Lacrosse gets a shutout....Golf finishes fourth...ACC First round -- Thursday Cardinal Couple

         ********ACC TOURNAMENT UPDATE********

Syracuse leading by three at halftime over Wake Forest in a back and forth contest. Fondren and Peterson leading the way for "Q"'s team but Wake dominating the boards with Briana Day riding the bench for the Orange with three fouls. Wake starting to look tired... 

We have our first upset of round two...Wake beating Syracuse 85-79. WFU had a 14 point lead in this one in the second half. Q is headed home. Dearica Hamby with 23 points and Amber Campbell with 21 for WFU. Alexis Peterson heroic with 34 points in the loss...

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Miami up 34-30 at half against Virginia. A back and forth affair...Virginia going scoreless in the last four minutes. Faith randolph with just two points on 1-7 shooting. Nicole Sterling with 10 for the Canes. Miami turnovers from the Virginia 2-3 zone keeping this one close.

Miami gets the win 62-52. Adrienne Motley had a big second half...ending with 15 points while VA star Faith Randolph had only six points. The Wahoos shot only 32% while the Hurricanes were 42% from the floor. 

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A defensive struggle between Va Tech and Pitt in the first half 19-17...as the night games begin. Va Tech leading. Yeah, it's ugly. Both teams below 30%. Neither Vanessa Panousis or Brianna Kiesel have shown much. 

Another upset special...VT never gives up the lead in the final half and defeats Pitt 51-45. Vanessa Panousis with 20 for the Hokies. Her six free throws down the stretch cinched it.  VT won one game in the conference schedule. They've won two in the tournament. 

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LACROSSE RECORDS FIRST EVER SHUTOUT 17-0

On a morning where chilly rain reigned supreme, the Louisville Lacrosse team brought a ray of sunshine to Coach Kellie Young by recording the first shutout in Louisville Lacrosse history...a 17-0 blanking of Duquesne yesterday.

Kaylin Morissette was the heavy hitter for the squad...registering a career high seven goals for the 4-0 LAX Cards. Faye Brust added four scores and Hannah Kolowski found the net three times for UofL...who lead 11-0 at the half. 

Ashley Peacock and Brittany Read preserved the shutout at goal...although they only had to ward off seven Duquesne shots. By contrast, Louisville attempted 38 shots. 

The Cards return to action on Saturday with a 1 p.m. draw against William and Mary. 

Maybe the snow will be gone by then...

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WOMEN'S GOLF FINISHES 4th IN MIAMI 


Katie Mitchell enjoyed her return to her home state over the last three days. The Jacksonville, FL. native and Florida transfer shot a two-over par 215 to finish sixth in the Hurricane Invitational in Miami. 

The Cards grabbed a fourth place finish in the event...Northwestern took the title. 

Emily Haas finished eighth overall, Katie Petrino was 18th. on the leaderboard and Laura Restrepo rounded out the Cardinal foursome in 44th. place. 

Miami and wearing shorts...one can dream, can't they? 

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ACC WBB TOURNAMENT -- DAY ONE

A couple of minor surprises and one blowout made up the first day of the Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Basketball Tournament in Greensboro, NC on Wednesday. 

Wake Forest got a big effort out of Dearica Hamby to send Boston College home in the first game. The Demon Deaconess crew gets Syracuse as a result of their 69-53 win.

In the most exciting game of the day, Virginia Tech upset NC STATE 57-56 on a score by Hannah Young with one second remaining. The Gobblers will try to cage the Pitt Panthers tomorrow. 

Georgia Tech had little trouble with cellar dweller Clemson in the finale despite a sub par effort from Kaela Davis. Aaliyah Whiteside had 23 and Roddreka Rogers added 20 and 14 board in the 80-53 romp. Nikki Dixon was held scoreless for the Tigers. The Yellow Jackets will try to sting UNC next. 

Today's action:

Wake Forest vs. Syracuse  @ 11 a.m.
Virginia vs. Miami @ 2 p.m.
Virginia Tech vs.Pitt @ 6 p.m.
Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina 8 p.m.

Games are on Fox Sports South in the Louisville area.

"Q" will advance for our entertainment pleasure

I didn't do too well with yesterday's fearless, bold predictions...getting only the Ga. Tech pick correct. We'll try to do better with today's choices.

Syracuse over Wake Forest. The Orange and "Q" have the bigs (Briana Day, for one) to go against Hamby. 

