Key Test For Lou FH Today -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 ACC CARDS VS. BIG 10 HOOSIERS TONIGHT

(Daryl has run away from home and left a note instructing me to do her Friday article while she books passage on a steamer to Singapore. Just kidding, her Bats duties have her tied up and last night and today...so you get me, Paulie, to fill in. Any complaints should be sent to Bill The Goat, c/o Cardinal Couple, who will eat them after Timmy the Intern reads them to a fairly uninterested Cardinal Couple Lunch Room contingent.) .   

For many years, ACC Field Hockey has been widely considered the "top of the mark". The best Field Hockey conference in DI NCAA  and the standard for excellence. This season, at least in the eyes of the NCAA DI Field Hockey coaches, there is a changing of the guard. We find three BIG 10 schools in the top five of the early rankings (#1 Michigan, #2 Iowa and #5 Northwestern) and just two ACC schools (#3 Boston College and #4 UNC). And the mighty, seeming untouchable TarHeels are an unimpressive 2-2 on the season -- taking losses to both Michigan and Iowa in the ACC/Big 10 challenge in Iowa City. 

Our Louisville Cardinals Field Hockey squad is re-knocking at the top five door at #6. The Cards were #5, won two games at Princeton against the Tigers and Penn, and then dropped a spot in the latest coaches poll. Yeah, go figure. 

The Cards are 4-0 on this young season and face their first Big 10 opponent this evening in IU. A 6 p.m. match at Trager Stadium, that'll be shown on the ACC Network Extra.  IU is the first of four Big 10 opponents the Cards will face this season -- and our neighbors to the north aren't having a bad, at all, start to their season with a 4-1 record. 

This series is known as the "Battle of the Border" and the Cards lead the series 15-7. Louisville has won the last seven matches agains the Hoosiers. They did not play in 2019, but the Cards took a 5-0 decision in 2019. 

IU and the Cards have a similar opponent this season -  sort of -- in Bellarmine. Louisville scrimmaged against the Knights early in the schedule and won 10-0 before the teams practiced 7v7 and post-game, tie breaking shootouts. Bellarmine won the latter two, so I suppose you could call the final 10-2. Whatever you want to name it, it was a dominating Cardinals performance. IU hosted Bellarmine on Monday and defended the home turf with a 3-0 win over the Knights. 

IU's lone loss this season was at the hands of Lafayette, up in Columbus, OH .on Sunday. .The Hoosiers took a 4-0 beating from the unranked Leopards (5 bonus points if you previously knew their nickname). I'll offer another 10 bonus points if you know where Lafayette is located with "googling" it. (Answer at the end of today's column). 

One could say that IU might be the Louisville Field Hockey's squads toughest test of the season so far. I'd certainly say that you need to consider Princeton in that category, too --  the #13 ranked Tigers took the Cards to overtime. 

This Cardinals squad has been proficient without all-world, graduated Meche Pastor. They hold a 15-3 scoring edge in their four wins and are doing it with a freshman goal keeper in Mila de Kuijer. The Cards do have 18 players (nine of them starters) back from that Final Four 2020 team and they certainly enjoy the home turf advantage of Trager. Louisville has won nine in a row there, going back to last season.  

Looking at the top 25 in NCAA DI Field Hockey Coaches Poll, we find six Big 10 Field Hockey programs in the rankings and seven ACC schools. The top 10 of the most recent coaches poll is either ACC or Big 10 affiliated schools. 

I fully expert IU to arrive in Louisville today with an "upset-minded" attitude and to try and erase the bad taste of the Lafayette loss from their system. A win over Louisville could easily propel them into the nation's top 25. 

It'll be a homecoming, of sorts, for two IU players, Mary Kate Kesler is a senior midfielder who played her high school hockey at Louisville Sacred Heart High School. Meredith Lee is a freshman midfielder whp went to Louisville Assumption. Kesler has started all five games for IU, has not scored but has n assist. Lee has seen action in one game for the Hoosiers.

It should be a good battle today at Trager. Admission is free if you want to join in the fun. 

AND...

Let's not forget that two other Louisville Fall Sports squads are in action today. WSOC brings in Michigan to Lynn Stadium for a 5 p.m. match. This one is also on the ACCNX, if you want to watch, or...you could head out to Lynn and view it. Remember admission is free. Our Jared Anderson will be running back and forth from the soccer and field hockey venues taking pictures and having fun. Unfortunately, I won't be atending either event -- some mobility issues have me on the sidelines. 

And, in the Queen City, Louisville Volleyball faces #6 Purdue in the Xavier Tournament. Our Jeff McAdams is attending this one. If you wanna watch, FloVolleyball will be showing the match on-line. It's a "pay for" site and a month of coverage will cost you $29.95. 

(Easton, PA is the location of Lafayette College) 

Have a fulfilling Friday! 

paulie

Volleyball, Field Hockey highlight women's sports action today -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

VOLLEYBALL FACES TOP NOTCH FOES IN ACC/BIG 10 CHALLENGE

Top flight competition comes at Dani Busboom Kelly's wide-net squad right off the bat to start the 2017 season as they participate in the annual conference challenge. They'll play host and #7 ranked Wisconsin tonight at 7:30 and then face #4 Minnesota at 4 p.m. Saturday. 

