On Field Hockey, Volleyball and Tom...MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FIELD HOCKEY CHIPS AWAY AT CHIPPEWAS 

When a squad get off 27 shots compared to the opponent's two, when 17 are on goal and the foe has none on goal...and the visitor comes into your place 0-10 on the season, you might expect a pretty lopsided score.

That wasn't the case, though, yesterday at Trager Field. #12 University of Louisville did defeat the Central Michigan Chippewas 2-0 in front of abut 300 fans...some who were displaying pro-UofL and Tom Jurich posters...but it wasn't a blowout. 

It was the fourth win in a row for the Cards (8-4) and they swept the quartet of home games over the last two weeks. Coach Justine Sowry did play a multitude of different combinations in the UofL victory and was effusive in her praise for the Chips: 

"I think Central Michigan played well. They had good energy, they defended well in numbers. I think they are better than what their records shows and their goalkeeper had an outstanding game today." 

That goalie, Lily Amadio, had a total of 15 saves against Louisville. Down at the other net, Coach Sowry gave Ayeshia McFerran and Hollyn Barr equal minutes defending the pipes with 35 each. They had no saves in a contest where the ball rarely got out of UofL's offensive possession. 

Our favorite, Minnie Mink, got the scoring started for the Red and the Black after 25 minutes of scoreless action on the pitch. She popped in an unassisted goal on a nice reverse stick shot from the top of the circle. The squads went to the halftime locker room at 1-0 and Louisville had a 16-0 shot edge. 

Louisville continued the storming of the pitch in the final 35 minutes...Nicole Woods getting the final net-finder with 12 minutes left in the contest. The Beverly, MA senior has five goals on the season but wasn't too worried about that...telling me in the post-game interview that she wasn't even sure how many scores she had on the year, the important thing was just the ball getting into the back of the net however and whoever does it. 

Jared catches me trying to figure out technology

It is usually a dicey situation...playing a Sunday non-conference match-up after a huge conference Friday win...like the Cards had against Syracuse. A letdown, bit of a hangover after downing the Orange? A fatigue factor? Not so much, according to Justine Sowry...but Katie Walsh commented about that a bit more in the interview below. 

The Cards leave the friendly confines of Trager to spent a weekend in New England next. They face Boston College ( a 6 p.m. Friday NIGHT game...pay heed UofL planners) and then onto New Hampshire for a Sunday 1 p.m. tilt. 

Great photo work Sunday from Jared Anderson. You can see the rest of his shots he snapped at the contest on Facebook. He's a ball of energy, from press box to field..then rinse and repeat. Coincidentally, Minnie scored in the presence of Jared as he framed her up. Or was it coincidence? 

We have Paulie's interviews with Coach, Nicole and also junior and Louisville Ballard grad Katie Walsh below. 

A win is a win and they're all important in trying to make the NCAA Field. Louisville FH accomplished that and moves forward without the rear-view mirror attached. 

PAULIE AND COACH JUSTINE SOWRY

KATIE WALSH AND PAULIE

NIK NIK NICOLE WOODS POST-GAME WITH PAULIE


VOLLEYBALL DEFENDS CARDINAL ARENA WITH SWEEP

From a visitng "0-fer" squad on one end of the campus to an undefeated guest on the north end of Belknap. Louisville Volleyball took down undefeated Miami yesterday in Cardinal Arena in a straight-set sweep  25-17, 25-22, 25-20..

The Cards were led by sophomore outside hitter Melanie McHenry and her 15 kills. Junior Jasmine Bennett was also active at the net with eight blocks...featuring two of them at the very end of the third set to end the game. 

Louisville held Miami to .097 hitting for the match and Coach Dani Busboom Kelly was quite pleased with the job Louisville did spreading the offense and maintaining a nice rhythm in the hitting attack. 

The Cards jumped out to a early 5-2 lead in the first game. Miami rallied to make it 11-9 but the Cards went on a 6-1 run to put the contest in their hands. In game two, Louisville grabbed a 9-3 early lead but Miami responded to tie at 19-19. The Cards got a timeout, refocused and scored the final three points for the three-point win. Continuing the trend, Louisville jumped out early, withstood a Miami charge that put them ahead 19-18 but, thatnks to Bennett and crew, Louisville went on a game-ending 6-1 run. 

The Wide-netters head to Virginia next for a road trip that takes them to Charlottesville (UVA) and Blacksburg (Va. Tech). With yesterday's win, the Cards are now 8-5 on the season and 3-1 in ACC play. 


BOARD MEETING ON TOM

As I type this article up here on Monday morning, the Board of Trustees is in executive session discussing the events of last week. We could learn the fate of Tom Jurich later today and we'll jump back in and post that when (and if) it is determined .

I haven't talked to a coach or player yet in the past five days that wants Tom to go and I have to agree with them. He has built so many things here at UofL and not just contribution-wise-on-buildings and structures. He built a strong women's program here. He got us into the ACC. 

Keep Tom. 

Update: No one was fired today at the meeting. Because of it being a "personnel" issue, interim President Postal would not discuss either Rick Pitino or Tom Jurich. We could learn of a possible interim Athletic Director on Tuesday. Other than that, there is nothing else of major importance that came out of the board meeting. 


FINALLY...

Our hearts go out to those involved in the senseless Las Vegas shooting during the concert. Over 50 dead. Over 400 injured. 

Apparently, a "lone-wolf" attack. From the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Hotel. A coward, killing himself as police tried to enter the room. 

This madness makes no sense to me. Country music singer Jason Aldean was on stage, playing before a crowd of over 22,000 at the Route 91 concert. 

A fun, festive evening transformed into a bloody slaughter...filled with panic, choas and terror. We worry about our current University situation, folks, but this is real. And sad. A mystery. No clear indication of what the motive could have been...yet. 

Why? 


paulie
xxxxx