Virginia over Miami. The Wahoos were very impressive in their win over Louisville. This will be the one to see tomorrow and I think UVA wins a close one. 

Virginia Tech over Pitt. This will be a low scoring and defensive battle. A bit of an upset, maybe...but each tournament always seems to have a giant-killer and VT could be this year's...knocking off Kiesel and the Panthers
after turning the tables on a good NC State squad. 

North Carolina over Georgia Tech. This could be closer than expected, if Davis is back on her game and Whiteside and Rogers have another big night. The Cards will be watching this one with a vested interest, since they get the winner. 

paulie
xxxxx

WBB escapes at Pitt 63-57 --- Monday Cardinal Couple

GAME REPORT  CARDS 63 - Pitt 57

Louisville held Pitt scoreless for the final 3:10 of the game and sank 8 of 10 free throws down the stretch to come from behind in the Petersen Event Center Sunday in Pittsburgh. 

Pitt missed their final seven shots after Brianna Kiesel's three gave the Panthers a 57-55 lead with 3:10 on the clock. Although the Cards failed to score from the court in the same stretch, they capitalized from the charity stripe to go to 14-1 overall and 2-0 in the ACC.

This one looked like it might be a Cardinal blowout early on. The Cards were up 7-0 five minutes into the contest after a Shawnta' Dyer free throw.

Then, the wheel stopped spinning...


Pitt responded with a 13-0 run over the next five minutes to grab a 13-7 lead...which featured two Fred Potvin threes and it wasn't until Dyer connected inside with 10:52 on the scoreboard that the Pitt shutout was ended. The Cards couldn't find the hoop underneath and were breaking down defensively and making foolish turnovers when they managed to get the ball in scoring position. Pitt would blow out to a 27-17 lead with two minutes left in the half before the Cards countered with a 4-0 run to end the half.

It was 29-21 Panthers after twenty minutes and Louisville needed answers and some consistency. Sara Hammond led Louisville with six points. It was the lowest scoring half of the season for UofL.

The Cards came out strong, fortunately, to start the second half and a 10-4 run in the first four minutes drew the score to 33-31 Pitt after a Bria Smith steal and layup. After several minutes of exchanging baskets and misses...the Cards tied it 41-41 after a Myshia Hines-Allen free throw with 12:11 on the clock. 

Louisville wouldn't regain the lead until a Moore three made it 50-48 with 8:30 left to play. The Cards had trailed or been tied for 25 minutes. Pitt responded with a 5-0 run, keyed by a Kiesel three and Louisville would not regain the lead until a clutch Jude three made it 55-53 with 4:33 left.

It was Kiesel's turn and she responded with two free throws and a basket to put Pitt back in the lead 57-55 and 3:10 to play. 

It was Pitt's final points of the game.


Dyer hit a free throw to draw the Cards within one. Arica Carter stepped up and hit two pressure-packed free tosses to put the Cards ahead 58-57 with 40 seconds left in the game. After a Kiesel turnover from a Cardinal double team, Moore was fouled and sank two for a three-point lead with 27 seconds remaining. Jude converted on 1 of 2 from the line to make it 61-57 UofL and Dyer dropped in two from the charity stripe with six seconds left for the 63-57 final.

Pressure Cards defense in the final three minutes made the difference in the win...Pitt missed their final seven shots. 

Jude led Louisville with 11 points. Moore was the only other Card in double figures with ten points...all in the second half. Hines-Allen and Bria finished with nine points, Dyer added seven points and 12 rebounds and Carter and Hammond had six each...Sara's all in the first half and Arica's in the final twenty minutes. Cortnee Walton had four points but Walz mentioned she was experiencing foot pain after the game and would be evaluated when the team returns to Louisville. Megan Deines added a free throw and Emmonnie Henderson saw a minute of action with no points which was explained as being a failure to follow instructions while in the game.

Kiesel led the Panthers with 19 and Monica Wignot added 11. The Panthers did sink eight threes against the Cards...Moore and Jude had two each from the deep for UofL.


A needed win from behind on the road...maybe...but not a very pretty game to watch. The Cards ended up shooting 41% for the game after a 8-27 (29%) first half effort. The Cards outscored Pitt 42-28 in the second half. They took Pitt's best punches early, staggered off the ropes and got the decision. Louisville's 63 points ranks as the lowest point output of the season. 

