Add another to the professional ranks -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

KAYLIN MORISSETTE SELECTED FOR U.W.L.L.'s PHILADELPHIA FORCE

After four excellent years with the UofL Lacrosse team, mid-fielder Kaylin Morissette has been added to the United Women's Lacrosse League's Philadelphia Force squad. It is the inaugural season for the four team league...a league with roots in the hotbed of high school lacrosse...with teams in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Long Island and Boston.

Each squad will have 17 players and three reserves and will play weekly...the action started over the weekend and will go through the end of July. 

Philadelphia head head Missy Doherty joins the team after guiding her Penn State squad to the Final Four of the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament. The Nittany Lions were a bit of surprise to reach the last four...but knocked off Florida and Penn to get there. UNC won the 2016 Championship over Maryland. 

Morissette lives by the initials "DBS". She writes them on the inside of her wrist before each game.

Don't be selfish. Kay explains: 

" I need to stay mentally checked in. If I take myself out of the game emotionally...I'm hurting the chances of my team. I'm just making sure I stay accountable to my teammates." 

May the "Force" be with you in Philly, Kay! 


USA U 18 WOMEN'S TEAM SELECTED

Although they were invited to the camp of 30 players competing for the 12 spots on the USA U 18 squad, neither Kylee Shook nor Ciera Johnson were selected for the squad. 

Jeannie Boehm (2016) (Harvard), Rellah Booth (2017), Chennedy Carter (2017), Sidney Cooks (2017), Lauren Cox (2016) (Baylor), Crystal Dangerfield (2016) (UConn), Tyasha Harris (2016) South Carolina, Ruthie Hebard (2016) (Oregon), Valerie Higgins (2016) USC, Amber Ramirez (2016) (TCU), Megan Walker (2017) and Evina Westbrook (2017) are the 12 that Suzie McConnell-Serio (Pitt) will coach.

An interesting mix of players...Cox and Dangerfield return from the 2015 squad that Jeff Walz was an assistant on....with six college freshmen and six high-school seniors.

Best of luck to them in international competition. 

paulie
xxxxx



  

Monday Cardinal Couple - Volleyball Returns

Volleyball Returns

The UofL Volleyball team is winging their way back to Louisville, having spent a week and a half touring part of Europe.

Twelve players went, five countries were visited: Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, and The Czech Republic.  Six volleyball matches were played, and most were lost by the Cards because that's kinda the point of these trips, to play teams better than you are to get better.  In the realm of uncountable we have: bowls of gelato eaten, stores shopped in, selfies taken, "L"'s hoisted, and Instagram and Facebook pictures posted.  And one ferry boat crewman rescued after falling into the water of a lake after sustaining serious injury by being hit by a car.

This trip has been an amazing opportunity for the participants, and you can definitely tell from the pictures and accounts being sent back via social media and the Volleyball blog on the GoCards website. 

Traveling to Europe provides an awesome sense of perspective to your life, and to your understanding of history.  The chance to play against several great teams in Europe as foils to improve the Cards play, and the extra practices that the team was allowed prior to the trip will certainly be a help come late August and September when the Volleyball regular season begins. 

Volleyball is one of the most intricate team sports around, with players relying on each other to a greater degree than in most sports.  Spending a week and a half seeing sights together, helping each other navigate in locations where you don't speak the native language, cheering each other as you push through the various challenges of international travel, supporting each other through the exhaustion of a week and a half of always being on the go and moving from place to place, and experiencing the fulfillment of the experiences that you all have together, no doubt has made this group of young women into a real team. 

This was already a close-knit and mutually supportive team, but a trip like this can only enhance that.  The extra practice and competition gives the team and coaching staff the chance to try out new lineups and rotations, to see how the different players react in different roles (Maggie DeJong as an outside hitter rather than a middle? It might happen.  Gabbie Wiley in the front row swinging?  You'll likely see that this year.  A 6-2 offense?  Your author has high hopes.)

Cardinal Volleyball has their first public event on August 20th, the annual Red and Black scrimmage at Cardinal Arena.  This is a free event and is always enjoyable.  This is a great opportunity to come and see the new players on the team (we have three freshmen, and a transfer that joined the team in January), get a chance to see some players that maybe don't see as much playing time normally out on the court, and start to familiarize yourself with the team for the year.  The season starts the next week, on the 26th, on the road at Bowling Green, OH.  The first home matches are September 2nd and 3rd at Cardinal arena for the Active Ankle challenge, with Santa Clara, Stony Brook, and Auburn making the visit.  It looks to be a great year for the Volleyball team.

THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

Our show from Saturday is available for listening on the Crescent Hill Radio SoundCloud or at the link below. As we wind into the months before the Fall seasons, we plan on taking you some great places with appearances and interviews with some of the people associated with UofL women's sports that you may be very familiar with but are essential to the operations and success of the programs.  

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-20160528


The Kellie Young Interview, Handicapping Heroes and the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports. Another 60 minutes of radio as it ought to be.

-JMcA

E qualifies for NCAA Championships in Shot Put...The CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FIRST OFF...

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to our readers! While your at your picnics, grilling out, enjoying time with friends and family or just some time off...while your chilling please remember that it is a holiday to remember those who did while serving in our nation's armed forces...and a time to give thanks for them and all that have served and defended our nation. 

Some gave all. All gave some. Thank you.


HENDERSON QUALIFIES FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SHOT PUT.

A day after qualifying in the discus, Emmonnie Henderson has made the list of 24 that will participate in the shot put in the NCAA Championships in Eugene, OR. 

Her toss of 16.49m (54-1 ft.) was seventh best in the NCAA East Preliminaries in Jacksonville, FL. She's the only UofL women's student-athlete to qualify to the championships.

Henderson also qualified for both events last year and finished 16th. in the shot put and third in the discus. 


THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

Our archived broadcast of Saturday's THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR is now available for listening on the Crescent Hill Radio Soundcloud. Link below:

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-20160528

We featured our interview with Louisville Lacrosse head coach Kellie Young and a segment of Handicapping Heroes..a look at Saturday racing at Churchill Downs. 

The prognosticators did provide a couple of exactas at Churchill on what turned out to be a very challenging card. Archie and I lined out the late Pick 3 for the listeners...our attempts at a Pick 4 were thwarted by a long-shot we overlooked in Race 8.

Handicapping Heroes, thanks to listeners' requests, will stand "on its own" starting next week and will follow THE CARDINAL COUPE RADIO HOUR for a half-hour starting at noon on Saturdays. 

paulie
xxxxx

Emmonnie Henderson qualifies for NCAA Championships in Discus -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

HENDERSON'S BEST TOSS OF SEASON PUTS HER IN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Emmonnie Henderson started the day of NCAA preliminary qualifying events in Jacksonville, FL with her best toss of the season...sending the discus 54.18m/177.9 to finish in seventh place in the event...which qualified her for the NCAA Championships. Her toss was five meters behind the leading toss of the day...by Kellion Knibb (Florida State). The top twelve finishers qualified for the finals in Eugene, OR June 8-11th.

Henderson will compete in the shot put today...which is scheduled to begin around 3:30 p.m. at the North Florida Field. 

It's the second year in a row that Henderson has qualified for the NCAA Championships in the discus and keeps her dreams alive for making the USA Olympic team. 

RADIO ON WCHQ 100.9 FM

We have a great show planned for you today on The CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR. We have our exclusive interview with Louisville Lacrosse head coach Kellie Young, another segment of Handicapping Heroes where we'll look at today's Churchill Downs races with prognosticators Archie Karel and Scott Harris and cover track and field, basketball, volleyball and more! 

11 a.m. is go time...join us at WCHQ 100.9 FM or at the link below:

www.crescenthillradio.com


paulie
xxxxx

Louisville WBB faces early test in Maryland -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS AND TERPS TO MEET IN BIG 10/ACC MATCHUP

Jeff Walz and the Louisville Cardinals women's basketball squad will get an early test when they face Maryland in the KFC YUM! Center for the BIG 10/ACC challenge on Thursday, Dec 1st. 

Few of us will forget the last time these two hooked up...the 2014 Elite Eight in The YUM!...when Louisville staged a furious comeback to just fall short to the Terps 76-73, which ended the Cards season. 

This will be the first time the two have met in the regular season...Maryland holding a 2-1 advantage in the post-season match-ups. It was Maryland's departure from the ACC that paved the way for the Cards to join the conference. Louisville and Maryland also hold the first two legs of horse racing's triple crown...The Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. These, of course, are not held on campus...but the Louisville campus boarders Churchill Downs and UM's campus is a mere 40 minutes from Pimlico.

