SOFTBALL, W. BASKETBALL, LACROSSE and W. TENNIS TAKE VICTORIES SUNDAY
In horse racing parlance, taking down the "Pick 4" is usually a sign you're having a good day. Louisville women's sports took down the Pick 4 with four wins in four events that ranged in location from Boston, MA to Atlanta, GA...and two on the Cardinals campus.
A dramatic, bottom of the seventh "W" for Holly Aprile's softball squad in the Peach State, a fourth quarter 12-2 scoring finish for Walz's crew in Beantown, Scott Teeter's LAX squad taking control early and levelling Lindenwood at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium and Mark Beckham's Louisville Women's Tennis defending the Bass-Rudd with a convincing win over Memphis.
Let's look at each one a little closer.
LOUISVILLE SOFTBALL 2 - WISCONSIN 1
Big blows and spot-on pitching were the keys for Cards softball Sunday morning on the final day of the ACC VS.BIG10 Challenge. The Cards were facing Wisconsin, a school they had handled 2-0 in the opening game of Saturday action and the Cards found themselves batting against the Badgers on Sunday's 10 a.m. eye-opener.
Wisconsin grabbed an early 1-0 lead with three hits in the top of the first inning, but freshmen hurler Alyssa Zabala was able to shut the door after that. Louisville evened it up in the bottom of the first when Taylor Roby sent one grass, track, and back, back, back over the wall into the center field trees. For Taylor, it was her 42nd career home run, which tied her for the all-time home run total (set by Courtney Moore 2004-07).
And that's how the score stayed until the bottom of the seventh. The Cards infield helped keep the slate clean by turning double plays in the top of the sixth and seventh innings. Vanessa Miller led off the bottom off the seventh with a single and then proceeded to steal second base. She saw the next two batters return to the dugout, though, before Easton Lotus came to bat and smashed a deep double to right field that easily got Miller home for the win.
Zabala improves to 3-1 on the season with the win in the circle and the Cards will return to play when they travel to Orlando, FL for the UCF Golden Knights Classic, where they'll face UCF Friday night to begin their stay.
WBB BESTS BC LATE FOR 62-52 WIN
A 12-2 game-ending run led Louisville women's basketball to a win in Boston over the Eagles next on Sunday.
The Eagles proven to be a foe that would not go away most of the afternoon. The Cards got off to a grand start, with an early 10-0 run in the first quarter forcing the Eagles into playin catch-up the rest of the quarter. The 14-10 first quarter lead was good to have, naturally, but one got the sense that Boston College was nowhere ready to raise the white flag and surrender.
And the second quarter was a prime example off that unwillingness to surrender. The Eagles scored eight of the first 10 points of the second quarter. But, the Cards faced the 18-14 deficit and took off on a 12-0 run. As if on cue, the Cards stopped scoring for the remainder of the half, but held a 32-26 halftime edge.
BC must have heard something at halftime from head coach Joanne Bernabei-McNamee that fired them up. They went on an 11-0 run to start the second half and built a 37-32 advantage. Louisville didn't score a bucket until six and a half minutes had gone by in the third quarter.
The Eagles actually led Louisville by eight points deep into the third quarter before the Cards rallied to make it 44-40 B.C. after three.
What kind of fourth quarter would it be for Louisville?
The Cards scored twice early in the fourth to tie it at 44-44 and battled with the Eagles to a 50-50 tie with 5:03 to play. And, then, the Cards got the final run. Merissah Russell sank a layup, and added a free throw a few seconds later. A Chrislyn Carr second-chance three increased the lead to 56-50. B.C. would counter with a basket, but Russell drained two more free throws and a Van Lith jumper set the tally at 60-50 with 1:34 to play. Free throws added the final two UofL points and the Cards had pulled off the 10-point win on the road.
 |
| (Fred says, two points and no more for you...Eagles, in the final three minutes) |
THE FRED REPORT
FREE THROWS -- 10-14 just barely squeaks the Cards past the 70% mark (71.4%)) and tat's all we require for a CAPITAL "F" Russell and Van Lith were 3-4 each.
REBOUNDS -- 52-39 in favor of UofL and that'll work just fine for a CAPITAL "R". How about Liz Dixon with 12 to lead everyone, in just 30 minutes!
EFFORT/EXECUTION -- 18 assists on 24 made baskets is superb and just 12 turnovers is encouraging. The 35% floor shooting is subpar, though, and those stretches were the Cards simply couldn't score lead me to award just a small-case "e" Consistency for 40 minutes would be nice...
