VOLLEYBALL FACES KENTUCKY TONIGHT -- WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 CARDS AND CATS VOLLEYBALL SQUARE OFF IN MEMORIAL

Another chapter in the Louisville vs Kentucky battles takes place tonight when UofL and UK Volleyball face each other at 7 p.m. in Lexington. The # 13 Cats are 5-2 in the 2022 season, with losses to Marquette and Wisconsin. The Cards are #3 in the nation, with a 7-1 record. Their lone loss came at the hands of Ohio State. 

Junior Reagan Rutherford leads the Cats in kills with 95 on the season and she was also the SEC Player of the Week last week. Azhani Tealor and Adanna Rollins are also front line threats with Rutherford. The main difference between this squad and UK squads of the past is that none of the three UK leaders I've mentioned here are over 6'0" in height....a far cry from the tall UK front lines of years past. 

The Cards defeated UK in the LNFCU last year in a five set thriller. That Louisville win broke a seven match win streak UK held over UofL. 

Key for the Cards will be the continued strong showing of their veteran front line. Claire Chaussee, Anna DeBeer, Aiko Jones, Cara Cresse and Amaya Tillman have been unstoppable for most opponents this season. Add in the strong setting of Raquel Lazaro and the deep bench that Dani Busboom Kelly can call on and the Cards are well deserving of their #3 in the nation ranking. Elena Scott is an expert at digs and one of the best libero in the nation. 

The crowd noise at Memorial will be a factor that Louisville will have to deal with. The coliseum can get pretty loud when it's full of UK faithful and the Cats do tend to fill it up for Volleyball. 

Coaching is another key for UK. Craig Skinner has skippered UK Volleyball for close to 20 years now and been very successful at what he does. He has an in-depth knowledge of the game and is widely respected among his peers  Mind you, UofL has a very good coachi n Dani and staff to go with her. I can't see coaching blunders affecting this match on either side/

There were a few tickets left for the contest late Tuesday afternoon (general admission is $5) but if you can't make it to the UK campus tomorrow, the match will be shown on ESPN. The network is even Katie George the call on it, along with Eric Frede, Those two do a very fine job in calling a Volleyball match, Katie lets her professionalism override her love for the Louisville program, and that's the sign of a excellent announcer. You know she's gotta be hanging on every long, competitive volley and officials' review. 

I'm expecting a five-setter here. Naturally, I'd be thrilled if the Cards could sweep or win it in four and, I'd be disappointed if Jared and I leave Lexington after seeing Louisville lose their second match of the season. 

The Cards could conceivably move up to #2 in DI if they win it. based on Stanford defeating current #2 Nebraska last night. Oh, and guess who Louisville has next, after UK? That's right, the Cardinal. 

So, is this trip to Lexington the toughest road match of the year so far? Yes, I think you could say that with no qualms or hesitations. WKU was a challenge, obviously, but the intensity and pressure tonight will surpass that. It's Kentucky, after all. We'll have Jeff in the stands for this one, Jared taking photos and me at press row. (Yes, Paulie's going to a volleyball match) .I won't attend any of ours at LNFCU during the regular season.  Personal preference. 

(PHOTOS ARE FROM THE 202! MATCH BETWEEN THESE TWO THAT JARED ANDERSON TOOK)

paulie 

 

Jared Anderson's "A history of" -- Swimming and Diving -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

A History of Louisville Women’s Sports Chapter 5: Swimming and Diving

As we transition from the fall sports to winter sports I decided to focus on a program that does not receive the publicity and recognition equivalent to their accomplishments.  In terms of national championships combined between individual and team events the Louisville swimming and diving program is unlike any other.  Their streak of national championships traces back to when I first started as a student.  However, today we are focusing solely on the women’s side, so we will negate all men’s accomplishments for the time being.

Ralph Wright is a name recognized as the aquatic center where the Cardinals compete at today, but the name means much more than that.  Ralph Wright became the first swimming and diving (S&D) coach at UofL for the 1948-49 school year.  Wright had a prestigious record long before his time at UofL including a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps.  He continued to coach in town at the Y.M.C.A, Lakeside Swim Club and Plantation Swim Club up until his death at the age of 45.  There are now multiple buildings named in his memory.  Wright is now a member of the Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame.