Walz spent 2002-2007 as an assistant and associate coach on Maryland head coach Brenda Frese's staff before accepting the Louisville head coaching position. The Cards ran over the Turtles 77-60 during Walz's second season at The 'Ville in an Elite Eight game. Frese turned the tables in 2012...knocking the Cardinals out of the dance in the second round of the tournament. 

Back for the Terps are talented seniors Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (19.5/6.0) and Brionna Jones (15.2/9.8) from a squad that went 31-4 and won the Big 10 title for the second year in a row before falling to Washington in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It also opens the door for an announcer's nightmare match-up of Brionna Jones guarding Brianna Jones.

SWK will make you pay...

The Terps have height...six players that are over 6'2"...that will give Louisville's inside game a stiff challenge. Frese has had some recent coaching staff changes...none of her assistant have been with her more than 3 years...and both squads are making noise in the way-too-early ESPN pre-season rankings that have Louisville second and Maryland seventh. 

Maryland is also bringing in one of the best recruiting classes for 2016 in Frese's history...with 5'7" Destiny Slocum, 6'2" Stephanie Jones, 5'11" Kaila Charles, 6'6" Jenna Staiti, 5'10" Sarah Myers and 6'0" Blair Watson...all ESPN top 50 ranked. The class is ranked #1 for 2016 by ESPN. Louisville's 2016 class is ranked #5. 

6'6" JENNA STAITI will test Cards front line. 

14 games will be played over two days in the Challenge. Some other interesting match-ups include Notre Dame going to Iowa, Florida State visiting Minnesota, Duke heading to Rutgers and Syracuse hosting Michigan State. 

Fireworks early for the Cards...who used a ACC/BIG 10 Challenge game last season at Michigan State to get a win over the then top 20 Spartans to turnaround a slow start to the Louisville season. 

paulie
xxxxx

The Kellie Young Interview -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

LACROSSE KEEPS CLIMBING THE LADDER OF SUCCESS

The Louisville Lacrosse squad recently completed the 2016 season with another NCAA appearance, their third consecutive, under Kellie Young...who has been the LAX Cards head coach for nine seasons. Paulie checked in with Coach Young Wednesday to review the season and her illustrious career at Louisville. 

The entire interview can be heard on Saturday morning on THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR on Crescent Hill Radio at 11 a.m. Here are some of the excerpts: 

CARDINAL COUPLE:  You've just finished your ninth season, you've been here actually 11 years...does it seem like that long to you? 

KELLIE YOUNG: Time has passed really, really quickly. Having my two girls since I've been here...yes, it does feel like it's been that long but when I'm thinking about the team, no...maybe four or five years...but it's been a pretty neat process to watch us go from infancy to competing in the NCAA Tournament, so hopefully we'll just keep getting bigger and stronger. 

CARDINAL COUPLE: You came down at the end of the 2006 season, had a year of planning and in 2008, your opening game...you've got 20 freshmen and four transfers from Ohio University...you just kind of had to think to yourself...what did I get myself into?

KELLIE YOUNG: The building of the squad, that first year...yes, there was a lot of 'What's going on?' but the commitment of those players to Louisville, to our vision as a coaching staff..a great staff that had been with me at my former job at James Madison...helped us build and we grew really strong leadership in that first class. That helped us in those third and fourth years and we started to succeed in our drive to success. 

CARDINAL COUPLE: Getting to the season, kind of a tale of two seasons for you. You start out, you're 12-1, fifth in the nation...and you suffer what I'd call an astronomical injury when your goalie goes down...you end up 12-6...break this season down the way you're looking at it now...about two weeks after its' ended.

KELLIE YOUNG: As a staff we're always raising the bar, so we're disappointed on how it ended. The Tewaaraton Trophy is awarded to the best lacrosse player in the country, so it's similar to the Heisman in football and [ Louisville goalkeeper] Brittany Read had just been added to that list as one of the best goalkeepers in the country so she was absolutely anchoring our defense...so that was a big loss, but I think it was more of an emotional loss for the team. Kelly came in and gave us a shot to keep playing and made some great plays but the team struggled to overcome the loss of Brittany and to get their minds back on track. And, it coincided with our entering the second toughest part of our season, we're facing #3 and #6 and it just keeps on going, so it was a challenge to overcome. We lose by one to Virginia, we're within one of Syracuse...so we're in them all...but emotionally, it was a damper on us. We need to overcome that next year. 

