WSOC gets third shutout in a row with 4-0 win over Toledo -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

WOMEN'S SOCCER OFF TO BEST START SINCE 2012

Confidence.

It was the rapid reply from Coach Karen Ferguson Dayes during our post-game interview when I asked her what the squad could gather out of this 4-0 win over Toldeo...and as they prepare for Kentucky on Friday night at Lynn Stadium. 





Confidence.

The attitude junior mid-fielder/attacker Alison Price exuded when she talked about the difference between this year's squad and the 2015 version. Confidence and comfortability in her teammates. 

Louisville women's field hockey gathered their third straight 4-0 victory of the season in front of a sweltering crowd at Lynn Stadium Sunday and wasted no time in taking the lead. I barely had time to sit down after the National Anthem (yes, I did remove my cap and mouth the words) when the Cards took the opening offensive sequence and got a score from freshman Sarah Feola off a nice cross set up by Brooklynn Rivers just 21 seconds into the contest. 

It is easy to be confident when your team is doing most of the scoring and the opponent struggles just to get off shots against you. All told, in four regular season matches and two exhibition contests...Louisville has allowed two goals. 

What is just as impressive and confidence-building is that the Cards have scored 13 goals in building their 3-0-1 record. In 16 games last year, they totaled 15 goals. 

Louisville pushed yesterday's match to a 3-0 halftime advantage...getting a score from Price 20 minutes in when she schooled the goalie on a one-on-one maneuver and a late score with 71 ticks left in the first half from senior Caroline Kimble on a "bloop" kick over Toledo goalkeeper
Katie Wilson's head following a deflection by Rivers. 

Heat, substitutions (the Cards played 11 non-starters throughout the second half) and maybe a bit of fatigue from playing their second game in less than 48 hours limited Louisville to one goal in the final 45 minutes. It was a beauty though...sophomore Jill Vetere getting loose on a cross and firing one off the left post that bounced in.


What was just as impressive was Vetere's post-score celebration...where she took down Price with a full leap/jump/sack that Cards' football defensive coordinator Todd Grantham would have been proud of. 

The Cards held a 22-7 shot advantage and 11-2 shots on goal edge. Taylor Bucklin had both the Louisville saves...in her first strenuous athletic efforts since she was asked to pass the fried chicken at the 4th of July picnic. Tory Gabor spent the final 22 minutes between the posts for the Cards...a goalie Coach KFD is very impressed with and the probable successor to Bucklin when she graduates. 

All told, the Cards had four different scorers from four different classes (freshman, sophomore, junior and senior). They are off to their best start since they opened 6-0 back in 2012. That team went 10-4-4 and had their win streak stopped by UK. Guess who is next on the 2016 schedule for the Kickin' Cards? Yup, the Big Blue.

Confidence. 

It's a wonderful thing to establish early in a season with a roster that is so young (11 freshmen and 5 sophomores) but also blessed with three returning starters on defense and the incredible Bucklin between the pipes. 

"Whaddya mean you haven't got our UK versus UofL tickets yet?"

Yesterday, another home game, another shutout win and another four goals scored. Another confidence builder. Friday is when confidence will meet competition in a crucial contest concerning two camps that are colliding at a critical confluence in their seasons. 

The Cats are 0-2-2 to start the year. Yesterday's match in Lexington against Northwestern ended in a cancellation after 45 minutes of play due to rough weather. I heard reports of torrential rain. August weather. Always unpredictable once you get past the heat guarantee.

We hope Kentucky doesn't come to town and rain on Louisville women's soccer parade. The Cats might be a little confident...and rightfully so, since they've won the last five matchups against the Cards and have posted shutouts in the last four. 

Time to shine, Louisville. Celebrate this last one a bit longer and then get ready for the Battle of the Bluegrass. 

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Catch my post-game interviews with Coach KFD and Alison Price at the two links below. I even snuck my head and cap into camera view at the start of these. 

Confidence...it even extends to the senile old guy doing the post-game chats.

