WSoc comes up short 3-1 vs KU -- VB vs GT preview -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL 

Good morning readers, 

I left work and was heading home from the UofL President's holiday party Thursday afternoon when the WSoc match kicked off but I was able to join in right after the Cards put one into the net.   

Ive actually crossed paths with Gerry Bradley a few times this semester.  I attended the inauguration and not long after that he visited my building for a podcast episode and I got to introduce myself and he mentioned that meeting on the recording.  

And then again today when I went to the SAC for the gathering, he walked by me as I was waiting at near the entrance and I said hello.  He then walked around each table of the ballroom and said hello to the staff and faculty.   It was a rainy afternoon on campus but it was a nice outing. 

Soccer

Photo: Jared Anderson

The 2025 season has come to an end for the WSoc squad as they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the (feet) of the #3 Kansas Jayhawks.  

I was able to get home just after the Cards netted their only goal in the match.  It was a hard earned one too as a corner kick was put in play by Amelia Swinarski where it was then sent into the box but deflected by KU and  that was deflected away by the Blue Devils keeper. Karsyn Cherry got to the loose ball and her header deflected off the top crossbar but came back in play. Maddox was first to the ball and volleyed it into the back of the net to give the Cards an early 1-0 lead.

Kansas was able to equalize just a few minutes before the half after putting in a player with fresh legs.  It was a shot near the right side of the box where Erynn Floyd wasnt able to deflect and the supporting defense just wasn't there.  Which would end up being the case again in the second half when the Card gave up its second goal of the match in the final 10 minutes of play.    The third KU goal was scored when Floyd came out too far from the net and it rolled right into to close the door for a Cardinals' comeback.   

It felt great to be up 1-0 on the #7 Jayhawks there for a minute.  The Jayhawks possessed the ball much of the time offensively.  They totaled 17 shots with 7 of them on goal.  Floyd made 4 saves in the match.   The Cards only managed 6 shots, 3 of them on goal.  KU had 10-0 edge on shots in the final 10 minutes of play.  

Louisville finished the season 13-5-3 overall, their most wins in a single season since 2019. The Cardinals advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 and made it to the second round for the third time in program history.

Volleyball

Photo: Jared Anderson

Louisville is on the road at Georgia Tech for a Friday night clash with the Yellow Jackets.

Georgia Tech volleyball is 15-10 on the season and 10-6 in the ACC. For some reason, they are coming off two back to back sweeps of the Clemson Tigers as the two played home and away over the past week.

GT hasn't won more than 1 set on a ranked team all season.

Anna Fiedorowicz earned Freshman of the week honors for the first time. In the first meeting with Clemson she had with 16 kills along with a career high .500 attack percentage as well as a career high three solo blocks. In the recent match between with the Tigers, she finished with a team high 28 kills, averaged 4.67 kills per set, at a .479 attack percentage along with 13 digs, two assists, and one service ace.

Also for GT, Mimi Mambu leads in kills (258) while Fiedorowicz just behind her with with 213 kills. Bianca Garibaldi owns a team high .417 attack percentage, good for a third place ACC ranking and a 19th place national ranking. DeAndra Pierce joins Garibaldi in the rankings for attack percentage as her .394 attack percentage ranks her fifth in the ACC.


You can watch it on the ACCNX at 7p.m.

As Always,
Go Cards 
~Daryl