There was a gap in stats, numbers and records following Wright’s departure up until the 1990’s when UofL

started keeping records.  That’s when Rick Hill came in.  He was the second most recent swimming and diving coach, where he held the position from the 1990’s to the 2002-03 season.  Hill spent his time as coach as a member of Conference USA and now has an award named in his honor.

Arthur Albiero first took over in 2003.  He came from Alabama, where he played an integral part in their rebuilding period.  Albiero worked with architects on the design of the Ralph Wright Natatorium just in time for UofL to join the Big East Conference.  Since then, Albiero has helped the Cards onto numerous individual conference championships in the Big East, AAC and ACC.  He has guided Cardinals onto higher levels with NCAA Championships, World Championships, and Olympic medals.  The women won their first ever conference championship in 2009-2010, under his guidance.  Two women’s swimmers have one individual NCAA titles- Kelsi Worrell Dahlia and Mallory Comerford.  Albiero has also coached the Brazilian Olympics team.

Worrell won titles in 2015 and 2016.  Comerford went three years with the crown in 2017, 2018 and 2019.  Both swimmers were also a part of the 2016 Rio Olympics USA gold medal team.  On the men’s side, Joao De Lucca and Carlos Almeida have both taken the title during their careers.

The Ralph Wright Natatorium has been home to the Cards since September 2005 after a two-year construction project.  It is most well-known for Louisville swimming and diving but serves a greater purpose.  Local swim and dive events happen year-round at the venue.  The University takes advantage by offering aquatics classes for students and swim lessons and classes for the public.  It has eight full lanes for competition while the diving area goes as deep as 18 ft. 

Prior to the Natatorium was Crawford Gymnasium.  It was host to the swimming and diving teams for most of the program’s life, starting with its construction in 1963.  Crawford Gym was also home to several UofL P.E. classes up through its demolish in late 2016.  It has been replaced by a state-of-the-art classroom building.

Now a national powerhouse, UofL Swimming and Diving consistently finishes ranked in the Top 10 and

finished in the Top 5 last year.  Admission is free to all UofL Swimming and Diving events at the Natatorium, but they usually charge for parking in the area.  You can catch a few of us Cardinal Couple folks at events throughout the year.

From the basement of a gym to a state-of-the art facility...Louisville Swimming and Diving has continued to grow and attract the best swimmers in the world. We don't see that changing.

She's back...

Milwaukee's loss is Louisville's (and the ACC) gain. 

Former Miss Kentucky,  Cardinal Volleyball setter and Assumption High School Alumnae Katie George has left her role as the sideline and digital reporter for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks after 10 months to take a position with the ACC Network. 

George will be an anchor and reporter with the ACC Network. One can logically assume that she'd be a part of the network's Volleyball coverage -- but she's the type of person you can throw into any situation and she'll shine. 

For more on Katie and her decision to return to Louisville and the conference where she spent her final two years of her student-athlete career, check out the link below: 

https://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/katie-george-leaves-bucks.html

Country music legend Jerry Lee Lewis recorded a classic hit back in 1968 titled "What made Milwaukee famous".

LINK to song:  George Jones' Classic Hit

In this case, though...Milwaukee isn't sending us a fool or loser back home. We are re-gaining an up-and-coming shining star who continues to move up in her career. 

Can the return of the double fist pump be far away? 

                                                                    #############

I’m back to banking this weekend and Daryl is tossing pitchers for saying “that’s horrible”.  Paulie, Worldwide and Case will be on air for another World-Famous Cardinal Couple Quiz so tune in to see if you can win! Don't miss The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Saturday morning on WCHQ 100.9 FM, Facebook Live, the WCHQ app or listen live at the station's website:  

WCHQFM.COM

Emanating from the magnificent, marvelous and massive media mansion on Mellwood ...the best of UofL Womens' Sports...

Go Cards!

Jared Anderson

I’m back to banking this weekend and Daryl is tossing pitchers for saying “that’s horrible”.  Paulie, Worldwide and Case will be on air for another World-Famous Cardinal Couple Quiz so tune in to see if you can win!

Happy Friday and Go Cards!

Jared

A History of UofL Women's Sports: Chapter I -- FRIDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

To help get through summer I have decided to give a brief history of each women's sports team at Louisville.  There are 12 women's sports at UofL, giving me something to talk about for the next 12 Fridays.  Although folks might think we're experts here at Cardinal Couple we're far from it and constantly try to educate ourselves and stay updated on the women's sports.



