Cards FH ranked #9 in first poll -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 

FIELD HOCKEY CARDS ONE OF FOUR ACC TEAMS IN TOP 10

The Penn Monto/NFHCA preseason poll is out and Louisville comes in as the #9 ranked. Yeah, I know...the season has already started, but, who's counting?

The "flock" will face seven team in the top 10 and nine in the top 20 this season. 

UNC has the top spot, even with new head coach Erin Matson, The rest of the Top 5 are below:

#2 Northwestern

#3 Maryland\

#4 Michigan

#5 Penn State

The above look pretty solid with Big 10. We'll see if that lasts. #6-10 are below

#6 Virginia

#7 Iowa

#8 Syracuse

#9 LOUISVILLE

#10 Princeton

And, if you're interested...the #11-20 schools are...St, Joseph, Wake Forest, Harvard, Liberty UConn, Rutgers, Boston College, Old Dominion, Albany and Duke

Rankings this time of year are not season-changing important ...it's after the heat of the battle has been ongoing for a few weeks and we see who's a early contender and who's a pretender. Basically, early rankings are so media types like myself can point out that "so and so college is #17 in the polls this week and should give #4 ranked who's that university a real battle." 

It's like saying a cupcake had icing. We expect that. we're pretty sure that's gonna happen. The only question is, do you eat all the icing first or get some cake in with a bite of icing? I once got dressed down for eating a cupcake "the wrong way". In the viewers eyes... 

I've never heard of a team practicing any harder because of their ranking or any less harder because they're satisfied with where they are ranked and where their next opponent is ranked. The coaches will tell you that they don't like their players reading ranking article or stuff about other opponents, Or, as Jeff Walz is fond of saying..

"We don't care who it is, or where their ranked or how they play. We are going to play Louisville basketball, not their style.."

So, what do we know about this Field Hockey squad so far? They handled Bellarmine pretty easily in preseason with a split line up.  We still haven't heard how they did in their final scrimmage at Ohio U.  They'll meet Northwestern at home Friday.

 Yes, #2 ranked Northwestern. 

That one looks to be quite the early season test for the Cards. Will "the flock" be able to play Louisville style Field Hockey?

The Cards are 8-3 all-time against Northwestern and 4-0 on their home turf at Trager Stadium against those northern Wildcats. I'll say that last one again. The Cards are 4-0 at home versus Northwestern. 

Usually, in a lot of sports, the pre-conference matches are designed to help a program build up a lot of wins before conference play begins. In Louisville Field Hockey's case, they'll play four top 10 schools before they start ACC play...versus #1 UNC Sept 15th. 

In any aspect, it should be a fun season....for quality Field Hockey and hard fought battles. 

The temperature could also be a very big factor .I've heard it'll reach 100 degrees Friday. Add about 20 degrees to that when you are down on the field. You try running for 60 minutes in 120 degree heat. I'll pass, thank you. 

Nevertheless, I think the Cards can pull this one out and win it. That'll mess with the Penn/Monto Rankings. 

I hope to see you out there at Trager Friday. It should be a barn burner.. Literally.

paulie