	226	125
Georgetown	5-1	.833	77	47		8-7	.533	176	154
Connecticut	4-2	.667	72	59		9-6	.600	166	149
Villanova	3-3	.500	57	68		8-7	.533	144	149
Temple	3-3	.500	63	63		6-9	.400	139	164
Rutgers	2-4	.333	65	71		8-8	.500	132	162
Marquette	1-5	.167	51	62		5-10	.333	129	171
Cincinnati	0-6	.000	30	100		6-10	.375	131	207

Wednesday Cardinal Couple -- Women's Golf Wins AAC Championship!!

WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Haas' birdie putt on final home gives UofL the win

- Walz Ball


Excitement plus in the final round of the AAC Women's Golf Championship Tournament at the Hammock Beach Resort...Cardinal junior Emily Haas sinking a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole to put Louisville past UCF by one stroke for the title.

The Cards had a final round total of 299 to overtake the Golden Knights...finishing with a 3-day total of 915.

Haas had a 54 hole score of 223 and finished second overall in individual scores. Her team-low 71 Tuesday helped guide Louisville to their fifth conference title in school history.

SMU came in third with a 928 and had the individual low score champ in Jenny Ragland who beat Haas with a 218.

The win gives UofL an automatic spot in the NCAA Regionals that will take place May 8-10. Louisville will learn which of the three regional sites they are headed to on April 28th.

Sophomore Laura Restrepo tied for seventh with a score of 229. Tara Lyons, a senior, carded a 231...good enough for a tie for tenth. Junior Katie Petrino finished at 234 and freshman Shannon Gramley totaled 236.

A great come-from-behind on the final day win for Courtney Trimble's squad. Congrats to the chip-and-putt Cards for adding another trophy to the UofL showcase and heading to women's collegiate golf's "big dance".

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Jeff Walz, head coach of the University of Louisville women’s basketball team, will walk the red carpet at The Julep Ball.

The premier Derby Eve Party with a Purpose, The Julep Ball is held annually on the evening before the Kentucky Derby and supports the work of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville. The event on May 2 at the KFC Yum! Center kicks off with a 6:30 p.m. cocktail reception, followed by dinner and a live auction at 8 p.m.
 
An Official Event of the 140th Kentucky Derby®, The Julep Ball provides a celebrity-studded night to remember with a multi-course seated dinner, a knock-your-socks-off auction, multiple open specialty bars, complimentary valet parking, and dancing until the wee hours of Derby morning. Tickets to The Julep Ball sell out early each year.

The full evening’s entertainment is $600 per person, $5,000 for a table of 10, and $100 per person for dance-only tickets. For further information and to buy tickets, go to The Julep Ball website.

As one of our readers commented...when sending me the link...will Walz have to get a suit? We say...why mess with the trademark? Wear the checked shirt...

We also wonder...although it is for a very good cause...isn't the extra $500 for dinner and the full evening's entertainment a bit high? Those gotta be some spicy meatballs and strong drinks!

Coach hobnobbing with celebs and NFL players. Who woulda thunk it seven years ago when he was trying to get Angel to roll off screens and Dez to look for the open player..

Also, the event is at the KFC YUM! Center...no foreign territory for Coach. If it all gets a little stuffy, he can always retreat to his office in the facility and watch a little game film. Or open up the practice court on the north side and coach up the attendees on layups and free throws.

Atta boy, Jeff !!!

paulie

Tuesday Cardinal Couple - Golf update

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 

Golf Conference Championship Update

After the second round of play (out of three), Louisville's women stand in second place as a team only four strokes out of first.  Louisville advanced on the leader by three strokes after Sunday's finish landed them in third place, seven strokes behind UCF.  Cincinnati, in second place after the first day, apparently had a disastrous day and dropped to sixth place.

Individually, two Cardinal golfers are tied for third place with three other players.  Laura Restrepo advanced from her first round position of being tied for ninth, while Emily Haas dropped a spot from her tie for second.

Louisville continues to get the job done with consistent team play, with all five players finishing the second round in the top of half of the individual results.  A feat only matched by UCF, with UCF's lowest round two result being in a tie for 18th and Katie Petrino finishing out the Louisville round two results in a tie for 16th.  Other Louisville golfers, Tara Lyons, and Shannon Gramley completed the second round in 13th and tied for 14th, respectively.