A History of UofL Women's Sports: Chapter I -- Volleyball

With volleyball being the next UofL team to play this calendar year and the first to kick off the 2019-2020 school year I figured there's no better place to start!  So buckle up and hang on tight because here we go!

Louisville Volleyball had its inaugural season in 1977.  Susan Johns coached the Cards to a 4-18 record that season and went on to coach two more years after that.  After an 0-3 start Louisville got a 2-0 sweep for their first ever victory.

Scott Luster took over as head coach in 1980 and went five seasons in that position.  He guided the Cards to their first winning season in 1981, finishing 26-18.  He would lead them to two Metro Conference championships in 1982 and 1984 and their first NCAA appearance in 1982.

Bob McCarthy took was Luster's successor but had a short three-year career as head coach.  McCarthy never had a winning season and he was quickly replaced.

Don Hardin entered the scene in 1988 and oversaw the team for eight years.  UofL had a winning season every year he was there and won the Metro Conference from 1990-1994.  In his final season at Louisville the university moved to Conference USA.  Louisville went undefeated in conference play and advanced to the NCAA 2nd round that year. Hardin moved on to take over the program at Illinois and retired from there at the end of the 2008 season.

Leonid Yelin took over the program after Hardin left and reigned for 15 years, the longest of any Louisville volleyball coach.  His team had a winning record every season he was there and never lost more than 12 games in a season under his watch.  This is when Louisville started to become nationally recognized.  They won 10 conference championships between Conference USA and the Big East.  All four of Louisville's Sweet Sixteen appearances came under Yelin.  Yelin was also the first to heavily recruit foreign players- a major contribution to the program's success. Yelin supposedly "retired" from coaching at the end of the 2010 season, but took the job at Syracuse the next season and he is still the head coach for the Orange.

Anne Kordes replaced Yelin at the helm, becoming the second woman coach for Louisville volleyball and the first coach who was a former player on the team. Kordes came in from St. Louis University, where she had built the Billikins into a feared and strong mid-major program.

In her six seasons from 2011-2016, Louisville won four conference championships, including becoming the first women's team at Louisville to win an Atlantic Coast Conference championship. Kordes retired after the 2016 season to spend more time with her daughter and family.

She is heavily involved with KIVA Volleyball at the OVVC these days, a nationally recognized facility and program which her father helped inaugurate and establish.

In 2017, Dani Busboom Kelly became the seventh coach for Louisville volleyball.  In her first year, she guided the Cards to a conference championship.  The Cards have played in the NCAA Tournament both seasons under Kelly, who is set to begin her third season as head coach this fall.

Their current home is the newly renamed L&N Federal Credit Union Cardinal Arena, which saw a major revamp before the start of the 2017 season.  Cardinal Arena served as the home for the Cards the longest of any venues with the KFC Yum! Center serving as host for a couple years and a 43-20 record.  In the early days it was duPont Manual High School's gymnasium that was the home of the Cards, where they hold an 88-64 record.  The Cards in Cardinal Arena surpassed 200 wins in 2017.

Besides the main three home locations the Cards have also played home matches in the
Commonwealth Convention Center, the Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville Gardens, Sacred Heart Academy, Seneca High School, Ballard High School, New Albany High School, Jennings County High School, Louisville Gardens, and Knights Hall (Bellarmine).  The KICC (2-3) is the only home site where Louisville holds a losing record.

A memorable game to note last season when the Cards had Notre Dame coming to town but power was lost several hours before the match in Cardinal Arena. A wild bit of venue relocation searching ensued before it was determined that Sacred Heart's gymnasium was available for the evening. The Cards won a memorable five set match in a fully-packed Valkyries gym. The power of social media got the relocation out to the season-ticket base and fans and they even gave everyone a free bottle of water!

Louisville has broken 5000 in attendance twice at home, both against Kentucky at the KFC Yum! Center.  Their largest Cardinal Arena crowd was in 1994 against Texas when 1253 people crammed together to watch the NCAA Tournament.  During an NCAA Tournament game in 2005, 14,438 people filled the Qwest Center to see Louisville take on Florida.

Over the years Louisville has formed rivalries with some foes.  Kentucky, Louisville's largest rival across the board, is 29-27 against the Cards.  Cincinnati was a big rival for a long time and just renewed its rivalry for the season, but the Cards hold a 41-11 edge, and is the most wins against any NCAA team.  Despite rough seasons early on Louisville has lost to just two schools more than 15 times: Kentucky and Notre Dame.

