Lacrosse wins 11-8 over Liberty -- WBB First Round vs MTSU and SB vs Duke Preview -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

FRIDAYS WITH DARYL


Hello readers and welcome Springtime!!!!

I typically prefer my springtime to have a few more degrees to it but i'll take the sunny days. We take what we can get this time of the year!!! And what we also get this time of the year is some post season basketball.

We've got some previews and recaps to get to today so lets hop right in!


THE CARDINAL COUPLE NCAA WBB FREE BRACKET SELECTIONS 

If you haven’t yet filled out a bracket, there is still time before the first matchup which is UNC vs Michigan State at 11:30am. You can leave a comment below of your picks as well just make sure you have them all there or it could be considered a forfeit of the matchup. 

Jared said it is a 10:30am deadline!!! HE IS THE BRACKET CZAR so we'll let him make the call there. Make sure you have a total points in final game guess to break ties. 

WBB

#6-seed UofL vs #11-seed Middle Tennessee St University square off in the first round of the NCAA tournament this afternoon in Baton Rouge.  You can watch the game on ESPN2.   I'll be at work for it but I'll be following along. 1:30 pm tip.  

Let's acknowledge the fact that this path is no easy one for Louisville.   Starting off with regional rival, the familiar Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.  

Middle Tennessee heads into the NCAA Tournament with a 29-4 overall record and were 16-0 in Conference USA.

They have won 19-straight games, the sixth-longest active winning streak in the country and they have not lost a game since December 30.   THe Blue Rainders have 4 players averaging double digits including Anastasiia Boldyreva

(14.6ppg) and Savannah Wheeler(17.4ppg).

 

Louisville is 14-0 all-time in the first round of the NCAA Tournament under Walz. This is the first time the Cardinals are a No. 6 seed under Walz and just the second time in program history. Louisville was a No. 6 seed in 2007 and advanced to the second round in the year prior to Walz's arrival.

The Cardinals are the only team in the nation to make each of the last five Elite Eight's. Louisville has advanced to the Sweet 16 six-straight times, the third-longest active streak in the country.

The last time the two met was 12/4/22 where the Cards lost 49-67 at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Olivia Cochran led the way for the Cardinals with a team-high 14 points and added seven rebounds. Chrislyn Carr was the third Cardinal in double figures with 10 points.

I'm sending the Cardinals ALL THE GOOD LUCK VIBESSSS as they set off to win the program's first national championship.   (in no particular order) 

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

DEAR: 

         

Olivia, Merissah, Jayda, Kiki, Elif, Hennie, Nina, Nyla, Alexia, Sydney, Eseosa and Elyia 

Let's go, you got this!!!!! it's time to shine!!! We will be cheering for you all from Louisville!  have fun and stay healthy and go all the way!!!!!!!!!

                                                                Much love,                                                                                                        CARDNAION & CARDINAL COUPLE                       

 

  

(some of my favorite photos from mr Jared Anderson this season)

SOFTBALL

The diamond Cards are hosting another ACC series at Ulmer this weekend as they welcome the #6/4 Duke Blue Devils to town. They are still looking for their first win in the conference. The first matchup is scheduled for 6pm on Friday (ACCNX), 1pm on Saturday (ACCNX) and 12pm on Sunday (ACCNX).

Duke sports a 24-2 record on the season and 5-1 in the ACC with a loss to FSU in their series last weekend where they went 2-1 over the weekend.

Duke is coming off a mid-week sweep against UNC Wilmington in a double header 6-1 and 7-0.  Duke's pitching staff of Dani Drogemuller and sophomores Cassidy Curd and Sophie Garner-MacKinnon combined to surrender just four total hits. Drogemuller struck out four during the opening game, while Curd fanned eight in the second.

Duke's 15 shutouts on the year sit tied for second nationally with #1 Oklahoma and the pair trail #10 Florida, who leads the nation with 16.

The Cards are 19-10 on the season and are coming off a heartbreaking walk off loss at Miami (OH) the other night. 

Lacrosse

Kokoro Nakazawa recorded her 8th hat trick of the season in leading the University of Louisville women's lacrosse team to an 11-8 victory over Liberty Thorsady afternoon.

The Cardinals move to 5-5 (2-2 ACC) on the season and Liberty falls to 3-6 (0-0 ASUN).

Kylea Dobson ended with two goals, an assist, a ground ball, and a caused turnover. Perroni had two points but contributed four ground balls and tied her career-high with five caused turnovers. McKee tallied a season-high seven draw controls.   Ava Peers scored her first collegiate goal and Madi McKee tallied her first goal of the season.  

The Cards lead after 1 quater 6-2 and went into the locker room up 7-4 at the half.

Louisville was unable to find the back of the net in the third quarter, as Liberty got within one goal going into the final frame. The Cards responded with four straight goals from Nicole Perroni, Izzy Seikel, Kokoro Nakazawa, and Maggie McMahon. The Flames ended the game with two of their own but could not complete the comeback, going scoreless in the last six minutes.

THEY SAID IT: 

"We got off to a great start offensively in the first quarter," said Head Coach Scott Teeter. "Liberty made some good adjusments and we needed to realize that sooner than we did this afternoon. Madi did fantastic on the draw today. In order to play well, we need to continue getting those crucial draws and focus on staying in the game for the full 60 minutes."

Jell Walz in Baton Rouge:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ckDbKhiTg

LAX travels to #12 North Carolina on Saturday, 3/23 at 11 a.m. and can be watched on the ACCNX.

I cant wait for the WBB game today and hope everyone has a happy and healthy tournament season!!! 

 

As Always, 

Go Cards

~Daryl