The AAC championship will finish play today, with tee times starting at 8am.  Louisville's golfers will start play at 8:50am with the last of the five teeing off at 9:30am.

Nearing the End of 2013-2014

I know it feels like Basketball just wrapped up, but we're starting to get near the end of spring sports schedules.

Derby weekend marks a bit of a turning point of UofL Athletics for the academic year.  The Big East Conference championship for Lacrosse occurs that weekend, while Softball finishes their regular season slate in Memphis the day after Derby.  Track and Field has The American Conference championship that weekend as well, with Rowing taking their last regular season strokes that weekend as well.

If you haven't made it out to support your Cardinal spring sports teams, now is the time to do it.  The weather is wonderful, spring sports are all free admission, and all are great fun to watch.  Do be aware that the Softball game vs Kentucky is a ticketed event for admission into Ulmer stadium itself (which will almost certainly be solidly sold-out) but you can watch from the berm for free.

You won't be disappointed.

- jeffmca

Monday Cardinal Couple -- Cards in third place in AAC Women's Golf Tournament

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Women's golf seven strokes back after Day One of Tourney

- Rowing captures five wins at Clemson

- Latest CARDINAL COUPLE radio on the Soundcloud


Louisville women's golf is in third place after the first round of the AAC Golf Championship Tournament at Hammock Beach Resort on Sunday.

The Central Florida Golden Knights are first on the leaderboard as teams battled 15-20 mile-per-hour wind gusts during round one. UCF finished 19-over-par (307) while Cincinnati recorded a 23-over-par 311 for second place. Louisville charted a 26-over-par 314 for third.

Cincinnati's Olivia Dose is the individual leader with a two-over-par 74 through 18 holes. Andrea Malek (Cincinnati) and Emily Haas (Louisville) are tied for second at 75 (+3). UCF's Ashley Holder and SMU's Jenny Haglund are both tied for fourth with four-over-par 76 scores. Laura Restrepo is tied for 9th at 78.

Tara Lyons fired an 80, Katie Petrino finished at 81 and Shannon Gramley carded and 82 as the other UofL participants.

The second round will begin at 8 a.m. eastern on Monday.


Team Results
1. UCF, 307 (+19)
2. Cincinnati, 311 (+23)
3. Louisville, 314 (+26)
4. SMU, 315 (+27)
5. Memphis, 319 (+31)
6. USF, 324 (+36)
7. Rutgers, 336 (+48)

Top-10 Individuals
1. Olivia Dose, Cincinnati, 74 (+2)
T2. Andrea Malek, Cincinnati, 75 (+3)
T2. Emily Haas, Louisville, 75 (+3)
T4. Ashley Holder, UCF, 76 (+4)
T4. Jenny Haglund, SMU, 76 (+4)
T6. Kristine Odaiyar, UCF, 77 (+5)
T6. Monifa Sealy, UCF, 77 (+5)
T6. Fanny Cnops, UCF, 77 (+5)
T9. Natalie Turk, Memphis, 78 (+6)
T9. Leighann Cabush, Memphis, 78 (+6)
T9. Raegan Bremer, Houston, 78 (+6)
T9. Laura Restrepo, Louisville, 78 (+6)  

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The Louisville rowing team had a successful weekend of racing at the Clemson Invite earning five wins overall, including a trio of victories by the second varsity eight boat.

The Cardinals' second varsity eight crew of Sophie St. Martin (coxswain), Elise Valantine, Lucy Wilshier, Lizzie DeVries, Cynthia Doyle, Kylen Pattermann, Hanna Spittel, Abbie Wade and Katie Nord finished ahead of crews from No. 13 UCLA, No. 15 Wisconsin and No. 16 Cornell in winning the three races on Lake Hartwell. The boat's fastest time of the weekend came in Sunday's first session when it defeated a field of six other crews with a time of 7:04.4. In addition, Louisville's second varsity four crew of Annie Pape (coxswain), Emma Melton, Jenny Marler, Paula Gollnick and Kylie Noltemeyer added a pair of wins defeating crews from both UCLA and Cornell. The Cardinals also earned runner-up finishes over the two days in the varsity eight, varsity four and third varsity eight boats. "I'm really proud of how the team has handled everything since the last race and especially the way we competed this weekend. They showed a lot of attention to detail in training, which was important because we had to get as much as we could out of our practices and it showed this weekend," said Louisville head coach Derek Copeland.  "The weather was certainly a factor again this weekend but we handled it much better. It was nice seeing everything come together for us. The mileage on the Ohio River has certainly paid off for this team."
 Up next, the Cardinals will have a week away from competition to prepare for a series of races in Ann Arbor, Mich., on May 3. Louisville is scheduled to compete against the host Wolverines as well as No. 3 ranked Ohio State. "Now, we have to turn our attention to completing the semester in the classroom with finals and also training for the races against Ohio State and Michigan in two weeks," said Copeland. "We have a plan for this time of the season and we know it works. We'll get plenty of rest and do a lot of studying to put ourselves in a good position for the racing in Michigan."