Despite having an arsenal of well-known players, several USA Collegiate National Team representatives, and nearly a dozen All-Americans in players such as Lola Arslanbekova, Gwen Rucker, Katie George, Caitlin Welch, Laurie Maxwell, and many more, only three former "VolleyCards" have made their way into the UofL Athletics Hall of Fame: Stephanie Storen Jett, Laurie Maxwell Londot, and Susan Elpers Inman.

Louisville is set to begin their 43rd season in just under three months.  They'll host the free Red and Black Scrimmage on August 17th at 6 p.m. before starting the season with seven straight home matches. 78 days to Volleyball !!


Make sure to catch the Cards at L&N Federal Credit Union Cardinal Arena where you will catch myself and Worldwide most every home match with special guest appearances from Paulie and Case from time-to-time.

Come back to the site next Friday for Chapter II as we cover the history of another UofL women's sport.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

It'll be "slim pickens" on air tomorrow and we don't mean the late TV, movie and rodeo star.

With Case selling his yard to the highest bidder, Daryl continuing to travel everywhere and give Jeff a run for his money for the nickname "Worldwide", and myself back to counting change and looking out for counterfeits...only Paulie and the original Worldwide will be on air to talk women's sports.  Will they have another world famous Cardinal Couple quiz?  They'll have some WNBA and a few other topics to discuss so make sure you tune in!

Happy Friday and Go Cards!

Jared

WSOC Cards v. Duke tonight -- Who's the Twitter Queens? -- Buckin' Katie -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

SHOWDOWN IN DURHAM


A fall trip to the TarHeel state to many sounds like a wonderful chance to catch the changing colors of the trees, revel in the majestic beauty of the western N.C. mountain ranges or maybe even get in a little golf down in the south east corner of the state at one of the nine courses at Pinehurst or nearby Whispering Pines or Southern Pines. I've had some fun football road trips to schools in North Carolina and make the trek annually to Greensboro for the ACC WBB Tournament and to visit relatives in Burlington and Haw River. 

For the Louisville women's Soccer squad, though, it means two crucial games in ACC competition that offer the Cards a chance to make claim on a high conference ranking and inclusion to the ACC Championships. 

That quest begins tonight at 7 p.m. against the Duke Blue Devils. #10 in the nation and sporting an impressive 11-2-2 record overall. The "Dookies" are also in second place int the ACC and have one more point (16) than the Cards in the scoring system for soccer that Jared explained to you in yesterday's column. The Cards are at 11-3 overall, already achieving more wins than last season with three contests remaining...but getting no love in the NCAA women's soccer polls and rankings. 


If anything, one could suggest a tie tonight (in terms of game outcome, not mode of dress for watching the contest) and not be making a bold or improbable statement. 

These two have faced five times in the series and four of them have ended in ties. Duke has the lone win...the heart-breaker we discussed a couple of days ago. 

Louisville looks to continue the "no goal for you" strategy that they've employed in the last two and seven times, so far, this season. Funny, indeed, how the Cards have the "best goalie in the world" in Field Hockey...i.e. Ayeshia McFerran, but WSOC goal-tender Gabby Kouzelos has a 0.93 G.A.A. average (that means you give up less than one goal a game) and McFerran is at 1.13 in fifteen matches. 

NO GOAL FOR YOU...

Maybe we and the other media are promoting the wrong goalkeeper for "best in the world". (Don't get mad or send contemptuous e-mails my way, please. Just joking around, right?) 

The Cards have multiple scoring threats, who shows up on which night is the question...but Emina Ekic, Brooklyn Rivers,  Maisie Whitsett and Delaney Snyder are just some of the many on the Kickin' Cards rosterwho have the ability to boot the ball past the defender and into "net city". 

In any event, I expect a low scoring one tonight that can be seen on the ACC Network Extra. Here's a link: DOOKIES AND BIRDS WOMEN'S SOCCER 

Oh, yeah....Tie optional.


WHO'S BEING FOLLOWED? 

Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Instagram, You Tube, Quora, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google + and Whatsapp. Yes, there are a lot of social networking and browsing sites and apps available for the internet user these days. 

Where will it be ten years from now? 

One of the most popular is Twitter. Do you tweet? A lot of people do, including me and my woeful efforts to put together constructive, meaningful and correct spelling efforts in the a readable, intelligent fashion. Don't even get me started about the "@" and "#" options. 

