Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Volleyball defeats Illinois, Field Hockey over Ohio

.
SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Lola-led Cards down Illinois 3-2 in Volleyball

- Paige Monson provides game-winner for Field Hockey

- Football goes to 2-0 with win over Missouri St.

( We'll also have an in-depth report by Jeff Mc Adams today on the VolleyCards successful weekend. DON'T MISS IT! )




CARDS DIG IN, OUT-POINT THE ILLINI

They may be the best un-ranked team in women's college volleyball and Anne Kordes' VolleyCards added to that legacy with a 3-2 win over #20 Illinois in the BIG EAST/BIG TEN Challenge Saturday in Cincinnati.

( EDITOR'S NOTE: I have since been corrected and told that Louisville is, in fact, 24th in the nation. Must be some hanging chads or voter machine malfunction still out there, though....because the Cards have defeated three teams this year with better TOP 25 rankings. The very un-official Timmy the Intern and Bill the Goat poll puts Louisville at #9 in the nation. We have no idea how they did their research and no clue who they've placed in the other Top Ten Spots.)

Leading the way for the Red and Black  was senior outside hitter Lola Arslanbekova...who delivered 22 kills and 21 digs against the Fighting Illini. 

"I'm so proud of the girls for these two wins because  the BIG EAST/BIG TEN Challenge is a prestigious tournament. We came so close last year, dropping both matches against Purdue and Illinois in five sets by the narrowest of margins. It just makes it that much more exciting to see the progress we have made. They are putting in the work and playing with confidence. I am very pleased." -Anne Kordes, head UofL Volleyball coach.

It didn't come easy for the Cards...who took the highly contested match 25-18, 23-25, 25-17, 22-25, 15-9. 

Louisville roared out to an early lead in game one and at 12-4, looked to be catching the Fighting Illini unfocused and unprepared. A Illinois rally made it 17-13 but Lola led the Cards on a 5-0 run after that to snuff the UofI surge. 

The Cards appeared to have the edge early in game two and actually led 11-7, forcing a Illinois timeout. Still in command at 20-15, Louisville ran into some inspired blocking at the net and was outscored 10-3 the rest of the game to knot the contest at 1-1. 

Game three saw the Cards jump out early again and grab a 8-3 advantage. Lola continued to fuel the Cards progress and enjoyed dominance at 14-6 and 21-11. Aided by Kaitlynn James and Emily Juhl late...the Cards coasted in with a eight-point victory. 

Illinois would not go away, though and hung tough with the Cards in game four, forcing 14 ties and five lead changes in the hotly contested battle. The Cards posted a 22-21 lead after a Lola kill...but UofI swept the final four points to knot the match at 2-2.

In the deciding game, Louisville sprinted out to a 8-2 edge and stayed in the drivers' seat at 12-5. A Gwen Rucker block and two straight Lola spikes provided the Cards with the final three points needed to take game and match. 

Lola was named All-Tournament for her efforts. 

The Cards return to the KFC YUM! Center for the Louisville Invitational on Friday and Saturday...with UNLV, Middle Tennessee and Miami (FL) the other participants. 

FIELD HOCKEY DOWNS OHIO IN BLOOMINGTON

Paige Monsen picked a great time for her first career goal as a Cardinal, delivering at the 57 minute mark in the second half yesterday to give UofL a 2-1 win over the Bobcats in Bloomington. 

The first half provided an intense, scoreless battle until the final minute...when Elisa Garcia also got her first goal in college...driving a shot into the net with 41 seconds left on the clock.

Ohio tied it at the 56 minute mark, but Monsen retaliated for Louisville to make it 2-1 and the Cards defense kept the Bobcats out of the net the rest of the way. 

Senior goalkeeper Erin Conrad with a busy day, gathering nine saves. Louisville (4-2) takes to the road again next weekend...headed to East Lansing for games against Central Michigan and either Michigan State or American University Sept 14th and 16th.

GOOD JOB, TEDDY

Finally, props to the Football Cards who whipped the Missouri State Bears 35-7 in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Teddy Bridgewater throwing for a career high 344 yards against the Bears. 

A wonderful day for tailgating and football and most excellent results for the 2-0 Cards. It gets considerably tougher next week...North Carolina visits the Pizza bowl and they'll probably be looking for a fight after losing 28-27 to Wake Forest Saturday. The Cards 14-7 loss to the Tar Heels easily qualified as the most boring football game of the Cardinals 2011 season.
.
..
...