Sunday Cardinal Couple -- Lacrosse takes BIG EAST, Softball splits

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


- Brust's six goals lead Louisville to 9-8 win

- Softball splits in Memphis


The last time we interviewed Faye Brust, she assured us the team was ready to take care of business in D.C. and bring back the BIG EAST Lacrosse Tournament trophy. She failed to mention, though, that she'd account for the first half offense in the championship game. Thanks to her six first half goals and some clutch Cardinal defense at the end of the game, Louisville downs Georgetown 9-8 to take the tournament championship.

It is the goal that the team had been working for all season and Brust was the scoring offense for the Cards in the first thirty minutes as Louisville held a tenacious 6-4 lead over the Hoyas.

Kaylin Morissette picked up the scoring for the Cards in the second half...getting two of Louisville's three goals. Her consecutive scores gave Louisville a 8-5 lead and Nikki Boltja made it 9-6 with 9:29 to go.

Georgetown drew within one late but the Cards defense held solid and Louisville was able to hang on for the 9-8 win.

Named to the All-Tournament team were Boltja, Morrissette, Monica Negron and goalie Ashley Peacock. Brust received Most Outstanding Player selection.

Louisville finds out today where they'll be going in the NCAA Tournament. The conference tournament title clinched a berth for the Cards to make their first trip to the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament.

UofL improved to 15-3 and has won their last 11 games.

Brust describes the final sequence:

"It's just special. This is what we've been working for all season. I had the ball with 4-5 seconds left in the game and just threw it up it the air and we all dogpiled. It was the most amazing feeling."

Amazing is the perfect word to describe this team this year. We hope the amazement continues in the Big Dance.


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Softball got a four-hit shutout from senior Caralisa Connell yesterday to win the second game in softball action against Memphis 6-0, but dropped the first contest 3-2 to the Tigers

MEMPHIS 3 - UOFL 2

The Cards took an early lead in game one when Brittany Duncan belted a solo home run over the right field fence. Next inning saw Whitney Arion follow suit to make it 2-0 UofL.

The Cards could find no other scoring opportunities, though and Memphis scored a run in the fourth and two in the bottom of the seventh to win against Maryssa Becker. A two-out bases loaded single was the deciding factor.

UOFL 6 - MEMPHIS 0

In game two, Louisville got busy in the top of the first to grab a 2-0 lead. Duncan's double plated both Kelsi Jones and Whitney Arion.

The Cards increased it to 3-0 in the fifth, a fly ball with the bases loaded by Katie Keller got Hannah Kiyohara to the plate. Kayla Soles went fence in the sixth and Louisville had a 4-0 advantage.

The Cards finished with two runs in the seventh...Taner Fowler delivering a double that scored Jones and Arion for the final 6-0 win. The split gets Louisville to 32-20 on the season and 13-7 in the AAC.

It was a "good" Carl sighting in the circle for Louisville...the senior tossed all seven innings and struck out three to go to 10-5 for the season.

The schools end the series and the regular season for each today at 1 p.m.

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Finally, congrats to venerable trainer Art Sherman...a winner in first attempt to win the Kentucky Derby. California Chrome got the job done with ease...a classic ride from Victor Espinoza in a rather slow 2:03:33 time.

Will CC be a triple crown winner? We'll find out whether he can complete leg two in two weeks up in Baltimore in the Preakness.

paulie