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Our latest edition of CARDINAL COUPLE Radio...on Crescent Hill Radio...is now up and available for listening in the archives. A good show where we talk a lot of lacrosse, softball, WNBA and Worldwide takes a lacrosse quiz. Some great soundbytes from Coach Kellie Young and Kay Morissette to hear and the usual wisecracks and in-depth reporting and analysis you've come to love and anticipate.

LINK:

www.crescenthillradio.com

Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Lacrosse Routs Rutgers...Softball falls to UCF

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-  Boltja scores four in 18-6 Lax win

- Grand slam does softball in @ UCF

HAPPY EASTER TO YOU! WE HOPE IT IS A DAY FILLED WITH HAPPINESS, JOY AND LOVE AND THE EASTER BUNNY PAYS YOU A VISIT. HE IS RISEN. HALLEUJAH.

Nikki Boltja totaled four goals and Faye "Fabian" Brust led all scorers with five as Louisville Lacrosse held Rutgers to two second half scores in a 18-6 Cardinal win at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Louisville (12-3, 6-0) clinch a share of the BIG EAST Title yesterday and the defense played a huge roll in the win...holding Rutgers to two goals in the final 30 minutes.

The win had Kellie Young almost speechless...standing on the sidelines with tears in her eyes...watching her team dash across the field as the clock hit zero to thank the over 500 fans in the stands for cheering them on.

" I am a little bit speechless because we have worked really hard to get to this place. It is something that we have talked aboutfor seven years. So, to finally accomplish it (winning the BIG EAST title) makes me proud of this team, these seniors...all of these players who have come here before and worked really hard to build a confident and determined program.

Rutgers hung around early...taking leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before the Cardinal defense put the clamps on and Faye Brust and Boltja took over. The Cards put six unanswered scores on the board...Colleen O'Malley providing two of them...to go up 7-2 with 11:20 left in the half. UofL took a 8-4 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Coach Young didn't make many adjustments for the final 30.

" I basically told them to keep tightening up on their scorers and attack the goal in the second half." 

Louisville was "all-in". The Cards scored the first six goals of the final period..over a eight minute stretch and led 14-4 after Boltja found the back of the net. At that point, the clock ran continuosly for most of the rest of the game and senior Anna Kopecka tallied Louisville's final score with two seconds left.

The Rutgers squad is a rough-and-tumble bunch...drawing numerous penalties and sending Kay (it's OK to call her Kay...I asked) to the turf several times. The refs halted action in the final half to call both coaches over and warn them about excessive checking and contact. They were talking to the Rutgers head coach while Kellie Young stood there shoeless and incredulous. I asked about the barefoot look...she had on heels earlier for Senior Day ceremonies. Those are tough  to run in...so I hear...and Coach gets in several miles a game on the sidelines.

Losing hurts, no doubt...but the Scarlet Knights seemed determined to deliver malicious, intentional stick swings and body slams against several Louisville players. That's not the way the game should be played and Julie Hermann would be well advised to take a look at the game film and pull scholarships from a couple of the Rutgers thugs.

Louisville returns to action Thursday against Marquette for the final home game of the 2014 season. First draw is 4 p.m.

Maybe someone will explain how Faye got the "Fabian" monicker then...my query about it to Coach Young got an eye-rolling response and the comment...

" They can be pretty goofy and silly at times. I don't know where they come up with this stuff..."

Stay goofy...girls. College goes by way too fast.

Goofy is forever.