Much has been made of the transfers outside hitter Amanda Green and setter Wilma Rivera for the Cards this year and from all reports...the two looked good, along with recently converted outside hitter Tess Clark  in the Red/White/Black scrimmage in Cardinal Arena last weekend. Molly Sauer is also an integral and important cog in the Cardinal plans and the libero also got glowing reports in the scrimmage. 

Facing two top teams to start the season is a bit daunting but the matches will give Kelly a frank and real look at where the team is, what is working and what needs work. 

The Gocards website lists internet viewing for these...if it's like last night's Soccer match against IU though. it'll be pay-per-view...but here's the link to tonight's action.

https://www.btn2go.com/game/louisville-at-wisconsin-on-08252017

Let's hope it turns out to be a freebie. There is also mention the games will be on IHeart Radio. If you have the app...that could be an option. I did find the stats page pretty useful last night while listening to a dreadful radio broadcast of women's soccer...here it as well:

 http://www.sidearmstats.com/wisconsin/wvball/


Anyway...the opening match should give Worldwide and the boys plenty to chat about on THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR tomorow at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM and on-line at www.crescenthillradio.com

Good luck, CARDS! 


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W. SOCCER WINS...FIELD HOCKEY HOSTS THE HOOSIERS

The season officially begins for Justine Sowry's Field Hockey flock today at 2 p.m. when IU comes to the Trager. This...after the UofL women's soccer was in Bloomington last night and did win 2-0 in a brilliant defensive effort...with goals from Emina Ekic and Kennadi Carbin. The Cards controlled the shots statistics and continue to keep goalie Gabrielle Kouzelos clean back between the pipes. 

Field Hockey will face a Hoosier squad that comes in also getting the chance to play #3 Delaware at Trager. The Cards dominate the series against the Hoosier lifetime 11-5 and took down IU 5-1 last year in Bloomington. 

The fans will be waiting to see if Minnie Mink can keep Case's bold prediction of a two goal per game average alive with a couple of scores and also how Louisville will do without All-American Ayeshia McFerran between the pipes. Holynn Barr will guard the nets for Louisville

IU features a few Louisville girls on the roster in Maddie Latino (Sacred Heart) and Claire Dickinson (Kentucky Country Day) 

ACC Network Extra has the feed for this one, I'll be out there Tweeting and will have the description for you tomorrow here at the site and also on the radio. 

Once again....GO CARDS! 



paulie
xxxxx

Blanking 'em in Bloomington -- Field Hockey throws another shutout -- Monday Cardinal Couple

FIELD HOCKEY SHUTS OUT HOOSIERS

Halftime festivities with inflatable sticks and ball

The curse has been lifted. Paulie has finally attended a road trip this year where the Cardinals have won a game. Louisville Field Hockey capitalized early, midway through and late in their 3-0 win @ Indiana University yesterday. The blanking is #7 Louisville's fourth in a row. 

On a beautiful mid-70's afternoon at the IU Field Hockey complex, Louisville wasted little time taking the lead. Drawing a penalty corner, Chile Garcia provided the feed to senior Alyssa Voelmle to get the Cards on the board the first time just three minutes into the contest. 

WE sat with IU fans in the first half. They did not like us. 

Sonja, Amy and I had literally just sat down in the bleachers after arriving from the two hour trip from Louisville when we were back up again cheering the first score. The Stick Cards kept the defensive pressure tight and found their second opportunity to light up the score board with 10 minutes left in the first half. Another penalty corner...this time began by Mallory Mason, who got the feed to Paige Monson. Her stop gave Rachel McCarthy a great look at the net and the senior knocked home her second score of the year to make it 2-0. 


It took the spirit and life out of the 200 or so IU fans in attendance. The Cards took the 2-0 lead into halftime. The 40 or so Cards fans ramped up the volume even more. 

IU made several strong attempts to get on the board early in the second half but Cardinal goalie Sydney King was a deflection machine and the defense kept the Hoosiers side of the scoreboard blank. 

Shannon Sloss added the insurance score with a little over seven minutes left in the game . The Cards improve to 14-4 and will play their regular season finale in East Lansing, MI on Saturday against the Mich. St. Spartans. 

Post game Cards in front of the Cardinal section. 

A great Sunday afternoon....enjoying the beautiful fall leaf colors and occasional huge pumpkin patch in the fields of southern Indiana and also attending the dominating Cardinal win against IU. 

The field hockey field is nestled high on a hill in a sports complex on the IU campus that also includes the soccer field and several practice facilities. Plenty of parking...and handicap accessible walkways that lead to the fields. We enjoyed the trip ! 

(And my mother-in-law is now 2-0 in Field Hockey games attended.)

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Louisville women's Soccer probably didn't enjoy their road trip too much...falling to #7 Notre Dame 1-0 in South Bend. A goal against Paige Brown in the eighth minute of play was all the Irish needed to send Louisville to 7-8-2 on the season and 3-4-2 in ACC play.

UND dominated the stats 22-5 in shots and 8-3 in shots on goal. Brown recorded a season high seven saves in the loss. 