Another week off before Louisville returns to action with a visit to Wake Forest next Sunday. Plenty of time to work on consistency, accuracy and two-foot jump shots...

Trying to listen to the UofL radio call and watch the ESPN3 feed was ridiculous...since they were about two minutes out-of-sync. I gave up on the duality at halftime and let Matt and AJ bring the win home for my ears. From what I saw and heard, though...Jeff Hathhorn and Jen Tuscano did a OK job as the Pitt based TV crew. Maybe they'll learn how to pronounce Deines before they call the Cards again in February. 

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Like the rest of the sports world...we are saddened by the

death of Stuart Scott at age 49. The ESPN commentator brought us the catch phrases "Booyah!" and "Cool as the other side of the pillow" and his street approach toward delivering sports news made him a must watch on SportsCenter. 

His death serves as a reminder to live each day to the fullest and never take things too seriously. We'll miss you, Stewie...

paulie

Louisville defeats Pitt in overtime 71-66

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 GAME REPORT...Louisville vs. Pitt

-Cards rally to force overtime

-BIG EAST Tuesday Night results

-Early Kentucky Derby peek


 The Lady Cards came from seven down with 3:32 left in the game tonight and forced a 60-60 overtime...taking the Panthers in the extra session 71-66. Not a spectacular or impressive win by Louisville tonight, but a win against an inspired Pitt women's basketball team and a clutch effort by Shoni and Slaughter to secure it.

Shoni finished with sixteen to lead four Lady Cards in double figures. Her seven straight near the end of the game were key in getting the Cards back in the contest. Here we go...

Starters:  Shoni, Taylor, Vails, Smith and Burke

BB was hot
early vs. Pitt.

Pitt opened the scoring with a Ashlee Anderson three. She wasn't done by any stretch of the imagination. Louisville took off on a 10-2 run after that, though, and led 10-5 after Becky Burke nailed her second 3-pointer of the night. It was the second of four from her for the evening.

Pitt rallied back and tied it at 10-10 after a Leeza Burdgess jumper with 14:06 to go. A inside score from Shawnta Dyer and a Nita Slaughter three gave Louisville a 18-13 lead and Dyer connected again in the paint to make it 20-15 Lady Cards with 10:53 remaining. Pitt rallied to get within one at 20-19...but a three from Shoni and two Sherrone Vails layups off passes from Shoni had Louisville up 27-19 with 5:54 left in the half.

Vails second layup was the last basket of the half for the Lady Cards.

Agnus Berenato had
Pitt prepared for
the Lady Cards

Pitt would out-score Louisville 8-3 the rest of the way...the Cardinals getting a free throw from Burke at the 5 minute mark and two from Slaughter with 57 seconds left in the first twenty minutes to make it 30-25 Cards. Brianna Kiesel scored on a put-back to end the first half scoring and Louisville went to the locker room up 30-27.

Burke's 10 points...nine of them on 3-3 three point shooting led Louisville. Only four other Cards scored in the first half...Vails with six, Slaughter and Shoni with five each and Dyer getting four. All but Shelby played. Louisville was out rebounded by seven in the first half and was definitely having trouble stopping Pitt on the offensive boards. 

The Cards also needed to find a way to get the ball through the net from the floor to begin the second half. It looked like they might have found the answer early...as Vails and Shoni scored early to put Louisville up 34-27. Pitt roared back, though, and a Dowd 3 made it a two point game at 37-35 with 16:32 remaining. 

Sho-time magic late
in the second half
for the Lady Cards

Pitt would tie the game at 41-41 on another Kiesel score...part of a 6-0 run that had the Panthers ahead 45-41 after Ashlee Anderson hit a jumper with 10:02 remaining. A Shoni score got Louisville within two...but the Lady Cards could only muster three free throws in the next four minutes and Pittsburgh led 53-46 with 3:32 remaining. 

The Cards went to work. Two Dyer free throws, followed by two Bria Smith free throws got Louisville within three. It was Pitt 55-50, though, with 2:43 remaining and Louisville needed a scorer and a spark.

It became "Sho" time.

Shoni's jumper cut it to three. A Shoni three after a steal made it 55-55. Her third basket in a row capped a 7-0 Schimmel run and Louisville had regained the lead 57-55. Louisville fouled Burgess on a made basket, though, and her free throw gave Pitt a 58-57 advantage with 1:22 left.