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Softball took a loss in the final game of the series against UCF Saturday...the major damage coming in the form of a grand slam home run during the sixth inning. Maryssa Becker had completed five innings of shutout softball before the Golden Knights big sixth inning. The scoreless game was changed to a 5-0 UCF lead when the Cards finally got their chance to bat in the top of the seventh.

Taner Fowler did get UofL on the board with a solo shot...her sixth of the year...but Louisville was unable to put anything else behind it and falls to 28-17 overall and 9-6 in AAC play. Fowler's fence-clearer was one of just five hits that the Cards produced on the day.

paulie

Saturday Cardinal Couple -- Softball splits in Orlando...Lynx no lock for A-Tayy

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Softball Cards split with UCF on Friday

- Lacrosse faces Rutgers today at LAX Stadium

- Minnesota Lynx -- just another challenge for Taylor

- Radio today


Louisville Softball won the opening game against UCF Friday but...in almost predictable fashion...dropped the nightcap against the Golden Knights. Louisville (28-16, 9-5) has had a habit of winning the first and falling in the second game of double headers this season.

The Cards have played two games in one day fifteen times this season. They've lost the second game ten of those times. The loss to UCF in the second game today also snapped the UofL eight-game winning streak.

LOUISVILLE 1 - UCF 0

The opener was a pitcher's duel...Maryssa Becker holding UCF scoreless and allowing just one hit in 4.1 innings as the starter. Rachel LeCoq provided the relief...tossing the final 2.2 innings and allowing just one hit.

The Cards finally put the scoreboard operator to work in the top of the seventh. Becker singled to right and advanced to third on a Taner Fowler double to center that barely missed leaving the ballpark. Maggie Ruckenbrod lifted a sacrifice fly to left that got Becker home for the lone score of the game.

UCF 3 - LOUISVILLE 2

Louisville took the early lead in the second contest when Becker powered an a bases-empty shot out of the facility in the second. It was her second home run of the season.

UCF used runs in the third and fourth inning to retake the lead off of LeCoq...and tallied an insurance run in the fifth.

The Cards tried to rally back in the sixth when Becker singled home pinch runner Jordan McNary to make it 3-2...but Louisville could not get Becker around the bases.

They'll play the finale of the series today at noon.

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The Louisville Lacrosse team looks to remain undefeated in BIG EAST play when they host Rutgers at 1 p.m. in the Lacrosse Stadium.

It's Senior Day and CAF Appreciation Day...so get out to the field early and sign up for stuff and watch the goodbye ceremonies for eight seniors.

The departing:

Hillary Bushway   M    Norfolk, VA
Jamie Redding     A    Victor, NY
Nikki Boltja         A     Medina, OH
Kelsey Garrity     D     Ridley Park, PA
Ashley Herbst      G    Pittsford, NY
Monica Negron    M     Bel Air, MD
Leslee Hefner      D     Hatboro, PA
Coleen O'Malley   M     Malvern, PA

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We're excited that A-Tayy (Asia Taylor) got drafted by the WNBA. As she said...just to have one's name in the discussion is pretty awesome. To hear it called on Draft Night ( even though it was on ESPNU) is even more awesome.

She's headed to the Minnesota Lynx. Yeah, the 2013 WNBA Champs. the Lynx that have 10 players returning from that team.

As least she won't have to worry about having to beat out Sugar Rodgers ( ex-Georgetown) for a spot. The second year Lynx guard was dealt to the New York Liberty Wednesday.

Here's the current 15 listed under the Lynx roster:

**   Seimone Augustus        8th year       LSU
**   Rebekkah Brunson       10th year      Georgetown
(R) Asya Bussie                  ( rookie)      West Virginia
(R) Christina Foggie           ( rookie)      Vanderbilt
**   Amber Harris               3rd year       Xavier
**   Rachel Jerry                1st year        - - - - - - - -
(R) Tricia Liston                ( rookie)       Duke
**   Janet McCarville          7th year       Minnesota
**   Lindsey Moore              1st year       Nebraska
**   Maya Moore                 3rd year       Connecticut
**   Devereaux Peters         2nd year       Notre Dame
(R) Asia Taylor                   ( rookie)       LOUISVILLE
**   Lindsay Whelan            10th year      Minnesota
--   Tan White                    9th year        Mississippi St.
**   Monica Wright              4th year        Virginia

**  =  returning player


A difficult task ahead for Taylor to grab one of these 11 or 12 jerseys for the 2014 season...but not impossible. She's one of seven front liners that will battle for a spot. One of four rookies that will be at the preseason games and practices.

