MOYER'S GOAL SINKS CARDS 3-2
The Cards started out brilliantly...getting two goals from freshman Minout Mink
in the first half and took that 2-0 lead to the locker room. It may have best the best first half performance of the year...against a powerhouse Tar Heels squad that couldn't penetrate the Louisville defense. Confidence levels were high for Paulie.
Karen Shelton, the veteran North Carolina coach, made the adjustments.
Getting much more aggressive on attack and devising a plan to contain Mink, the Tar Heels chipped away at the Cardinal advantage. Fifteen minutes into the final half, Moyer connected. With six minutes to go, UNC found her again on a nice cross, to tie it up. It looked like overtime was a distinct possibility...the Cards were not getting great looks for shots and couldn't take advantage of a player-up, yellow card advantage.
The Tar Heels were trying to win this match in regulation, though, and were awarded a penalty corner with six second left on the clock. They took there time, ran the clock to 00:00 and set up for the shot.
And, it was over. Pass, set and shot.
You really can't call this an upset, since the TarHeels had a higher national ranking (#3) than the Cards (#8). There was an upset in the opening quarterfinal action, though...with #7 seed Boston College knocking out #2 seed Syracuse. So...the Cards now wait for Sunday...when the 18 team NCAA field is announced at 10 p.m. on ncaa.com
The Cards are in, of this I have no doubt. My guess is all seven ACC field hockey teams are in, especially with Boston College advancing to the semifinals. Louisville probably won't get to start their action in Trager... but should avoid being in one of the two play-in games to make the four-bracket, sixteen-team first round action.
Let's just hope they can avoid a trip to Storrs, Connecticut to start their NCAA quest.
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HINES-ALLEN NAMED ALL-AMERICAN HONORABLE MENTION
The Associated Press has named their pre-season All American women's basketball players and Louisville's Myisha Hines-Allen has been selected as an honorable mention selection. It makes one wonder. The ACC Player of the Year wasn't selected for the first team. A team that consists of Aja Wilson (South Carolina), Kelsey Mitchell (Ohio State), Brianna Turner (Notre Dame) Nina Davis (Baylor) and Kelsey Plum (Washington).
She'll get her chance to test her skills against Wilson and Turner during the season. I'm not sure if she's better than them...I do think she's better than Davis and Plum...but I'm not the AP.
With the abundance of talent available on this 2016-17 squad, it is entirely possible Myisha's numbers might drop this yet...but you can rest assured her drive, energy, commitment and work ethic/results won't dimish one bit.
We'll discuss MHA and much more Saturday morning on THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR. We have a dandy show lined up for you...and a full studio...with Paige Sherrard of SB Nation joining me, Case and Worldwide.
This is going to be a fun broadcast. Join us.
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NOVEMBER IS DONATION MONTH
As we roll into the first weekend of November, I am very excited. Basketball is right around the corner. Field Hockey still alive and kicking. Volleyball still plugging away and the spring sports are getting closer. Football is doing it one game at a time. And, we'll be here to cover it all for you.
We ask for your donations this month. We hope to raise enough in November to not have to bother anyone for donations until next November.
Someone recently asked me how the donations are used. First off, neither I or our contributors on radio and website receive a salary. We do it for love of game. But, printer ink isn't free. Travelling to road games isn't free. The internet access, domains and security protection we have isn't free. I appear on various radio shows promoting the joy and excitement of UofL sports. They don't pick me up in a limousine. I'll talk to any show, any group, any time and not charge them a penny.
Sonja shows me the books near the end of December and we see if there is enough to "give back" to the non-revenue programs with donations. Fortunately there was last year. We end the year with about the same balance (which isn't much) as we start the year with.
Help us do this. We, in turn, promise to give you the best possible coverage on the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports...and more.
Pay-Pal, check, money order...we'll gratefully accept whatever you deem appropriate. And, sincerely thank you for it.
You are Cardinal Couple. We're so glad that you are.
paulie
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MHA should be on that list,she is a All American.
ReplyDeleteThis could be viewed as blasphemy, especially as a cards fan myself, but I have no issue with the AA list. Everyone on that list was on the first, second, or third teams at the end of the year last year. Nothing has happened since that list came out last year to say that these young women shouldn't be listed as AA's to start the season.
ReplyDeleteNow I think my beef is that I thought as conference player of the year she should have made an All-American team last season instead of an honorable mention. Had the voters taken care of business on that end last year, then MHA would be a preseason AA right now. But the way the lists usually work is that they essentially just move the players up from the second and third teams to replace those that graduated and are no longer on the list.