CARDINAL COUPLE: You also said goodbye to five excellent seniors. It's got to be a mixed blessing...your glad to see them go out into the world but it's awfully hard to see them go. 

KELLIE YOUNG: Absolutely. They all impacted us in different ways. Kay Morissette was a huge presence for us on our drives and getting possession,Cortnee Daley as a leader and attacking force this year. For Kelly Gerding and Courtney Boyd, we really got the best out of them. Kelly came in as a mid-fielder, transitioned into a defender and then became an attacker. She doubled her points for us this year. Boyd and Blair Bernhardt were in starting positions on our defensive end. They were the last couple of kids in their class that we recruited, looked inside to see what they wanted their careers to look like and really made an emphasis this year. They were a special group. Unfortunately, you have to let go of them and I'm excited about what they're going to do in their lives. They're great and strong independent women that are going to do great things. 

CARDINAL COUPLE: Now that the season is over, what is the next phase of your job? 

KELLIE YOUNG: The next phase is prepping for next year, trying to think of what didn't go great, reviewing what went well and we need to continue. Next week I head up to the All-American banquet and then go out recruiting right after that. The staff is out at the National Tournament and then they'll be bopping about all over the country finding the next wave of Cardinals. 

- What felt like a "knife in the back" to Coach Young? 

- Who are some of the players that will lead Louisville next year?

- Which local high school player headed to Louisville was Young excited to watch in the state finals? 

- What goes on in a Lacrosse camp? 

- How does Louisville Lacrosse handle community service?

- How did Faye Brust create opportunity out of injury? 

For the answers to these questions and more...be sure to catch the rest of this excellent interview Saturday on the CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR. 

www.crescenthillradio.com


paulie
xxxxx

Coaching changes and additions in WBB -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

STEPHANIE WHITE AT VANDY THE RIGHT MOVE

MELANIE BAUCOMB

As of a couple of years ago, the thought of Melanie Baucomb ever leaving Vanderbilt would have drawn a raised eyebrow from me...and many basketball analysis. Not that I consider myself to be a basketball analysis, but she had a good thing going in Nashville and was producing. 310-149 isn't anything to sneeze about. You're winning two out of every three games you coach. How many coaches would snub a 26-13 season if offered to them before the season began? 

Things change. 

After a 15-16 season in 2014-15 and 18-14 mark for the Dores in 2015-16...with no NCAA appearances...there were rumblings that it might be time for a change in Music City. 

STEPHANIE WHITE

Baucomb spared herself the embarrassment of a possible firing by stepping down on April 27th. After 14 years at the SEC school, she indicated that she wanted to spend some time with her family. She also left the door open for a return to another hiring down the road. After all, you can only spend so much time with family before you start second-guessing coaching decision on televised games you're viewing, right? 

The nationwide search for a replacement didn't take that long. Stephanie White was brought on-board to take the reigns and decided to bring ESPN analyst and former national champion coach Carolyn Peck with her as an assistant. 

CAROLYN PECK

White, an excellent player in her own right and having success with the WNBA Indiana Fever, is a splendid choice for Vanderbilt. They'll have the #6 nationally ranked recruiting class to work with coming in. She'll also have the three leading scorers from last year's squad in Christa Reed, Rachel Bell and Rebekah Dahlman returning for their junior seasons.

Should her fellow SEC Coaches be worried? Maybe not this upcoming season, it takes time to set and convince a team on your philosophy and style and there can be bumps in the road...but, beginning in 2017, the 'Dores could very possibly return to the top echelon of SEC WBB. 


UK ADDS LIN DUNN TO WBB STAFF

If Matthew Mitchell is looking to bolster his coaching staff in case he doesn't survive the UK fiasco...or if he wants a few highly regarded second opinions...he's doing quite well in the hiring process. 

Add Lin Dunn to the roster as an assistant for the Cats. Dunn came out of retirement to head to Lexington and help Mitchell reassemble Humpty-Dumpty and if there's anyone who has experienced the X's and O's...it would be her. 

