TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE
Our illustrious staff columnist Sandy Walker grabs the Tide and harumphs in acknowledgement as she heads to the multiplex CARDINAL COUPLE laundry room/ orchestrial chamber/ late income tax filing center and stromboli bistro. It is Tuesday. Here's Sandy:
Volleyball falls in five sets to #11 Texas
Despite Lola Arslanbekova's season high 29 kills, Louisville Volleyball fell in five games to Texas last night in the KFC YUM! Center. The Cards played their hearts out in the 21-25, 25-18, 21-25, 26-24, 15-10 loss. We expect CARDINAL COUPLE correspondents Jeff McAdams and/or Jenny O'Bryan will have more on the loss in a future article. The VolleyCards go to 16-3 with the loss. About 5,000 attended the match. Timmy the Intern was ejected for handing out whoopie cushions to the season-ticket holders and telling them that they were "thunder sticks"...
As a follow to Jenny’s article about the YUM! Center I wanted to share a discovery I made this last week concerning the playing facility of Stanford University. A couple of other UL fans and I are fortunate to be able to attend the University of Conn. @ Stanford game scheduled for Maples Pavilion, which is their women’s and men’s regular home court. At first I was concerned that the best seats available to the general public were closer to the top of the arena than to the playing floor. That is until I was shocked to learn that the entire arena seats less than 7500 fans.
I had no idea that a historical premiere NCAA women’s basketball team plays in such a small arena with a fan base that does not average an attendance greater than 4,250 attendees which ranks as 22nd in the nation. I point this out for the purpose of making sure that Louisville fans never find that we are envious of a far away or well respected team’s situation. We absolutely are so very fortunate to have such an exciting team to watch that we drew the 2nd highest numbers of fans per game but that as fans we are also are able to enjoy our 60,000 sq. ft. arena and a place that many indicate as the best facility in the nation. Let’s take advantage of it again this year – and also remember to bring an extra fan to every game.
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September’s Big East Women’s Golf Player is Louisville’s Louisville’s sophomore Emily Haas. Emily is a Nicholasville, Ky native.
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| Emily Haas |
Last Tuesday the women’s golf team finished in ninth at the Johnie Imes Invitational. Update: Former University of Louisville women's golfer Sara-Maude Juneau has recently earned her LPGA Tour card. She finished No. 10 on the season-ending money list in the 2012 Volvik Race for the Card which gives her an exempt status for the 2013 LPGA Tour season. Juneau describes herself as a simple girl from a small town in Canada and says "I'm playing golf for a living, how can it get better?"
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SOCCER
Women’s Soccer student-athlete of the week is Angelika Uremovich.
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| Angelika Uremovich |
Also, for those of you who have signed up for Cards TV and watched Head Coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes weekly show... since last week, the Soccer team took away a 1-0 win (goal by Charlyn Corral) over Villanova and played to a 1-1 draw against 11th ranked Georgetown. Check out
The team does not play at home again until October 19. In the meantime they play Rutgers then Seton Hall on the 12th and 14th.
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BASKETBALL
RECRUITING
Jconline reports from Purdue source
http://php.jconline.com/blogs/mike/purdue-womens-basketball-recruiting-update/ that 2013 recruit Edwardsville, Ill., standout 6’1” power forward, Emmonnie Henderson, will decide between Purdue, Louisville, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.). Louisville is currently reported to be at the head of her list. Emmonnie responded to questions with ”I like Louisville. I like them all. I don’t know why. It’s all based on good feelings.” The good feelings from Louisville fans are mutual. She has been to Miami for an official visit, will be in West Lafayette on Oct. 12 and 13, Tennessee on Oct. 19-20 and Louisville on Oct. 26-27. She plans to be a team member of both basketball and track as she is the defending Class 3A state champion in the discus and won the shot put state title twice. Last reports indicate a school decision will occur before the end of the year.
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| Emmonnie Henderson |
http://php.jconline.com/blogs/mike/purdue-womens-basketball-recruiting-update/ that 2013 recruit Edwardsville, Ill., standout 6’1” power forward, Emmonnie Henderson, will decide between Purdue, Louisville, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.). Louisville is currently reported to be at the head of her list. Emmonnie responded to questions with ”I like Louisville. I like them all. I don’t know why. It’s all based on good feelings.” The good feelings from Louisville fans are mutual. She has been to Miami for an official visit, will be in West Lafayette on Oct. 12 and 13, Tennessee on Oct. 19-20 and Louisville on Oct. 26-27. She plans to be a team member of both basketball and track as she is the defending Class 3A state champion in the discus and won the shot put state title twice. Last reports indicate a school decision will occur before the end of the year.
Coach Walz spent last week traveling coast to coast – we believe visits occurred to Mercedes Russell and Emmonnie Henderson --- possibly also to others but I don’t have specific information. Fortunately we have the scholarships available so the more the merrier.
