Volleyball defeats Austin Peay

SUNDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE:

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-Volleyball downs the Govs

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-McCurty begins season

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-Pitino's Cards quiet the Thundering Herd

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In a match between the winners of the Big East and Ohio Valley conferences Saturday at Cardinal Arena, Louisville defeated Austin Peay 3-1. It was also Senior Day for the Louisville volleyball team and players Lindsey Mango, Amanda Simmons and manager Jessica Nord were honored.

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Both teams have qualified for the NCAA Championship Tournament and will find out who their first round opponents will be Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

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Yesterday could be considered a tune up match for the "big dance" and both teams played with the fervor of a championship game. The opponents battled back and forth in game one...tied at seven and Louisville finally going on a 7-3 run late to take a 23-17 lead. The Cards closed out the first match 25-19. Simmons had five kills for the Cards.

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Austin Peay wasn't read to toss in the towel, though and came back in the second game and built leads of 7-4, 14-7, 19-11 and 21-15 before taking the game 25-18.

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After the break, Louisville came out strong in game three and led 4-2 but the Governors

regained a 5-4 lead. The Cards went ahead to stay with a 4-1 run, though. Austin Peay would battle back and erase a four point Louisville lead to tie the game at 22. Lola Arslanbeckova slammed home the Cards final three points and Louisville squeaked by 25-23.

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In the final game, Louisville broke loose from an early 8-8 tie to score eight straight points and build a commanding 16-8 lead. They held on, despite a Lady Govs run that tightened the match at 23-21, to win 25-21.

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Arslanbeckova led the Cards with 17 kills, Emily Juhl had 13 and Simmons had eight blocks.

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Louisville 2011-12 women's basketball verbal Quaneisha McCurty began her season down at Dalton (GA) High School with a 10 point, 10 rebound effort in a 70-36 rout of Kennesaw Mountain. McCurty decided to skip the November signing period and is playing her first year of hoops for Dalton after having been at Northwest high school the previous three years.

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Other Cardinal member of the 2011-12 incoming freshman class, Rockcastle County's Sara Hammond begins her season November 30th. against Wayne County. We'll keep you up to date on both future Cardinal's efforts this season.

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A nice second half yesterday for the UofL Men's basketball team over a stubborn Marshall Thundering Herd bunch. Louisville saw a 11 point first half lead evaporate yesterday in the YUM Center and trailed by one at the half. The Cards used a 21-4 run early in the final half to secure the lead and won 80-66.

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-Love the way Steven VanTreese spurred Louisville with two thunderous dunks and a layup early in the final half. The guy is all heart, all hustle.

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-Good minutes for "Bullet" (Rick Pitino's nickname for guard Elisha Justice) 10 points and good point guard play for the freshman. No fear here in this guy.

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-Gorgui Dieng will be really something once he learns the Cardinal playbook. Went to the

boards strong in limited minutes yesterday for Louisville and displayed a sweet mid range jumper.

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-Terrence Jennings a swatting machine yesterday with six blocks to go with his eight points. The Cards still need to get busy on the defensive boards, though...allowing way too many second chance baskets by the Herd.