The WNBA is all about salary caps. Teams are not required to carry a full 12 players. Whether Minnesota chooses to retain the roster that has gotten them two WNBA titles in the last three years or cut some costs and fill the bench with rookies remains to be seen.

In any event, A-Tayy will get her chance to make the team. We hope she shines...


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Cardinal Couple Radio Hour on Crescent Hill Radio is back on the air again this week. We learned the passcode to the studio door...so they can't stop us now!

We'll discuss softball, lacrosse, golf, hoops, fiscal responsibility and comparative political systems on today's show.

(OK maybe not the latter two...but it should be a good hour chalked full of exciting UofL women's sports news).

Join us, won't you?

LINK BELOW:

http://www.crescenthillradio.com



paulie

Friday Cardinal Couple -- UConn? Be gone. Cards win 12-7

FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Faye Brust's five goals lead LAX Cards to 7th straight win

- Diamond to sparkle elsewhere. DeShields leaving UNC.

- Talk Derby to me



The UofL Lacrosse team comes up with a word at the start of each season. A word that embodies the tone, tenor and mission of the squad for the upcoming schedule.

This year's word is "Finish". The Cards did just that Thursday against the UConn Huskies LAX unit....winning 12-7 to remain atop the standings and undefeated in BIG EAST Conference play.

Faye Brust recorded a contest-high five goals in the win...in fact, it was Brust 4 - UConn 2 with 19:21 remaining in the first half. The Cards took a 7-5 halftime lead and held UConn scoreless for the first 23 minutes of the final half while building an 11-5 lead.

The game didn't quite start out to Louisville's expectations. Kaylin Morissette lost a rare draw control to begin the contest and the Huskies streaked down the field...Jacqueline Jordan flipping the ball by Louisville goalie Ashley Peacock just 10 seconds into the contest.

Peacock was making her first career start. The freshman recovered nicely, though , after lacrosse's version of running the opening kickoff back for a touchdown...

It only served to strengthen the Cards resolve. Brust got her first score with 28:16 left in the half. Two minutes later, she put the Cards ahead...off a nice assist from Jamie Redding. UConn tied the game with 24:11 left in action...but Brust was just getting started.

She scored unassisted four minutes later to give the Cards a 3-2 edge. Brust produced again with 19:21 to go to make it 4-2 UofL.

After the game Kaylin Morissette commented to me:

"I was aware she had all our scores and I told her after the fourth one...hey, if you want five...go for it and I'll do whatever I can to get the ball to you. She's an amazing player and I'm so fortunate to be able to play with her."

The Cards held UC scoreless for 13 minutes before Carly Palmucci got her first score of the contest to make it 4-3 with 13:01 on the clock. Nikki Boltja became the second Cardinal to score on a free position shot and Morissette decided to get in on the action next...receiving a feed from Anna Kopecka to make it 6-3 Louisville at the 5:50 mark.

UConn responded quickly...trimming the margin to two just 16 seconds later with Palmucci's second goal of the half. Boltja countered for the Cards on a unassisted shot on goal to push the Cards lead to 7-4. It looked like the half might end that way, but Karaline Smith got free on a drive and put the score at 7-5 with 24 seconds to go before the break.

Louisville held a 16-10 shot advantage over the Huskies after 30 minutes and had won eight of the 13 draw controls.

The Cards came out strong defensively in the final half. Boltja found Cortnee Daley with a pass three minutes into action and the sophomore found net to give Louisville a three point advantage. The Cardinal defense was denying anything UConn tried to do and Daley added her second goal of the clash with 14:44 displaying on the scoreboard.

Boltja gathered her second goal on a nice unassisted drive to make it 10-5 UofL with 9:19 to go and Morissette baffled the Husky defense with a free position score 90 seconds later.

The Huskies finally changed their total on the scoreboard with 7:12 left in action. Louisville had shut down the powerful UConn scoring machine for almost 23 minutes of action. The Cards kept the BIG EAST opponent quiet for another six minutes...Kacey Pippitt got her second score in a row with 1:35 to play to make it 11-7.

Louisville responded quickly...Morissette winning the draw control after goal...charging down the field and setting up Brust in just nine seconds for her fifth and final goal. 

