CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDINAL COUPLE
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Friday, November 30, 2012

Friday Cardinal Couple -- Cards defeat Belmont 3-1 in NCAA 1st round

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FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Lola, Rucker lead Cards past Bemont 3-1

-Cards headed to a BCS Bowl!

The University of Louisville Volleyball team defeated Belmont 21-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-21 to advance to the 2nd round in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament Thursday night in the KFC YUM! Center.

It didn't come easy for Anne Kordes' squad.

Cards prepare to play
Belmont came out ready to give the Cards a battle from the opening serve. Knotted early, the OVC champs took a 11-9 lead over the Cards on a Allison McCoy kill. Louisville battled back, though and took a 15-12 lead after a kill by Tanya Lukyanenko. The Cards extended that lead to 20-16 after a Lola kill and Belmont needed a timeout.

The strategy worked. With Scarlet Gable serving, Belmont ran off eight straight points and had the Cards at set point. Emily Juhl's kill kept the Cards alive for one volley, but Belmont got a kill from Jocelyn Youngdahl to take game one 25-21.

Kaitlynn James serving
Belmont remained on fire to start game two and led 5-1 early, thanks in part to three Louisville attack errors. The Cards came back to tie it at 5-5, though and the game was still close at 15-15 when Lola went to work.

Three straight Lola kills and it was 18-15. Belmont called a timeout. This time, the strategy didn't have as much success, the Cards extending that lead to 21-16 after another Lola kill. Kaitlynn James ended the set with a kill on a nice feed from Hannah Kvitle to take the second game 25-19 and tie the match at 1-1. Lola had eight kills in the second game.


Gwen Rucker serves
After the break, UofL and Belmont got engaged in another nail biter. Neither team could gain a clear advantage and the contest was even at 13-13 before four Belmont attack errors helped the Cards grab a 20-15 advantage. Three more Belmont miscues had the Cards at 23-17 and kills from Tanya and Lola ended it. Cards 25-18 and up 2-1 in games.

The rowdy Belmont students and the girl who saved my
life (deflecting a kill headed directly toward my head). 
Once again, the early stages of the next and final game were tooth and nail. Louisville took an 8-8 tie to a 15-10 lead after Gwen Rucker aced a serve. Although Belmont would climb back within three at 21-18, Gwen's kill put the Cards up by four, a Belmont attack error made it 23-18 Cards and Lola's kill had the Cards at match point 24-19. Belmont would not go quietly, though. Two straight Gable kills made it 24-21. A service error ended it, though and Louisville rejoiced with a 25-21 triumph.

Lola had 19 kills for the Cards and Gwen Rucker added 13 for the victorious Cards. Together they produced 32 of the 55 UofL kills for the match. Rucker added seven blocks and Caitlin Welch led a balanced Cardinal dig effort with 19.
The Cards hit .214 against the pesky Belmont squad.

Caitlin Welch, Gwen Rucker and Anne Kordes
address the media after the win.
2782 in attendance Thursday night in the KFC YUM! Center and Louisville advances to Friday night 2nd round action to face Michigan, who defeated Tennessee earlier in the day 3-2.

Coach Kordes was effusive in her praise for the scrappy Belmont squad in post games remarks and spoke about the tough match ahead against the tough BIG 10 squad. She was also philisophical about the Cards having to go to Berkeley, CA instead of West Lafayette, IN. if they get past the Wolverines tonight.

In Anne's hire, Tom Jurich has put another one deep over the fence and touched all the bases. She exudes confidence, gives great post-game summations and recaps, answers questions with detailed knowlege, and...oh, yeah...she's a darn good volleyball coach as well. 

Game time Friday night is 7:30. We think you should go.

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An incredible, come-from-behind effort by Louisville Football Thursday night at Rutgers -- falling behind 14-3 to the Scarlet Knights but fighting back to win 20-17. John Wallace's field goal with 1:41 to go gave the Cards the BIG EAST title and the Cards will be heading to a BCS Bowl. The guess here is the Orange Bowl, with the Sugar Bowl a possibility.

Teddy Brigdewater, gutting it out with a broken wrist, bum knee and ankles. Hats off to you, sir! In the words of Rocky..."I didn't hear no bell, Tommy!".

We recommend Charlie Springer's excellent read on this donnybrook. The link for Charlie's site -- Card Game-- is below.

Louisville going Bowling!