25 years in college for Miami (FL), Ole Miss, Austin Peay and Purdue. Seven NCAA appearances and one Final Four trip. Head Coach of the WNBA's Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever. 

You might say that...if there's anyone who has seen the game of women's basketball from every imaginable aspect possible, would you please raise your hand?...Dunn's hand would be one of the first in the air. That much coaching experience is an asset. Anywhere. 

And, with her hire, it's doubtful she'll be coming in to replace White at Indiana. 

Mitchell is assembling some nice collectibles to assist him in re-filling the curio cabinet at UK. He needs to do a bit of work on the shelf that will store players...and just how much identification will today's players have with the venerable Dunn?...but, as of now,...at least he's brought to Lexington a group of coaches and staff in Dunn, Amber Smith, Kyra Elzy and Niya Butts that would make any dinner table conversation a lively one. 

paulie
xxxxx



  

As WNBA season starts...Cards have two in the fray -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

McCOUGHTRY, SCHIMMEL PLAY ON

For those of us who can't get enough of women's basketball, the attention turns now to the WNBA. With their 20th anniversary, the league stays steady with 12 teams, a new location and many of the same stars from last season.

For Angel and Shoni, it's a contrast in prospective seasons. #35 will have a busy summer, leading the Atlanta Dream (or the Atlanta Angels..as we like to refer to them) back from last season's disappointing finish. Then, it's the Olympics in Rio for the Cards all-time leading scorer.

Her scenario has changed a bit in Atlanta...with Shoni departed for New York, center Erika de Souza playing for the Chicago Sky and several point guards...including UT's Meghan Simmons...looking to fill the role of Shoni. Cardinal fans will remember Reshanda Gray and Layshia Clarendon from California...they're helping lead the Dream to a 2-1 record so far. Tiffany Hayes remains at "2" guard and is the second scoring option behind Angel. 

Shoni has taken her act to the Big Apple and is settling in with the New York Liberty...who made a nice run in the WNBA Playoffs last season. She's seen limited time so far in the new role but did have one of the top five plays of the week for the Liberty...a nice running, stop-and-pop three pointer that got the Madison Square Garden crowd fired up. 

Tina Charles and Sugar Rodgers are the straws stirring the drink currently for big Bill Laimbeer and a very good assistants Katie Smith and Herbie Williams. The Liberty is 2-1 also...and will face the Dream in Madison Square Garden this morning at 11 a.m. playing in a School Day at the Garden promotion. 

We'll keep our eyes on the two as the season progresses. Will Shoni be able to amp up her playing time? Will Angel continue to be one of the best 10 WNBA players? Are your interests with the Indiana Fever? And why didn't the Dream (or anyone) come to the KFC YUM! Center this season to play an exhibition?




paulie
xxxxx

Monday Cardinal Couple

Golf Back in the Clubhouse

Olivia Cason, the lone member of the Women's Golf squad to qualify for the NCAA championship finished her rounds yesterday.

Cason scored an even par on the last round to finish out the competition with a total of four over.  That scores is good for a tie for 45th in the overall competition.  For comparison, the best score was by Virginia Elena Carta from Duke with a 13 under.  2nd place was 7 under scored by three players.  Even par would've earned you a tie for 15th.

Olivia, as a reminder, is a freshman, so there should be great things ahead for this young woman and this Cardinal Golf team.

Volleyball Trip Update

Last week I reported on the trip that the Volleyball squad was taking to Europe to play, practice,
sightsee, and shop.

The trip is underway at this point, (maybe a little less than halfway), and the VolleyCards have done some of all of the above.  As I reported Saturday on the radio show, the trip hasn't been without some incidents, though everyone associated with the Cardinal squad is fine.  More about that below.

The Wide-Netters flew into Milan, Italy, after an odd couple of connections via Atlanta, and JFK in NYC.  A tour of Milan was undertaken that day with some absolutely wonderful pictures coming across various social media sites from the beautiful city, and then I suspect a fairly early bedtime thanks to jetlag.  The 2nd day saw a trip outside Milan to Lake Como, location of the original Hotel Bellagio, and another steady stream of stunning pictures on social media.  A little bit of a scare here as the team came across the lake on a ferry, and after docking, one of the crewmen on the ferry got hit by a car right at the waterfront.  The car had him sandwiched between itself and the railing at the edge of the dock.  The crewman fell over the railing and into the water.  The Cardinal trainer, Sarah Kasprow, along with the tour guide Federica, and Coach Kordes brother John, all immediately jumped into the water to render assistance and help get the crewman lifted back up out of the water and on short.  The folks rendering aid were all fine, but the crewman did have some fairly significant injuries, with a broken leg, and some other injuries to his arm and head.  He is expected to recover well, though.