DEFENSE -- Holding BC to 32% from the floor is note-worthy and watching BC go 5-23 from three point range was almost comical, allowing just 52 points admirable as well, but the Cards defense didn't really wake wake until the final 10-12 minutes of the game and I can't award a letter for that. No letter.
FINAL FRED COUNT: F-R-e-_
The Cards invite Miami in for a visit next, on Thursday
POST GAME WALZ: WALZ POST GAME B.C. 2/19/23
LACROSSE SHUTS DOWN LINDENWOOD 14-7
Louisville Lacrosse got four goals each from Nicole Perroni and Kokoro Nakazawa and build a first quarter 5-1 lead that the Lindenwood squad could never overcome Sunday afternoon at the Louisville Lacrosse Stadium.
Kylea Dobson started the Cardinals scoring barely three minutes in the contest and Louisville got their second score after Tiffany Natoli connected. After a Lions score, the Cards countered with net-finders from Allegra Catalano (her first goal of the year), Perroni and Kokoro Nakazawa for the 5-1 first quarter lead.
Perroni added two quick goals in the second quarter and Kokoro Nakazawa's score sent the Cards to a 8-1 advantage. Lindenwood would counter with three of the final four goals of the quarter, but the Cards were ahead comfortably at the half 9-4.
The Cards extended the lead to 12-5 after three quarters and the squads had two goals each in the fourth quarter for the 14-5 final. J. Pleck relieved Sara Addeche at goalkeeper and had two saves in the final five minutes of play. Louisville won the draw control battle 15-10 and the Cards outshot the Lions 36-26.
Lacrosse takes their first road trip of the season next week, beginning at Virginia on Saturday.
(LACROSSE PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON)
POSTGAME TEETER, KORORO NAKAZAWA and TIFFANY NATOLI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an7RNVaW5CE
WOMEN'S TENNIS DOWN MEMPHIS 5-2
Louisville women's tennis won the doubles matches and also four singles matches to down Memphis at the Bass-Rudd Center on campus
#1 doubles pair Andrea DiPalma and Rhea Verma were successful and #2 squad CiCi Xin and Jamila Snells also won their doubles match
In singles, Maria Campos, Rhea Verma Tyra Richardson and CiCi Xin got wins in their matches.
Louisville brings in Clemson next, on Fri., Feb 24th.
paulie
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Great day for Cards. In hoops, UofL does need to shake that lineup up, but no one will convince him of that.iIt will have to be his idea
ReplyDeleteGuessing you're referring to the starting lineup?
ReplyDeleteI like it, personally.
I agree, I like the to start line up.
DeleteSome 3rd quarter flatness, but, in the end a win (especially on the road!) is a win.
ReplyDeleteNeed to win, and I don't care if it's ugly as long as it's a win, against Miami, and that would solidify a top 4 finish.
Shoulda looked first, only wins against both Miami and ND solidifies.
DeleteBut at least we're on control of our own destiny👍
kstarksr, I'm glad Cards play Miami @ home.Go Cards
DeleteA good ACC Road win
ReplyDeleteThe cards made this a tough game turning the ball over Miss handling the ball careless ball handling.
Those scoring droughts four points in third quarter wow you can't win a lot of games like that.
Thank God for Merissah Russell she saved the day. CJW needs to give her more PT she earned it, also Liz Dixon really battle down low had a solid game
and Mykasa is just a warrior.
This team's plays up to the level of competition and down to the level of competition so whoever they play they play even with that team.
One thing I have to say critical about CJW he doesn't really give certain players opportunity like Merissah Russell.
I really think the cards played down to the competition I don't think Boston College is that good of a team this year. I think the Cards just played that bad today tired legs maybe?
Merv, this is the ACC. Bring it, EVERY game, the level of competition is SOLID😃
ReplyDeleteThat is a WBB loss if not for Merissah and Liz. Start em' I say. If Konno was showing more consistency from the floor, I'd say leave her in but I'd like a Hailey, Kasa, Merissah, Liz and Morgan starting lineup. And no more scares, but Miami and Notre Dame are a hell of a way to end the regular stretch, if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteNick O
Don't question Walz's starters and subs, or he'll jump on you like he did on Paulie in the post game. (LOL) He and the staff are with them almost every day. I just hope good crowds come out for Miami and Notre Dame. We're so good when the YUM! Center is rocking
ReplyDeleteBlue Lou
u better believe that Miami is perfectly capable of coming in and beating your girls Walz better start some tall girls.
ReplyDeleteRecurring is down more PT for Freshman?
ReplyDelete