Women's Soccer faces NKU tonight -- Wednesday Cardinal Couple

CARDS TRAVEL TO HIGHLAND HEIGHTS TONIGHT FOR EXHIBITION GAME

SHE'S BACK !!

It's been awhile since we've been able to say this...but it's game day! (or night) for a UofL women's sports squad. Karen Ferguson- Dayes will take the women's soccer team to face Northern Kentucky University in an exhibition match that kicks off at 7 p.m. this evening. 

Louisville faced the Norse in the regular season last year in The Lynn and took a 1-0 win from the Norse when senior Kari Weinland converted on a corner kick 17 minutes into the contest. 

KB on the move

NKU participates in the Horizon conference and went 9-8-3 in 2014. The squad was led by Macy Hamblin with eight goals and 20 points. (For points accumulation...you get two points for each goal scored and a point for an assist.) Hamblin was the Horizon League women's soccer Freshman of the Year. 

Also back to challenge the Cards goalies are redshirt junior Aubrey Muench (5 goals), junior Sami Rutowski and sophomore Jessica Frey...who was named to the Horizon All-Freshman team. 

Muench began her student-athlete journey at Louisville in 2012, where she redshirted her freshman year and transferred to NKU in 2013. 

Bella working the offense

NKU doesn't go too far from home in recruiting their women's soccer players. Out of the 29 players on the roster...10 are from neighboring Cincinnati. 23 Norse are from Ohio. 

Louisville will look to ramp up a scoring attack that managed 13 goals in 18 matches in 2014. Returning for the Cards as scoring threats are Bella Habuda and Allison Price...both had three goals for Louisville last year. 

Casey Whitfield also takes to the pitch after sitting out 2014 with a leg injury. She'll add another definite scoring threat at the forward position. 

Hannah will be a defensive force

The Louisville roster features 25 players...15 that are either freshmen or sophomore...as Karen Ferguson-Dayes youth movement continues. Two transfers...midfielder Aubrey Baker (Maryland) and goalkeeper Taylor Bucklin (Michigan) join a roster that also has five international student-athletes in Tina Marlot (Slovenia), Rachel Avant (Germany), Nina Suter (Switzerland). Inger Katrine Bjerke (Norway) and Habuda (Canada). 

Local area high school stars on the roster include Clare Andres (Christian Academy), Shelby Cohen (Oldham Co.), Hannah Konermann (Mercy) and Whitfield (Manual). All told, eight states and five countries make up the Kickin' Cards contingent. 

The Cards went 7-9-2 last season and will return home after tonight's game to face Indiana in a 5 p.m. exhibition match Sunday at The Lynn. Unfortunately, CARDINAL COUPLE won't be present for tonight's match but we hope our Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati area readers show up tonight to cheer on the Cards in what looks to be a great opening test for Louisville women's soccer!

paulie
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