Field Hockey over Iowa...Volleyball falls to Duke -- Monday Cardinal Couple

Field Hockey Wins, Volleyball Loses

Field Hockey Shuts Out the Hawkeyes

The Cards were accurate shots against the Iowa Field Hockey team with 10 of the 12 shots the Cards took being on goal.  Credit to Iowa's goalkeeper, Alexandra Pecora for 8 saves to keep the Louisville score tally at only two.  At the other end of the field, Ayisha McFerran stopped 3 for a clean sweep and a final 2-0 score.

Minout Mink lived up to her self-hype ("I score goals.") by getting on the board again, and doing so early in the game, just 7 minutes in, on a penalty corner shot with assists to Marigrace Ragsdale and Erin McCrudden.  The Cards would finish the scoring for the game in the 9th minute, with Marigrace Ragsdale doing the deed, with the feed from Stephanie Byrne down from the top of the circle to the left post.

The rest of the 60 minutes ended up being a defensive battle, but generally the Cards looked to be the better team, with 12 shots and 10 on goal, while Iowa only got 5 off, and 3 of those on goal and saved by Ayisha McFerren.

The Field Hockey win over the Hawkeyes would be the only victory for any Cards sports team this
weekend, with the next best outcome going to the Men's Soccer team getting a point in the standings with a 1-1 tie at Boston College.  Credit to Edwin Kibichiy for landing a first place finish in Greater Louisville Classic out at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park.  If you're looking for joy and excitement this Monday morning, we can look to some of the spring sports, finishing up their fall seasons, with Softball and Lacrosse both in action over the weekend and picking up some wins.

Field Hockey heads into the meat of another homestand, with Boston College coming to visit Trager Stadium Friday for a 6pm pass back.

Volleyball Drops One to Duke

The wide net Cards continue to struggle to find the right approach as they dropped a 3 set decision against Duke Sunday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center (25-18, 25-12, 25-21) dropping to a 5-9 record and still winless in conference.

If there is a bright spot in this one it would be that our middle attack is starting to come together after struggling to find the connection from setter to middle hitters earlier in the season.  There are still some timing and placement issues that need to be improved on, but there is some improvement there, and it shows in the stats, with Tess Clark and Jasmine Bennett both getting 10 kills.  The challenges show up in the hitting averages, with Clark getting there on 25 attempts, ending with a .280 average, while Bennett was more efficient, and hit at a .438 pace.  Subjectively, while it's getting better, the setting and middle hitter connection still isn't where it needs to be, with Clark and Bennett both having to stretch, and hit tips instead of getting solid hits on the ball.

From the outside, and in the back-row, the attacks were largely stymied.  Duke claimed 9 blocks to account for part of the problems there, but the Cardinals' digging and passing just weren't very on target yesterday.  Passes that were on target were largely set into the middles, while out of system passes got pushed out to outside and back row attacking which didn't meet with much success.

The Kordes Krewe also meets up with Boston College next, this one in Massachusetts.

The Eagles are similarly struggling, at 5-9 overall, and winless in 4 attempts in conference.  This one is a Thursday matchup, with a 7:30 start with no video listed as being available.

-- JMcA