People track everything these days. An enterprising (whatever) on Twitter that goes by the handle @SkullSparks has tweeted out some figures on the "Top 25 Most Followed Women's Basketball Teams on Twitter." He includes the hashtag #smsports on the tweet.


Nope. Western Kentucky, Louisville WBB's first opponent didn't make the list. 

The Cards did, though...checking in at ninth place. Who's number 1? Why the UConn Huskies, of course. Kentucky WBB beats the Cards with a fifth place finish. 

Does this surprise you? I've included the graphic so you can see who is where in popularity terms. I was surprised that Oklahoma finished in eighth, one above Louisville.

I guess those Sooners are more "trigger/finger/thumb happy" that the Cards WBB fans.

Shoot me a tweet, we can discuss it. @CardinalCouple.  All of the "knuckleheads" at Cardinal Couple have one or more twitter accounts and you can follow them, too...Worldwide's is @CardCoupleRadio, Jared is at @MrAndersonJared and Case goes by @Bstcasescenario

After all, how many cute pet or sweaty locker room and funny GIF's are enough? 



BUCKIN' KATIE

By now, most of you probably know that former Miss USA and Louisville Volleyball standout Katie George has packed her gear and headed to Milwaukee to be the sideline reporter for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. I miss not seeing her on local FOX affiliate WDRB or hearing her on Howie's Lindsey's morning radio show LOUISVILLE FIRST on 790 WKRD. 

Katie seems to be doing OK, though, in the land of  cheese curds and beer. I haven't seen one of her reports yet, but with the NBA season just starting, chances are I probably will soon. Truth be told, I'm more of a WNBA guy in terms of viewing and haven't given the Bucks much eye-time since the days of Junior Bridgeman and Kareem Abdul Jabbar prowling the court for them. 

My NBA watching mostly consists of seeing how former UofL Cardinals are doing in "The League". This time of year has me busy prepping for UofL WBB and following other women's sports on the UofL campus. And, that's quite the task.

A story I'll share on Katie and her mom: 



A few years back, me and Mrs. Cardinal Couple attended the UofL Volleyball banquet and found Katie, her boyfriend at the time (a soccer guy named Paolo Del Piccolo who currently plays for Louisville FC and seemed like an O.K. fella), Katie's mom and a few others at the same table. 

Sonya asked me later that night, on the way home, about "Pablo The Pick and Roll"

Classic.

We had fun at the table and I caught a few interviews around the room to boot. Not with Katie, but...upon Sonya's suggestion... I interviewed Katie's mom. It's in the archives somewhere her at Cardinal Couple. Katie was listening intently. My rationale was "everyone always interviews Katie but how often does her Mom get any interview requests?" 

We wish Katie the best in Milwaukee. Below, a link to an article recently published about her.

I miss the double fist pump. We always figured she was destined for more than just local Louisville media. She idolizes Erin Andrews.

She could very well become her equal or better down the road. 

LINK: KATIE GEORGE INTERVIEW


paulie
xxxxx

Getting It Done Off of the Field -- 346 Student Athletes on ACC Honor Roll -- SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CARDS FIFTH IN ACC...THREE ACC SCHOLAR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Today we'll look at the student part of student-athletes and...at UofL...a very nice 2015-16 performance.

346 Cards were named to the ACC Honor Roll...fifth best in the conference behind Duke (480), Notre Dame (414) North Carolina (390) and Boston College (356). In addition, three Louisville student-athletes were named as ACC Scholar Athletes of the Year in their respective sports. Maryssa Becker, the hard-firing Cardinal Softball pitcher...USA Olympics participant Kelsi Worrell in swimming and the loveable, volleyballer-turned-news and sports reporter Katie George.

It's not easy to make the ACC Honor Roll. You need a 3.0 or better GPA for the entire year. Combining the activities of your sport with the rigors of keeping up with class assignments and studying can be a challenging task. 

A recent conversation with UofL women's basketball star  Cortnee Walton revealed one of the tricks to maintaining good grades. Letting your professor know when you are headed out of town (usually by e-mail or in person) so that you can get assignments and class work in advance. Keeping on top of what's happening. In Cortnee's case, as it is with many of UofL's student-athletes...it helps that a lot of the professors are also UofL sports fans and recognition of a student-athlete in their class is readily acknowledged. 