The Cards close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov 1st when they bring the VT Hokies to Lynn Stadium. Game time is 8 p.m.

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Volleyball was on the road also on this busy sports Sunday...playing in Pittsburgh. The Panthers prevailed, though, sending the Cards home with a 3-1 loss. After getting schooled by Pitt in the first two sets 25-15, 25-17...Louisville rallied after the break to take a 28-26 win...capitalizing on a Pitt service error and Janelle Jenkins serving ace to break a 26-26 tie. 

The Cards were in a position to force a fifth game...leading 19-14 and at set point 24-22...but couldn't seal the deal...seeing Pitt break a 27-27 tie due to a Cardinal error and Kate Yeazel kill. 

The Cards got 14 kills from Jenkins and a double-double from Tess Clark (10 kills, 11 blocks).

Louisville returns home to host Syracuse on Halloween night. Game time at the KFC YUM! Center is 7 p.m.


paulie
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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE-Field Hockey, Volleyball in action Saturday

Junior Alyssa Voelmle had a goal and an assist in the scrimmage against Indiana

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-FIELD HOCKEY BATTLES IU TO 4-4 TIE


-VOLLEYBALL HOLDS RED/BLACK GAME


The University of Louisville field hockey team went to  Indiana for a preseason scrimmage that ended in a 4-4 tie. The format featured two 25-minute periods followed by a 20-minute period. An overtime session followed and the scrimmage concluded with a shootout.

"This scrimmage was a great opportunity to play against someone else besides ourselves," said U of L head coach Justine Sowry. "We were able to play 19 players, which gives us confidence moving forward that we have a number of different options and more depth than last season. With that being said, it was a reality check. We lost our structure at times, which created some problems and we must be able to retain more possession especially at the critical moments of the game."

Louisville opened the scoring in the ninth minute of action when sophomore Victoria Stratton connected on junior Alyssa Voelme's pass from the top of the circle. Indiana answered on Kate Barber's goal in the 14th minute to tie the contest at 1-1.  The teams entered the second 25-minute session knotted at 1-1. The Hoosiers pulled ahead on Kayla Cunningham's unassisted goal, but the Cards answered six minutes later. Senior Michelle Amon delivered pass to the right side of the circle to freshman Jennifer Pels who sent a shot into the cage to tie the game at 2-2. In the third session, Voelmle connected on penalty corner assists from Pels and junior Mallory Mason to pull the Cards ahead 3-2. Louisville increased the lead to 4-2 after a ball pushed from outside the circle deflected off of an IU player and rolled into the cage for an own-goal.

The Hoosiers pulled within one on Corinne Karch's goal which made the score 4-3.
 

After three complete sessions, the Cardinals led 4-3. Both teams entered a simulated 10-minute overtime session which went to the Hoosiers. Indiana's Mollie Getzfread collected a rebound off of sophomore Sydney King's pads and netted a goal to the score at 4-4. Overtime was followed by two shootouts, the first a best-of-five, and the second a sudden victory round. Louisville would take the best-of-five by a score of 3-2 with sophomore Katharine Gwynne-Wood, freshman Lotta Kahlert and Voelmle. In the sudden-victory session, Indiana's Heilman would convert on the Hoosiers' first to give the second round to Indiana.  On the day, IU held a 13-10 edge in shots, but Louisville had eight penalty corners to the Hoosier's two. King collected six saves for the Cardinals.

"We don't have a lot of time to prepare for our opening weekend but for now we have a good base in which we can build upon," said Sowry.

Louisville will officially open the 2013 season at No. 7 Virginia on Aug. 30. They will stay on the road to face No. 21 Richmond on Sept. 1.

(Thanks to IU...some information in this article from IU Sports Information Department)

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Cardinal volleyball fans got a glimpse of the 2013 squad as the University of Louisville held a scrimmage at Cardinal Arena. Coach Anne Kordes' team won 15-25, 25-15, 25-17 in a competitive matchup featuring various lineups.


"I thought our seniors looked good. Emily Juhl and Brooke Mattingly lived up to being named Co-Preseason Players of the Year," said U of L head coach Anne Kordes. "After we got going, I thought the defense on both sides was exciting. I am very happy to see that because our system relies on our grit and our scrappiness and I saw that on both sides. Janelle Jenkins also showed what she was capable of and our phenomenal crowd made for a great atmosphere."

Mattingly and Juhl each had eight kills with defenders Caitlin Welch and Haley Pouliezos leading in digs with eleven and nine respectively. Carly Sahagian and Jenkins each had five kills and freshman Maya McClendon added five as well. Randi Ewing led blocking with four.   The Cardinals open their regular season at Penn State Invitational with Syracuse on Friday in State College, Pa.

Our Jeff McAdams will be at State College, PA and give us a report on the action.

(Thanks to gocards.com for information used in this report)


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Our Saturday Radio Show is now up and posted on the SoundCloud at Crescent Hill Radio. Give us a listen, take the quiz and use caution when opening doors in public places. Give it a click below...

RADIO THE WAY IT USED TO BE (in the Czech Republic)


-Paulie

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