15 Goals in Two Matches is a Program Record
Louisville women's soccer seems to have a renewed vigor this season. After four matches (a little over 20% through the season), the Cards sit at 3-1, highlighted by a road win against Auburn and a pair of home wins that had a combined 15 goals.
There is a 2-0 loss at Vanderbilt this year, but that doesn't seem to be much of a concern as the Commodores are ranked #11 in the Coaches Poll. Auburn typically runs in the middle of the pack in the SEC while Wright State and Detroit Mercy are much lesser quality opponents. Still, Louisville won all three of those matches and blew the latter two out of the water.
One item to note is the aggressiveness of the offense this year. The Cards have spent less time dribbling and more time focusing on ball movement and spreading out the field. This has allowed for more open shots and more free kick and corner kick opportunities. Having a deeper bench allows for more rotation and fresher legs on the pitch. 11 different players have benefitted from this aggressive approach by scoring a goal.
A veteran defense has allowed UofL to focus on other aspects of the game such as midfield, an area where Louisville has had its ups and downs in the past. The Cards are currently relying on seniors on defense including keeper Erynn Floyd, centerbacks Karsyn Cherry and Hadley Snyder, and defensive wing Lizzie Sexton. Coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes allows this corps to command the back row while she works on guiding and developing younger players.
USC Upstate is a small step up from the Cards' last two opponents- the Spartans have had a .600+ win percentage the last three seasons- but they have hit a rough patch to start the year. For the Cards, this should still be a fairly winnable match, just maybe not a 6- or 8-goal performance. With this being a 3:00pm match (travel arrangements for USC Upstate), we will not be able to provide any in person coverage for this match, but will still watch and recap the match.
In case you missed it, here is a postgame interview with Coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes following the victory over Wright State.
Happy Tuesday and Go Cards!
Jared
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