Sunday Cardinal Couple -- WBB trounces Coog in quarterfinals of AAC Tourney

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Louisville 88 - Houston 43

- Softball outslugs Ohio U 11-4

- Tough loss for lacrosse in South Bend

- Pick 'em contest standings

LOUISVILLE CRUISES TO SEMIS WITH WIN OVER COOGS

Louisville WBB jumped out to a 26-4 lead and was never seriously challenged by Houston in their opening game of the AAC Tournament Saturday evening. The 45 point win could have been even larger...Louisville had both Sara Hammond and Emmonnie Henderson foul out of the contest and played non-starters for most of the second half.

Sara did get off to a great start for the Cards...all of her 11 points came in the first eight minutes of the game...and the Cards advanced a 7-0 start into a 30-6 advantage halfway into the first segment. Houston couldn't score and Louisville couldn't miss...the Cards up 45-19 at half.

Mindful of the three games in three days ahead, Walz substituted freely in the final twenty minutes. Houston got 'chippy' about the blowout...committing cheap fouls with intent to harm...mostly out of frustration. It gave the Cards a rare five-point sequence when Nita Slaughter drained a three and a technical was called on Houston's Destini Texada. Schimmel canned both free throws to complete the "cinco de ballgame" and Louisville led 53-23.

Louisville led by 48 later before settling for the 45 point win. Shoni led the Cards with 15 points, Nita aded 14. All Cards played but Monny Niamke and all Cards scored. Jude Schimmel directed the Cards offense for long stretches in the final half and looked good in doing so...also getting inside and hitting some improbable penetrations amongst the trees.

Louisville gets USF today at 3 p.m. The Bulls blasted Temple in the nightcap. Earlier AAC action saw Rutgers knock off the SMU and UConn scamper past Cincy.

USF has weapons. Inga Orekhova found her three-point range last night in the Bulls romp. Jenkins is a great rebounds and Williams another prolific scorer. The Cards beat USF by eight in Tampa and 20 at the YUM! in the regular season.

This one is on ESPNU. Should be a good one...USF on the bubble for an NCAA bid by most accounts, so the Bulls will be looking to solidify a bid with a strong effort against the Cards. Rutgers and UConn begin the semifinal card @ 1 p.m.


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SOFTBALL OUTSLUGS OHIO SATURDAY IN RED AND BLACK


The Louisville softball bats were in full force during Saturday action in the Red and Black Classic in Ulmer Stadium. Maggie Ruckenbrod was 3 for 4 with three RBI's in the 11-4 Louisville win. The Cards (10-6) also got steady pitching from freshman Maryssa Becker and Rachel Le Coq after a rocky start for the Cards.

Ohio U pounded Becker for three runs in the first. The Cards were in great shape to tie it in the bottom of the inning...bases loaded and no outs...but a double play and pop out killed the threat.

The fourth inning was beneficial for Louisville. Katie Keller drew a walk and scored on a Whitney Arion double. A Kelsi Jones single and Brittany Duncan walk loaded the bags for Becker...who singled home Arion. Maggie then produced a two-RBI double to give the Cards a 4-3 lead.

Ohio U would tie the game but the Cards would respond with five runs in the fifth. Singles by Duncan, Ruckenbrod, Sims and Hannah Kiyohara ignited the charge that made it 10-4 Louisville.

The Cards swing back into action today with Ohio State at 3 p.m. and Ohio U again at 5:30 p.m.

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LACROSSE LOSES EARLY LEAD, FALLS TO IRISH

Louisville Lacrosse jumped out to an early 4-1 lead over Notre Dame yesterday and held a 7-4 advantage at halftime...but could not stop the Irish in the final 30 minutes...falling 12-9 in South Bend.

It's become somewhat of a recurring theme for this team in the early season...blowing out to early advantages and then losing in the final half.

Colleen O'Malley, Faye Brust and Nikki Boltja had the Cards up 4-1 before the Irish netted three straight to tie it up. The Cards answered with three scores...Boltja and then back-to-back from Kaylin Morissette to lead by three.

The Irish responded with four straight scores to open the final half before Boltja could tie it at 8-8. Unfortunately, ND went on another foul goals run and in was 12-8. Boltja tacked on her fourth score of the contest for the final 12-9 margin.

The Cards (4-3) travel to Buffalo, NY to face Canisius on Wednesday.


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With six games played in the AAC Conference Tournament, only one contestant remains undefeated...and that is Sonja.

She did list her picks earlier in the week in a column here at CARDINAL COUPLE...and they have proven to be perfect.

Nipping at her heels are seven contestants with one loss each ( David Watson, Jenny O'Bryan, Mike D., Bulls Fan, Kenny S., Joe Hill and Keith.) We also have seven participants with only two losses.

Three games to go. In case you want to know...her final three picks are UConn over Rutgers, UofL over USF and UConn winning it all...with a point total of 112 in the final game.

paulie
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