Predicting Fall Records: Soccer -- TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 Predicting Fall Records:  PART ONE

We are officially in the single digits before the first women's sporting event for the fall of 2020.  The football game this Saturday kicks off the 2020 sports season, but the first UofL women's sporting event is next Thursday when women's soccer travels south to Miami. So, today,we'll look at women's soccer.

To help build excitement and anticipation for the upcoming seasons I thought I would give my "Jared's Predicitons" for the different teams.  Perhaps we may even see a bold prediction or two.

Women's soccer will begin the season in the Sunshine State next weekend, visiting Miami and Florida State.  They come home to host Syracuse and Boston College to open October.  Mid-October sees a trip to the Old Dominion State to take on Virginia and Virginia Tech.  The season wraps up at home right before Halloween with Notre Dame and North Carolina coming to town.

The Cards did not receive a favorable bid this season.  They finished fourth in the conference last year with the top three appearing on the eight-game schedule.

Louisville will begin the season with a win at Miami, a team that  they shut down on the road last season.  Cards start off 1-0.

Florida State, who was a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament last year and advanced to the Elite Eight, will not be an easy foe.  The Seminoles will handle the Cards with ease. Cards go to 1-1.

The home opener will feature a team that the Cards smacked on the road last season.  When Louisville and Syracuse played last year, half the Louisville team came down with food poisoning and the match was pushed back a day.  Louisville will open the home season with a win.  Put WSOC at 2-1.

Boston College, who finished dead last in the conference last year, comes to town next.  This should be another match that Louisville should have control of from start to finish, moving their record to 3-1 at the midway point.

The second half of the season begins with the Cards traveling to another 1-seed in last year's tournament, Virginia.  Louisville took a beating to them last year, and even though this year's match will be closer, the Wahoos will take the win and Louisville's record goes to 3-2.

Virginia Tech was a middle-of-the-pack team last year in the ACC.  Louisville last faced them in 2018, having a surprising and disappointing loss to them on Senior Day.  This time, it will be revenge as the Cards leave Blacksburg with a win and improve their season record to 4-2.

Notre Dame comes to town next.  The Cards and Irish, like with volleyball, have had some barn burners in recent years.  I remember a double overtime thriller from a few years back that Louisville was on the wrong side of.  However, this match at Dr Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium will be in favor of the Cards.  and UofL improves their record to 5-2.

Senior Day will be against the reigning National Runner-Up North Carolina, who was another #1-seed last year.  The Cards pulled off the Upset of the Decade back in 2015, but recent meetings have been ugly.  The Tar Heels continue to have a leg up on the Cards and will end Louisville's season with a loss.   Louisville ends the shortened regular season 5-3.

According to my math, that puts this season at 5-3 for the Cards.That percentage is a bit below last year's impressive total, but remains on the high side in recent years. That record shouls be good enough to get UofL WSOC into the ACC WSOC Tournament, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 10-15 at Wake Med Soccer Park in Cary, NC. Following that, it'll be a lengthy wait, since the NCAA WSOC Championships are not currently planned until sometime in the spring of 2021. 

Got a take or different opinion? Let me know in the comments section.

Happy Tuesday and Go Cards!

Jared