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19 comments:

  1. A great week so far....membership in the ACC, an NCAA tourney volleyball win, two nice women's basketball wins and a BCS bowl. Now let's cap it off with a VolleyCard win over Michigan and a win over UK on Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And for completeness, let's not forget Men's soccer is playing Maryland tomorrow night to get into the College World Cup.

      I'm worried. If the UofL Athletic Department gets any more good news, the place may just pop.

      Delete
  2. We've been getting "great cards" lately, to use an old card player's terminology. Let's
    hope the dealer keeps sending them our way. Michigan will be tough tonight. Big, aggressive and out of the mighty BIG TEN. The Cats worry the heck out of me. Not much gone from the team that handled us fairly easily last year in Lexington.

    WE NEED A HUGE CROWD in the KFC YUM! Center Sunday. and, we need you there early.

    Paulie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Will also be there early. Interested to hear what Nell Fortner has to say in the KFC YUM! lobby before the game. Get there early, Cardinal fans. Supposedly, bus loads of UK fans are heaed this way to pollute the KFC YUM! lobby.

      Carolyn

      Delete
    2. yes we are coming in busloads and will head back to lexington with a win over the tards. this site sucks.

      matthew mitchell for governor

      Delete
    3. OK.
      Normally I'd delete this crude and mean comment faster than John Calipari can slip a benjamin to one of his basketball players...but I'm going to leave it up as a prime exanple of the jealousy and narrow-minded thinking of some UK fans.

      Here's a relevation for you matthew mitchell for governor. UofL is stepping to new heights. UK stoops.

      Make sure and tell us how that butthead on cheese sandwich you'll be eating Sunday night around 9 p.m. tastes...buh bye kitty.

      Paulie

      Delete
  3. I am hopeful UofL marketing is all over this, but...
    Pull the rowdy football crowd in on Sunday with the football team ( and hopefully a winning volleyball team, shoot, soccer too if they can make it home that quick) and have a "bowl berth watch party" at the YUM following the WBB game. Darn near perfect timing to lead from one to the other with a 6:00 tip and an 8:30 bowl announcement show. Yes?

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's a great idea and we suspect UofL has some type of game plan to encompass the football win and the UofL vs. UK WBB game. It certainly beats our idea of having Russ Smith and Peyton Siva greet everyone at the door Sunday night and hand out Kit Kat bars.

    Paulie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Eat the Kats, beat the Cats". Paulie, you're a stinkin' genius.

      --Joe Hill--

      Delete
  5. hey paulie u suck too. who is that dog in the picture with u in the cardinal couple picture. or are u the dog standing with frankenstein?

    matthew mitchell for governor

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...he drinks bitterly from a cup overflowing with the rancid taste of jealousy. This wee little man stans alone between fear and frustration. Resigned to being the doormat for the privledged...he can only mutter unintelligably in mono-syballic, primal grunts while the evolved snicker and deposit their waste on his pitiful frame...

      Good night now.

      Paulie

      Delete
    2. Paulie, that is Pulitzer Prize material! You go, boy!

      Your pal Soloman

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
  6. Hey! How about those Cards! L1C4, baby! It is great to be a Cardinal fan. The best college sports town around! C-A-R-D-S!

    Curtis Franklin

    ReplyDelete
  7. Who knows and can help me with the best parking areas around the KFC YUM! Center and cost? Coming in from Lexington for the UofL/UK game and I am not real familiar with the Louisville downtown area. Thanks. Your site is a great read. Pay no attention, please, to some of our idiot fans. All programs have them. Ours just seem to stand out.

    Clifford G.
    Lexington, KY

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The YUM! Center has underground parking or across the street has garage parking with an inside ped way over the street between so you do not need to bring your coats from the car. Either location is $5.00 for the event. Several other parking areas surrounding the arena with more than enough spaces available - Parking guides providing guidance throughout the area.

      Delete
  8. NELL ON WHEELS - COME JOIN THE FILMING AT THE YUM LOBBY AT 5:00 PM BEFORE THE UK GAME

    Coach Nell Fortner is bringing her game day show, "Nell On Wheels" to the Bluegrass! Catch the Coach & ESPN Analyst, along with some very special guests this Sunday, Dec 2nd at the Yum Center in Louisville for the big match up between #7 Louisville and #9 Kentucky.

    Nell On Wheels will be set up and begin pre-game activities in the main lobby of Yum at 5pm. Come and join in the fun as Nell and her guests talk hoops news, views and much more.

    For more information, you can follow on Twitter @NellOnWheels or online atwww.nellonwheels.com

    Sandy W

    ReplyDelete

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