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TIP OFF LUNCHEON
Reminder: The basketball tip off luncheon is set for Tuesday October 23. Be sure to call and make your reservations for the noon start time on center court of the KFC YUM! Center. $30.00 tickets can be purchased by calling the U of L special events office at (502) 852-0706 or completing the form found at http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lou/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2012Luncheon.pdf. Jeff Walz is the featured speaker. Bill the Goat declined an offer to sing the National Anthem.
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NATIONAL RANKING
Lindy’s sports magazine has ranked Louisville women as number 6 in the nation with UK number 7. The December 2 UL-UK game at the KFC YUM! Center should be a match-up of national interest.
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ECKARD COLLEGE GAME
Halloween night (October 31) is the date our U of L women will match up with the St. Petersburg, Fl. Eckard College for its’s first exhibition game of the season. Eckard sophomore guard Kayla Bowlin will get the opportunity to be back in her home state of KY. whose hometown is Monticello.
There are some who have complained that the women’s pre-season games are too easy but I think this presents a great opportunity for Coach Walz to see all of his players in action while playing together in different combinations. If the schedule is light then we must presume that the coaching staff created the situation for a reason and the people on the outside looking in just need to come out and watch everyone have the opportunity to show their improved skills. THe BIG EAST will be plenty tough. Sometimes, you gotta ride downhill...
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CBS SPORTS NETWORK GAME BROADCASTS
This year the CBS sports network will continue its Big East women’s Tuesday night package. January 15 will feature U of L’s game with Connecticut. That’s great for folks who want to have a tape of the win or for those who can’t make it to Louisville for the game but the locals will be at the game packing the arena.
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VOLLEYBALL
On Sunday the VolleyCards sweep the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 25-20, 25-13, 25-18. Lola Arslanbekova had 20 kills and 14 digs and became the all-time kill career leader in school history. The KFC YUM! Center match was also a Pink Out Dig for the Cure day where the team sported special pink uniform tops. The Saturday Seton Hall and Sunday’s Rutgers wins bring Louisville to a 16-2 and 5-1 in Big East record.
The Cardinals are now No. 4 in the Ratings Percentage Index which is the highest in school history.
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KAITLYNN JAMES
A Courier Journal interview of Senior Kaitlynn James, both written and video at
http://buzztap.com/link.jsp?id=15693440&cid=304&source=feed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed includes her decision to transfer back to U of L after first playing for Nebraska. The Assumption High School graduate credits the hiring of Coach Anne Kordes for her decision to return to Louisville.
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FIELD HOCKEY
On Sunday the Field Hockey team pulled off an upset by defeating number 11 Iowa by a score of 2-1. Two freshmen team members helped pull off the win with Victoria Statton making her first career goal while Elisa Garcia scored her 5th career goal.
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CARDINAL COUPLE CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE UofL WOMENS' ATHLETE CONTEST
It does look like Becca Shine will advance to the round of eight after soundly thumping softball's Katie Keller in first round action. Congrats, Becca!
Our next matchup features top-seeded Shoni Schimmel against Krissie Brandenburg.
Krissie is one of the best on the UofL women's swimming and diving team. She was the 2009 Kentucky High School Girls Swimmer of the Year and has been selected All-BIG EAST three times in her days at Louisville.
Schimmel...you've probably heard of.
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CARDINAL COUPLE CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE UofL WOMENS' ATHLETE CONTEST
It does look like Becca Shine will advance to the round of eight after soundly thumping softball's Katie Keller in first round action. Congrats, Becca!
Our next matchup features top-seeded Shoni Schimmel against Krissie Brandenburg.
Schimmel...you've probably heard of.
.
..
...
Sandy W.
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Great atmosphere at Yum! last night. Cards are THAT close to being able to defeat these top teams.
ReplyDeleteHey Mike, I could not agree with you more. While the loss last night was heartbreaking, because you could see how hard the team was fighting and how much they wanted it, they will be a better team from having played and lost that game. Another month and a half of the season left...this team is continuing to grow, gel and get better. They have the very real potential to be a nightmare for teams in the tourney, especially if we end up hosting the first rounds. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that Anne Kordes will be taking this program to the top. How long it takes her to get there, is up for debate.
ReplyDeleteNot knowing the exact nature of how the volleyball tournament differs from basketball's big dance, I will use the analogy of basketball, because I am familiar with it. If this team loses before the E 8 I will be disappointed. If they make it to the F 4 I will not be shocked, thrilled but not shocked. They are that good and games like last night make them better prepared for post season play.
Caitlin Welch was amazing last night! I was so impressed with her. My libero playing daughter states that hitters tend to get all the glory, and I can see that. Lola had an incredible night. But Welch, WOW!! I hope she is ok, she took a tumble on the very last play of the game and looked to have hit her head. Anyone have any word on how she is? Jeff?
I think if mercedes signs it will start an avalanche if not we may be in trble.
ReplyDelete