The next day was back in Milan for a day of shopping.  The Cards did get their workout in for the day, however, with a 15 minutes sprint across downtown Milan to just barely make it back for the last train of the day back to the training facility where the team is staying.  The team covered, in 15 minutes, what I'm told is typically a 40 minute walk, and keep in mind that they weren't in athletic attire for a day of shopping, and "ancient European city" probably can be translated to, "cobblestones."

The Cards travelled, this morning, to Bled, Slovenia where they will get a half day of spa time, and more Volleyball playing later.


THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR

The latest broadcast of The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour is available for listening on the SoundCloud at Crescent Hill Radio or by going to the link below:

LINK:
THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR 5/21/16

A broadcast that covered a wide variety of things...including interviews with Louisville Softball players Jordan McNary, Lillie Goetz, Michala Riggle, handicapper Scott Harris (who gave out some phenomenal and profitable selections) and several different Louisville women's sports squad updates.

- JMcA

Olivia Cason completes second day at NCAA Women Golf Championships -- SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRESHMAN FIRES A 78 IN EUGENE

Louisville women's golfer Olivia Cason couldn't quite match the opening round 70 she had in the NCAA Women's Golf Championships in Eugene, OR yesterday...carding a 78 for the 18 holes at the Eugene Country Club. She is now tied for 67th. with the six-over-par performance. 

Cason started her round with a bogey on the opening hole and then suffered through a double bogey before getting two birdie over the next four holes. 

The Owensboro, KY native will tee off today at 3:55 PM ET in her quest to finish as one of the top nine individuals not associated with a team. By doing so, she'd qualify for an additional 18 holes on Monday to compete for the individual golf title. 

It's been a whirlwind month for Olivia...


HELLO, RADIO! 

WE'RE NO ONE TRICK PONY

Our Saturday morning radio show THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR  rebroadcast is now available at the Crescent Hill Radio Soundcloud. Here's the direct link for listening to this stellar and informative review of Louisville women's sports and (this time of year) some sage handicapping advice on the ponies at Churchill Downs and elsewhere: 

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/chradio/cardinal-couple-20160521


We had a fun show discussing softball, horse racing, volleyball, track and field and more! 

Our handicapping expert Scott Harris gave us some excellent picks and eventual winners for the Preakness Stakes races and Churchill Downs. If you followed his advice, you would have had the WINNER (Exaggerator) the exacta, trifecta and possible superfecta in the second jewel of the Triple Crown races! In addition to that, he laid out the horses (Mizz Money and Vielsalm) that combined for a $770 exacta payout in Race 10 at Pimlico! 


Me muddah thanks ya, me brudder thanks ya and me wallet be fat now and it thanks ya! 

paulie
xxxxx

Softball eliminated from WCWS by BYU 6-4 -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS RALLY BUT FALL SHORT IN COLUMBIA

The University of Louisville softball team got home runs from Maryssa Becker and Nicole Pufahl but couldn't pass BYU on the scoreboard...losing Friday afternoon 6-4 to the Cougars in Columbia, MO. WCWS regional play. 

It was a rocky start for the 35-17 Cards with Megan Hensley in the circle...BYU got a single and two walks in the top of the first inning from their first three batters and a sacrifice fly gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead to open the contest. 

Louisville responded in fine fashion. After Jordan McNary reached on a fielder's choice and stole second, Becker took a 3-2 pitch to deep left-center...clearing the bleachers to give Louisville a 2-1 advantage. 

The struggles for Hensley continued in the top of the third. Two singles put runners on for BYU's Libby Sugg...who put one out in nearly the same spot where Becker had earlier...to boost the Cougars to a 4-2 edge. The homer signaled the end of Hensley's day...Becker came in to the circle and got the Cards out of any further damage.