Some coaches have other requirements. In several sports, student-athletes are asked to sit in the first three rows of their classes...and explain the reasons why they may have missed a class. Coaches follow up with professors to check on a student's progress and see what areas the athlete might need improvement in, then the academics services department at UofL works with the student-athlete to better themselves in those areas. 

Four UofL squads...men's basketball, lacrosse and men's and women's golf are among the top 10 percent nationally in their respective sports in the lastest APR's. 

Hats off to these hard-working student athletes on campus...who find a way to get it done in and out of the classroom. Maybe a new moniker for the popular L1C4 could be "Learning First, Classroom Forever." 

                  *            *            *            *

NICOLE LOWERY ON THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR TODAY

In our endeavors to bring you the total package of the joy and excitement that is Louisville women's athletics...we're pleased to be joined in the studio today by Nicole Lowery...assistant trainer for Louisville Volleyball and Lacrosse. 

We're sure to get some very insightful information on what goes in to getting our student-athletes ready to perform and keeping them maintained to their highest level. 

You won't want to miss this broadcast...we also have audio from six of the Louisville swimmers that are headed to Rio to participate in the Olympics. 

THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR today at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM and streaming on the internet at Crescent Hill Radio. LINK below: 

LINK: www.crescenthillradio.com

paulie
xxxxx

George, Fairs named AVCA All-Americans -- Thursday Cardinal Couple

HONORABLE MENTION FOR TWO VOLLEYBALL SENIORS

We've spoken many times here at Cardinal Couple on how valuable Katie George and Erin Fairs were to the 2015 Louisville Volleyball team. That was verified by the AVCA in their All-American selections...both George and Fairs were placed on the Honorable Mention squads. 

First, second and third teams had 14 players each and there were 64 that were placed as honorable mention...so Fairs and George were considered to be in the top 100 of Division I college volleyball athletes. 

Maybe we're a little biased here...but we're thinking George deserved to be on one of the top three teams. Still, the honor is a very deserving one for each. 

After all, George was the 2015 ACC Player of the Year and Setter of the year. She led the league in assists. There were five setters named in the three teams. Is Katie only the sixth best setter in the nation? We think she's higher than that.

Fairs was a punishing outside hitter for the Cards. She was all-conference during her time at South Florida in both the Big East and AAC. She was also all-conference during her one year at Louisville....making her the first player ever to be all-conference in three leagues. We could make an argument for Fairs being on one of the top three teams also...but only one ACC player made any of the top three teams (Paige Neuenfeldt - UNC). 


Stanford and Minnesota, on the other hand, had four players each on the top three teams. Just in case you wondered how things were going in the NCAA Tournament, the Final Four takes place tonight on ESPN 2 starting at 7 p.m. Kansas will face Nebraska in the first game and Texas takes on Minnesota in the second match. Kansas is a bit of a surprise in being part of the Final Four but they knocked off #1 ranked USC in the regional finals to earn the berth.

We certainly appreciated the hard work, dedication and fire that Erin and Katie brought to Louisville Volleyball.  The two stars will be a part of the 2016 Louisville Volleyball Banquet on Friday, January 8th at the PNC Club at Papa John's Stadium. You can E-mail Sarah Petkovic at sarah.petkovic@louisville.edu for more information on tickets. 

paulie
xxxxx

George, Fairs took two different paths, on two different paths but have arrived at same place -- Wednesday Cardinal Couple

CARDINAL VOLLEYBALL SENIORS CONTRAST BUT CONGEAL ON COURT

Erin Fairs doesn't like to be in front of the television cameras. She's OK....in fact perfectly comfortable in front of a microphone for an audio interview, but when the lights go on...

"Something just happens to me" the graduate student transfer from Florida State admits. She'll finish her studies at UofL and pursue overseas professional volleyball and opportunities in her major of criminal justice. 

Katie George takes to cameras like a dolphin does to water. It's how she plans on earning the daily dollar after graduation. The senior from Assumption High School is already a reporter for WLKY CBS here in town and has a feature show called GIRL POWER. 

Imagine this scenario...reporter George interviewing C.S.I. Inspector Fairs on the details of a crime case. Maybe it could happen someday...

I had the chance to interview both yesterday at the Louisville Volleyball presser in the YUM! Practice Center on campus and found that different styles mesh perfectly.

