Soccer, Field Hockey sweep on Sunday

MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE PRESENTS:

-Field Hockey blanks the Golden Bears

-Soccer successful at St. Louis

-Angel & Dream drop a close one

-Hammond to decide this weekend?

Two wins for Cardinals on Sunday. Soccer took to the road and scored a 2-0 win at St. Louis. Taylor Vancil (pictured left) netted her fourth shutout of the season and Louisville goes to a record 6-0 on the season. It didn't come easy for the Cards, though. The teams played to a scoreless first half tie...despite Louisville holding an advantage on shots (8-4) and shots on goals (3-2). It took till the 63rd. minute of play before Caitlin Rehder broke thru the stout Billiken defense and took a pass from Julie Casselman to boot one home. The Cards added an insurance goal later when freshman Christine Exeter nailed one home long range past SLU goalie Katie Walsh.

The #18 Cards return home to begin BIG EAST play on Thursday against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Game time is 7 p.m. at Cardinal Park.

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Field Hockey improved to 4-2 Sunday with a 2-0 win over California at Trager Stadium. Erin Conrad, Louisville goalie (pictured top right) got her 2nd shutout of the season and had two big saves in the first half on penalty corners. Louisville broke open a defensive struggle in the 22nd minute when Tuli Lim took a feed from Karah Nall and smacked a drive past the California goalie to put the Cards on the board. Eight minutes later, Erin Schneidtmiller corralled a pass from Nicole Youman and popped one in from the right side of the net for the final score of the game.

Louisville had opportunities to increase the lead in the final half, outshooting the Golden Bears 8-2 but could not get one past the stiff California defense or goalie Haleh Nourani...who had four saves. Conrad played flawless defense at the goal for Louisville and protected the net for #11 Louisville...successfully defending six Golden Bear shots.

Louisville returns to action Friday night in Trager to begin BIG EAST play against Georgetown.

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Angel McCoughtry missed a desperation three pointer as time expired and Atlanta dropped the first game of the WNBA finals to Seattle 79-77 Sunday afternoon. The visiting Dream had tied the contest with a minute to go when Iziane Castro-Marquez nailed a three...but Sue Bird connected on a foul line jumper with three seconds remaining to give the Storm the lead.

Atlanta started slowly...trailing 22-9 in the first quarter...before a Coco Miller led 21-6 run in the second quarter put the Dream ahead 30-28. The teams hit the locker room tied at 39, thanks to a Castro-Marquez three at the buzzer. McCoughtry, whistled for three fouls in the first quarter, watched the second quarter from the Dream bench. Seattle's Lauren Jackson, who finished with a game high 26 points, led a Seattle charge in the third quarter that put them ahead by six at the end of three periods. Camille Little ended up with 18 points for the Storm and Bird contributed 14.

Angel and Iziane led the Dream with 19 points each and Sancho Lyttle ended with 10 points and 14 boards. A good crowd on hand for the one in the Key Arena...15,000 in attendance...impressive when you consider the NFL Seattle Seahawks were playing over at Qwest Field at the same time.

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It's getting close to decision day for Rockcastle County High School girls basketball star Sara Hammond. She's announced that she'll make up her mind between Louisville and Connecticut a couple of days after an in-home visit from UofL head coach Jeff Walz on Thursday. Hammond is considered the front runner for Miss Basketball in Kentucky and is ranked #12 in the nation by ESPN'S HoopGurlz recruiting service.

The downside? She's visited UConn this weekend. According to her, she's just went " to see what they have to say, visit the campus and see what they have to offer." She also commented that during her visit to Louisville over the Labor Day weekend..."It was the greatest weekend of my life. They really made me feel a part of the team. It was nothing but positive the whole time I was there. I was blown away by the arena and just really liked everything about the visit."

Think red, Sara. We have it on good authority you check out this site from time to time and we can only say that at Louisville you'll have a fanatical following, the finest practice and game facilities around and less than a 2 hour drive from home. Remember that you've been at rock star status the past several years here in the state and that honor will only continue to grow if you remain here. There are tons of middle school and grade school girls here in the Louisville and surrounding area that will be "rocking the Hammond jersey" during your four years here and there is a Panera Bread restaurant just 5 minutes from campus.

WE'VE been to the UConn campus and the football and basketball facilities. Nowhere near what the "Ville" offers. Continue creating the legend here...where your friends and parents can be a part of it.