Still stopping -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

MCFERRAN MAKING THE PLAYS IN IRELAND

So, what does the best goalkeeper in women's Field Hockey do once she's graduated from college? I'll not put the answer in the form of a quiz question...too easy for you. 

She continues to protect the pipes in her home country with the National team. 

Ayeshia McFerran is the starting goalkeeper for the Irish Women's Field Hockey Senior National team. The squad recently competed in the FIH series finals...with implications for the 2020 Olympics... and came in second, losing to Korea 3-1 in the championship game. 

With the second place finish, though, the squad has successfully qualified for the main qualifiers in August. The Irish won three matches in Pool A, including a 4-0 blanking of the Czechs on Friday, to lead to the finals and are ranked eighth in the world currently. 

McFerran discusses the loss and the great goal ahead at the link below: 

LINK:  Ayeshia McFerran


McFerran recently graduated from the University of Louisville, getting her degree in Exercise Science. She was part of Cardinal Field Hockey squads that went 55-27 over the past four years. She was also a four-year NFHCA All-American, the only Cardinal to ever achieve that honor for four years.  

Despite the graduation of McFerran, the UofL Field Hockey squad looks to be a formidable foe for their ACC opponents and beyond in 2019. 10 current, future or former Cardinal are playing in the USA Young Women's National Field Hockey Championships that end tomorrow in Lancaster, PA. 

Returnees Carter Ayars, Hollyn Barr, Alli Bitting, Erica Cooper, Isabella Leeker, Sam Minrath, Meghan Schneider and Katie Schneider...2016 graduate Erin McCrudden and incoming freshman Margot Lawn (Archbishop Spalding High School, MD) are part of the 144-player, eight team championship that began Friday. The Cardinal contingent isn't all on the same squad, they're evenly divided among five of the eight teams. 

2019 Cardinal commit Margot Lawn (left)

On the 2019 recruits...Lawn is a consensus top 10 player in the 2019 class. India Reed, another 2019 Louisville commit, is from Louisville Manual High School and considered to be in the top 25 of the 2019 High School rankings. 

The Cards also return their leading scorer in Bethany Russ, who is from Australia...and Mercedes Pastor, third leading scorer, who hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Whena Munn goes into her senior season and the New Zealand native has participated in all of the Cards 63 games over the past three years...starting in 16 of them. 

Here's a great article on Ayeshia that looks at her past and what's ahead: 

LINK: Ayeshia takes her own path

Who will replace McFerran as the Cardinal goalkeeper in 2019? 

Most feel the battle is between redshirt junior Barr and redshirt freshman Minrath. Barr started five games in 2017 while McFerran was fulfilling Irish National team obligations and Minrath lead Christian Academy to the Kentucky State Championship title as a senior in 2017. Both were on the 2018 roster, Barr played in one contest. 

The Cards will have their work cut out for them in the always-formidable ACC, where North Carolina reigns as the National Champions and Duke was ranked in the top three in 2018. The Cards have 11 home matches this season and start the 2019 campaign with four straight home contests, plus the alumnae, at Trager Stadium. 

Head coach Justine Sowry will miss McFerran, plus graduated seniors  Taylor Stone and Katie Walsh...but Cards return their top three scorers from last season plus experience and depth on the defensive end.  

For Field Hockey news, be sure to check back here at Cardinal Couple...the Cards first action is in 68 days, on Aug 24th. against the Alumnae. 

paulie
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