POST GAME WITH KAREN FERGUSON DAYES

POST GAME WITH ALISON PRICE




paulie
xxxxx

LOUISVILLE WOMEN'S SOCCER UPSETS #1 NORTH CAROLINA 2-1 IN OVERTIME --FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

SHOCKING THE NCAA IN WOMEN'S SPORTS...IT'S WHAT THEY DO AT UOFL

Louisville Women's Soccer recorded the biggest win in program history Thursday night with a 2-1 overtime win over #1 ranked and previously unbeaten UNC in front of 1800 screaming fans in Lynn Stadium. 

An improbable but thrilling end to the overtime session when Louisville was awarded a free kick with 45 seconds to go in the extra session. Hannah Konermann coolly surveyed the situation from about 30 yards out while the clock ran, sent a precise kick into a crowded mass of players in front of the UNC goal and Hannah Harris got the ball to Caroline Kimble...who placed a header past outstretched UNC goalie Lindsey Harris for the game-ender with nine ticks left on the clock.

Then pandemonium took over the Lynn Stadium turf as the Cardinals flocked to a wild victory celebration in front of the net where the contest was decided. 

Cards WBB over Baylor. Louisville Field Hockey over UNC and Duke. Add Louisville Women's Soccer to the list of big-time upsets accomplished by these Louisville ladies...

" I just had to keep pushing through. I was getting tired but I knew we could do it and we kept pushing and we did it." - Caroline Kimble 

The Cards battled UNC for almost 35 minutes in the first half before the TarHeels connected off a cross inside the box to take a 1-0 lead. The first half ended that way...a half where UNC outshot the Cards 16-4 and seemed to be on the offensive attack the entire 45 minutes. 

" I didn't do anything (at halftime). I didn't have to day anything to them that they didn't already believe. It starts with the belief. I told them that any given team could win on any given day...so why couldn't it be us today?" 
- Karen Ferguson Dayes

The Cards evened the score just 3 1/2 minutes into second half play when Konermann found Gabrielle Vincent on a free kick and despite numerous UNC attempts to score...the Cardinal defense held firm and regulation ended at 1-1. 

Some things defy description. Seeing this hard-working, never-say-quit squad take the shots, the bumps, the no-calls and the pressure...and then burst onto the field in joyous celebrations is a sight this old reporter won't forget for a very long time. I'm not sure words can fully capture it. 

Another entry into the Louisville women's sports journal of knocking off #1. The beating of Baylor in WBB. Field Hockey wins over Duke and North Carolina last year. Belief. It runs strong on the Belknap Campus and within the student-athletes that don the colors and perform the miracles. 


The Paulie 5% success rate of predicting games is safe. I had teased Coach KFD on Tuesday about picking against them at Syracuse. They, of course, won. After some gentle chiding from her...I told her I'd have to pick against Louisville again on Thursday night to assure the Cards would win. 

And it was the first thing she pointed out to me when she came bounding over to the reporters after the win. The rainbow appeared, Coach Karen. You said it would. 

Glad to oblige...Kickin' Cards. I won't pick you to win another match this year. 

Hear Paulie's post-game interviews with Karen Ferguson-Dayes, Caroline Kimble and goalie Taylor Bucklin at the link below:

POST GAME COMMENTS FROM COACH AND PLAYERS

Watch the winning goal by Caroline Kimble at the link below:

KIMBLE SCORES THE WINNING GOAL


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FIELD HOCKEY VS #1 SYRACUSE TONIGHT

Louisville Field Hockey will try and duplicate the knocking off of a #1 ranked team when Syracuse visits Trager Stadium tonight for a 6 p.m. game. 

The Cards (7-4, 0-4) will be looking for their first ACC win of the season and might be dealing with the elements if the forecast for today produces the rain and cooler temperatures being predicted. 

Admission is free at Trager. Come out and support the team!

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VOLLEYBALL LOOKS TO CONTINUE THE WINS

The wide-net Cards take to the road for their next two...starting tonight in Atlanta against Georgia Tech. 

The Cards are on a 4 game win streak and undefeated in ACC play so far. Anne Kordes has found success with the revolving front line quartet of Erin Fairs, Aniah Philo, Janelle Jenkins and Maya McClendon. 

Add in freshman libero Molly Sauer and everyone's favorite setter Katie George and the Cards look to be formidable force in the ACC. 

Louisville will travel to Clemson for a Sunday match after they dissect the Rambling Wreck of Georgia Tech tonight.

paulie
xxxxx