Cards Field Hockey, women's soccer and women's BB pressers and predictions -- Walz Words later today -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

BUSY TUESDAY FOR PAULIE

A busy Tuesday with press conferences by Louisville Women's Soccer and Louisville Field Hockey at the Planet Fitness basketball facility. More fun today as Jeff Walz holds a Wednesday presser there that I'll add to today's article shortly after the 12:30 scheduled talk. 

But, before all that. I'm gonna brag a bit.

I've been on the silent auction committee
for the Central Cardinal Club the past few months, creating awareness and asking UofL sports programs for auction items and activities. Committee chairman Brenda Stout, plus Judy, Deb and I, the other committee members, had ever organized a silent auction before. 

I'm proud to report that the silent auction was held last night at the monthly meeting/dinner over at the University Club and it netted over $4,000 !! 

We had so much stuff donated, we're holding an additional silent auction in the spring for the items that didn't make this auction.

The silent auction proceeds go to help support the non-revenue sports at UofL. All you directors of operations for UofL athlecic squads who secured merchandise, tickets and activities for us...plus, all the restaurants and places of business that donated...thank you again!

I slept pretty good last night. 

OK, on to pressers. 

The Tuesday presser at the facility opened with MBB head coach Chris Mack around 1:25 p.m. I did not record any of that, many more "experts" on hand to do the questioning than I, so I just sat back and listened. 


WOMEN'S SOCCER

Karen Ferguson Dayes and the WSOC squad begin their NCAA Tournament at Lynn 

against Lipscomb. I'm afraid I tripped Coach Karen up a bit about strategy, strengths and weaknesses during the interview, but...I suppose...it's what you've come to expect out of me over the years. A good amount of other media on hand asking questions as well, including a lot of television talking-heads and such. They stuck around after Mack's talk and it is kind of nice for once not to have to share the questioning with another "sports expert" that usually attends these things. 

Game time:  6 p.m. Friday

(NOTE: my clips are audio only.  IF YOU PREFER TO WATCH AND LISTEN, GO TO THE GOCARDS.COM SITE) 

LINK:    DAYES AND PLAYERS FOR WSOC


Paulie Prediction: I am not overly worried about Lipscomb, the WSOC squad's first opponent. I do think the Cards will need to be on their toes and attack with passion, but this UofL defense is rock-solid, Lipscomb had to go through two overtimes and a penalty
shootout to solve a 1-1 tie in the ASUN conference tournament.

These Nashville Bisons haven't seen a defense this talented all season and if Ekic, Rivers, Whitfield, Snyder and L'Esperance can manage a goal (or more, preferably) the Cards advance. What does worry me is if BYU downs Boise St., the Cards will have to travel to Utah and play on Sunday against the #2 team in the region. I'm a blue-turf, Boise St. Bronco fan for the matchup. Bring them to Louisville instead of the Cards going to Utah.

 SCORE PREDICTION:  CARDS 3 - BISON 0.


FIELD HOCKEY

Justine Sowry's stick swingers are the #4 seed in their region. They'll host 1st and 2nd rounds Friday and start the day's Floyd Street action off against an always-tough Michigan squad in Trager. 

Sowry brought Bethany Russ and Alli Bitting with her to the presser and, quite frankly, the conversation I had with Coach after the presser was more interesting than the actual press conference. I wish I'd recorded that. It's always great to have a lot of people at pressers, and this assortment did a great job of peppering Sowry with questions. So good, in fact, 'ol Paulie didn't get a chance to get a question in. That's OK, though, Justine has probably fielded more questions from me over the years than she cares to remember. A bit of fun for me to listen to the other pups play...

Coach did make a comment at the end which I caught part of where said I was pretty quiet today. I just smiled and said that I couldn't get a word in edgewise. 

LINK:  COACH SOWRY FIELD HOCKEY PRESSER


Paulie prediction:  This will be a tough one for the Cards. Michigan fared well against the squads two common opponents: Iowa and Indiana. Michigan plays am attacking, aggressive and hard-nosed game, like most of the Big 10's sports squads do. The Cards have faced this style twice this year in IU and Iowa. They won. What I really want to see is the Cards score more than one goal in the match. If they do this, they'll win...Louisville Field Hockey also has a stellar defense. Here's hoping Meche, Bethany and the field hockey Cards can attack the net and keep the ball in front of the Wolverines net. I think they will. 

They'll get either Boston College or Northwestern on Sunday. B.C. is a squad Louisville knows and has beaten, but, the Cards have performed quite well against the Big 10 in 2019, going 5-0 against Iowa. IU, Penn St., Ohio St. and Michigan St. in the season. 

Louisville has also outscored the Big 10 18-4 in these matches.  Bring me the the Wildcats from Evanston for the "great eight". 

SCORE PREDICTION: LOUISVILLE 2 - MICHIGAN 1 


WALZ INTERVIEW 11/13/19

Cards WBB faces Central Michigan at 6 p.m. Thursday

Before anything else, Coach Walz wanted me to remind our readers that the Central Michigan game is at 6 p.m. Thursday. 

This is an earlier start that normal for Louisville women's basketball. Co-existing with the ACC Network has it's ups and downs and derivation from normal start times is part of the price the fans pay to receive the coverage. 

With that being said, today's 12:30 p.m. presser with Walz covered a variety of subjects, as they usually do. Central Michigan, the team's practices, substitution patterns and more are discussed. 

Enjoy, it's linked up below and...remember...THE GAME THURSDAY IS AT 6:00 p.m.

LINK: WALZ INTERVIEW

Have a wonderful Wednesday ! 
PAULIE 
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