I can do some pretty good
shootin' myself, dag nabbit!!

A Slaughter free throw tied it at 58-58 but she missed the second one. Slaughter then fouled Kyra Dunn with 27 seconds left and she sank both shots for a 60-58 Pitt lead. Slaughter to the rescue, though...she tied it with a jumper at the 16 second mark. Pitt had a chance to score at the buzzer, but Bria Smith partially blocked a Kiesel desperation heave and regulation ended at 60-60.

Anderson scored to start the overtime but Slaughter returned the favor with a jumper. She connected again with 3:25 left in the overtime to make it 64-62 Louisville. Kiesel put Pitt ahead with a 3-pointer at the 2:52 mark. Bria Smith drove and scored on the next possession, though, to give Louisville a 66-65 lead. An Anderson free throw tied it at 66-66 with 2:14 left. She had missed two charity tosses two seconds earlier...but grabbed her own rebound and got fouled again....making one out of two the second time around.  

Shawnta Dyer put the Cards ahead to stay with a free throw at the 2:13 mark. Then Bria Smith scored on a drive to the basket to give the Lady Cards a 69-66 lead and 1:30 to go. 
Pitt would not score again and Anderson fouled Burke - who cashed in two free throws with 16 seconds left for the final....71-66.

Cards win! Cards win! 

The Irish are next for
the Lady Cards on
Monday, 2 p.m.

Louisville played their way out of a very embarrassing potential situation...narrowly avoiding the loss to conference winless Pittsburgh. The Lady Cards got it done when it needed to be accomplished - getting 18 of their final 21 points from Slaughter, Smith and Shoni. 

They kept Pittsburgh scoreless in the final 2:13 of overtime - Smith and Shoni doing the job on defense against Anderson (who fouled out with 16 seconds left) and Kiesel.  

Sophomore Schimmel ended with 16 and was joined in double figures by Slaughter(15), Burke (15) and Dyer, who had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Vails ended up with eight and Smith six. Bria's points all in the final three minutes of the second half and overtime. Taylor, Hammond, Jude and Shelby Harper played but did not score. 

Pitt got 22 each from guards Kiesel and Anderson. They're a freshman and a sophomore and they were spectacular tonight for Agnus Berenado's Panthers tonight.

So, the Lady Cards survive on the road. Eight conference wins now, a number that Coach Walz feels will get them in the NCAA Tournament. 

Six days to prepare for Notre Dame. Based on tonight's hap-hazard performance, they'll need those days. We're very proud of the way the Cards fought back tonight and got a come-from-behind win in front of anywhere from 500-1555 in attendance (depending on whose numbers you want to adhere to). The Louisville swimming and diving team - competing in the BIG EAST Tournament in Pittsburgh was there, helping boosting the number and providing vocal support.

This was an ugly game. An effort like this against the Irish and the #4 team in the nation will wipe the floor with the Lady Cards. But, it's a "W" and this is the BIG EAST, where anything can happen.

We wonder if the BIG 12 will be like this?

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In other BIG EAST WBB Tuesday action:

--Georgetown got 17 points from Sugar, Sugar and gained a road win over Villanova 60-54. Sweeney finished with 16 for 'Nova.

--Norte Dame defended Purcell Pavillion with a 66-47 win over Providence. Skylar Diggins with 19 for the Irish, Rachel Barnes earned 16 for the Friars. Notre Dame was 1-5 from 3-point range in this one.

--USF travelled to Milwaukee and knocked off the Marquette Golden Eagles 61-48. They held Katherine Plouffe to single digits and "the Russian Rocket" Inga Orekhova had 14 for Jose Fernandez crew. Sasha Bernard contributed 10 for the Bulls.

Only one BIG EAST match-up for Wednesday night...but it should be a great one...Rutgers and WVU in Morgantown.

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We like our buddy J.J.'s blog on horseracing. In the money.

J.J knows horses. Way better than
we do.

She put up her weekly entry yesterday and it is chock full of great information about the three year olds. GIve it a click.

http://www.lyricalshadow.blogspot.com/

Tell her how much you like it. She offers some great insights into the "sport of Kings" and posts (for now) weekly.

We think you should go over there and read it if you have an interest in thoroughbred racing. She covers the best three year olds all around the nation this week and there is some very good information and insights about the "road to the roses" for the contenders.
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