A huge win for Kellie Young's crew and one that pretty much guarantees the Cards will be in this year's Lacrosse NCAA Big Dance and definitely assures they'll be in the BIG EAST Tournament. 

The Cards outshot the Storrs visitors 31-16 in front of a crowd of over 500 at the Louisville Lacrosse field. Louisville has only lost once at home in the last two years.

After the game, Kellie Young was exuberant and quite proud of her teams' effort.

"I'm so proud of the team effort we displayed today and these players who have come together and played so hard and so well this season. This win puts us in the NCAA Tournament."

Louisville, collectively, held the Huskies' top two scorers Katherine Finelston and Lauren Kahn scoreless for 60 minutes. Young was so involved in watching her teams' defensive sets in the first half that she was not aware until later in the contest that Brust has scored all of the first four Cardinal goals.

A beautiful, sunny 68 degree game conditions for the players as Louisville goes to 10-3 overall and 4-0 in the conference. Rutgers is next...on Saturday @ 1 p.m. It's CAF Appreciation Day and drawings and promotional items will be available for the fans.

It's also Senior Day. The Cards say goodbye to nine players...including Nikki Botja and Monica Negron.

Get out there. There's only two games left before the Cards embark to D.C. for the conference tournament. Help the Cards stay undefeated in BIG EAST play.

 Try Lacrosse.

You're gonna get hooked like we have here at CC...if you like non-stop action, great individual efforts and sudden and unexpected scoring.

Go.

Standings	Conference	Pct.	GF	GA		Overall	Pct.	GF	GA		Home	Away	Neutral	Last 10	Streak
Louisville	5-0	1.000	80	37		11-3	.786	208	119		4-0	7-3	0-0	8-2	W 7
Georgetown	4-1	.800	64	41		7-7	.500	163	148		3-4	4-2	0-1	4-6	W 4
Connecticut	3-2	.600	55	53		8-6	.571	149	143		4-3	3-3	1-0	7-3	L 1
Temple	3-2	.600	57	50		6-8	.429	133	151		5-4	1-4	0-0	4-6	W 2
Rutgers	2-3	.400	59	53		8-7	.533	126	144		5-4	3-3	0-0	5-5	W 1
Villanova	2-3	.400	47	59		7-7	.500	134	140		4-3	3-4	0-0	5-5	L 2
Marquette	1-4	.200	42	52		5-9	.357	120	161		3-2	2-7	0-0	3-7	L 4
Cincinnati	0-5	.000	24	83		6-9	.400	125	190		3-3	3-6	0-0	4-6	L 6

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Cameron Crazies seek to reach out and touch the Diamond.

THE NEWS ABOUT DIAMOND DESHIELDS DECISION TO LEAVE NORTH CAROLINA AFTER A FRESHMAN SEASON THAT GOT THE TAR HEELS TO THE 'GREAT EIGHT' AND GOT HER NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD IS SURPRISING.

AFTER ALL, IT WAS DESHIELDS WHO GATHERED THREE OTHER TOP 25 PICKS IN THE CLASS OF 2013 AND BONDED THEM TOGETHER TO GO TO UNC. DIAMOND NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY PLAY FOR SYLVIA HATCHELL...WHO WAS OUT THIS SEASON WITH LEUKEMIA.

WHERE WILL SHE GO? NOTHING OFFICIAL OUT OF HER YET ON THE NEW DESTINATION BUT SPECULATION AND RUMOR SAYS TENNESSEE IS A CANDIDATE. SHE WAS TRYING TO GET MERCEDES RUSSELL TO JOIN THE FOUR AT UNC TO CREATE ANOTHER 'FAB FIVE'...LADIES STYLE.

WHEREVER SHE GOES...ASSUMING IT WILL BE A D1 TRANSFER...SHE WILL HAVE TO SIT A YEAR. HMMMM...LOUISVILLE LOSES BRIA AND JUDE AFTER THIS SEASON...

NAH. FORGET ABOUT IT. DIAMOND HAS ISSUES WITH BEING COACHED. JEFF WALZ LIKES TO COACH.


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I've done a little Derby muddling over the past couple of days. Clear as mud. You can look at the horses I'm mulling
over at my seldom-used, highly overrated personal blog.

15 days to Derby.

http://pauliesykes.blogspot.com/

paulie