BYU loaded the bases on Becker in the fourth and Sugg connected for a two RBI single to right-center that increased the Cougar lead to 6-2

A pitcher's duel developed between Becker and and BYU's McKenna Bull for the next several innings...the Cards finally breaking through in the bottom of the sixth when Jenna Jordan reached on a fielder's choice and Tiarra Sanabria came into run for her. Nicole Pufahl cut the margin to 6-4 with a fence clearer and the Cards were showing signs of life.

Becker kept the Coogs scoreless in the top of the seventh but Louisville couldn't not respond in the final half-inning...getting a two-out double from Becker to put the tying run at the plate but a ground-out gave BYU the win.

So, Louisville earns the dubious distinction of being the first team eliminated from the WCWS. BYU advanced to the play-in game against Nebraska and subsequently lost 2-0.

A good season in many aspects for the Softball Cards...but things to work on in several areas for next season. We'll give the game and the season the wind-up and final pitch on today's radio show THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR today at 11 a.m.

                *            *            *            *

RADIO TODAY

Another exciting broadcast of THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR will hit the airwaves and Internet this morning at 11 a.m. Join Worldwide and me for discussions on softball, golf, track and field, volleyball and more at WCHQ 100.9 FM or on the Internet at Crescent Hill Radio.

Link below:

www.crescenthillradio.com


We'll also have audio from Jordan McNary, Lillie Goetz and Michala Riggle as they prepared to head to Columbia. A guaranteed good time for all...and if you're not happy at 11:59 a.m....we'll do a Jeff Walz and offer you your money back. 

paulie
xxxxx 

Softball Cards fall to Nebraska 3-2 in NCAA opener -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

KNIGHTEN'S WALK-OFF SINGLE DOWNS CARDS

If yesterday's loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Columbia NCAA Softball Regional seemed eerily familiar, it had good reason to seem that way. Louisville lost a 4-3 game to Nebraska back in February in the ACC/BIG Ten Challenge on a walk-off hit at the end of the game...back then it was Kiki Stokes who did the damage during Nebraska's final at-bat. .

Yesterday the Cards intentionally walked Stokes in the bottom of the seventh to load the bags with one out...presumably to avoid a similar scenario to the one in February. That brought M.J. Knighten to the plate, though, and she skipped a single past Cards shortstop Sidney Melton to end the contest. In both games, it was Maryssa Becker in the circle taking the loss.

Knighten had been injured in the first inning of the game... sliding into second base to break up Melton's throw to first after a ground ball and played on a twisted ankle the final six innings...making several great plays in the field despite the hobbling. 

The decisive bottom of the seventh started for the Huskers with a single and then a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt...putting runners on first and second. After a ground out advanced the runners to second and third, Pearsall called for the intentional walk for Stokes...who was 2 for 3 in the contest prior to that...and Knighten got her second hit of the game to end it. 

Louisville fell behind on a two-run homer from Madi Unzicker in the bottom of the second but countered to tie the contest in the top of the third when Hailey Smith delivered a two-out, two-RBI single to score Morgan Meyer and Sidney Melton. Besides those two run outbursts, the contest was primarily a pitcher's duel between Becker and Nebraska's Emily Lockman.

The Cards slip to the consolation part of the Columbia bracket...where they'll face BYU in the double-elimination format. Game time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Homestanding Missouri run-ruled the Cougars 9-0 in five innings yesterday to advance to the winner's bracket to face the Cornhuskers at 2 p.m. today. 

ESPN 3 will have the internet feed for the Cards vs. Coogs contest.  

A tough way to go down after staying competitive the entire way. It goes back to the philosophy that the game is a matter of inches and seconds.

The final single that won it was a ready-made, get-out-of-inning-unscathed double play ball if it's hit just slightly left of where it travelled or if the infielder is standing a few inches closer to second base. The Nebraska two-run homer is a double off the left field fence if it lands three inches lower on the wall. A bang-bang play where Morgan Meyer appeared to beat out an infield single but was called out...the Cards could use a few breaks in the time, space and measurement categories.  

We hope the Cards get the inches advantage today against a BYU team that looked totally demoralized yesterday against Missouri. I guess grand slam home runs in the second inning might do that to you.

Hopefully, Louisville can hang a "L" on BYU (that would make it BYUL...or LBYU, I guess) and get a chance to face the loser of the MO v NEB game. Like the BeeGees said so many, many years ago, it's all about stayin' alive. 

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_izvAbhExY

paulie
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