George is the hard-working distributor...chasing down the digs and getting the ball to the terminators....Fairs and the other front line hitters on the Louisville Volleyball club. 

Erin knew of Katie when she was at South Florida...played them in the AAC and Big East. What did she think of her way back when?

"Me and my teammates were..like...she's so good...she's a leader and just to experience playing against her was so cool.  She's a good player and puts in the work to be one."

Katie's impressions of Erin when she was on the Bulls? 

" I remember thinking...she's going to break my fingers when I'd go up to try and block her! I'm so glad that she's on my team now and I can play with her and watch her try to break opponent's fingers." 

Thoughts on getting to host? 

Katie: I actually was surprised, pleasantly surprised that we got to host. After we lost to Syracuse, I didn't know what that meant for us. I was upset about the loss because my goals this season were to win an ACC Championship and get to the first and second round. Thinking that might not happen was an unpleasant feeling but then finding out and realizing we were going to host was a very pleasant feeling.

Erin: I wasn't suprised we got to host. I thought that the winner of the ACC should get a first and second round home site and we won the ACC. I was confident. 

Belmont is Louisville's first round opponent. They come in at 17-14 and won the OVC Tournament with wins over Morehead State, Tennessee Tech and Murray State. They had lost their previous three games entering the tournament...so they appear to be on a late season resurgence. 

Sophomore Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) leads the offense recording a team high 414 kills so far this season, averaging 3.87 per set.

At the net redshirt freshman Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) has recorded 79 total blocks while fellow middle, senior Jocelyn Youngdahl (Stillwater, Minn.), follows closely behind with 75 total blocks. From the back line Person leads the defense with 331 digs while sophomore Emily Richards (Penfield, N.Y.) averages a team high 3.29 digs per set.

Redshirt sophomore Emma Price (Fort Mill, SC) has dished out a total of 1074 assists, adding these to her total from last year and she has stepped onto the all-time leader board in the fifth place spot with 2,280 career assists.

It gets underway Friday night at Cardinal Arena. The distributor and the punisher. The beauty queen and the beast at the net. The reporter and the killer. Nashville vs. Louisville. 

Erin and Katie are two delightful women with brilliant smiles that are a joy and pleasure to interview. On the court, however, they turn into a search and destroy duo that has led Louisville to a 24-6 record. Let's hope they have six more attempts to perform their duties...

paulie
xxxxx

Volleyball, Basketball play today...Volleyball sweeps awards...-- Friday Cardinal Couple

NO BLACK FRIDAY FOR UofL SPORTS TODAY

While some of you are busily scooping up Black Friday deals at retail outlets today, the Louisville WBB and Volleyball programs are hoping to scoop up wins on this day after Thanksgiving. 

Both Louisville women's basketball and volleyball are on the road today for games. The Wide Net Cards are at Syracuse, Walz's charges are in Estero, FL. getting ready for the Gulf Coast Showcase 

SYRACUSE NO PUSHOVER FOR KORDES KREW

In their final game of the regular season, the Louisville Volleyball team faces Syracuse with huge implications on the line.

A win gives Louisville outright possession of the ACC Championship. Beating the 'Cuse would keep the Cards alive in the RPI for a possible 1st and 2nd round hosting for the NCAA Tournament.

The Cards nearly blew both opportunities Wednesday when they ran into a fired-up, nothing-to-lose Boston College team that took them to four sets 27-29, 25-23, 25-17, 26-24
in Chestnut Hill.

Against the Orangewomen, Louisville will face a 22-8, 13-6 squad that will be celebrating Senior Day and also trying to stay alive for NCAA Tournament considerations. The two schools met earlier in the ACC schedule at the KFC YUM! Center...the Cards taking a four set win. Erin Fairs had 16 kills in the win.

Game time is 1 p.m. No TV planned as far as I can tell.

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BASKETBALL FACING MARIST

Photo by Sandy Walker

Louisville women's basketball looks for their first win of the season against (0-4) Marist later today in the first round of the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Cards may present viewers a shuffled lineup...due to defensive concerns by Jeff Walz. 

The teams (all eight of them) engaged in a Thanksgiving Banquet last night that Cardinal Couple correspondent Sandy Walker attended. We'll sample some of the audio she captured from it on our Saturday radio show THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR.

If the Cards somehow manage to lose this one today, it wouldn't be a first. Marist defeated them back in 2010 in Las Vegas 74-68. It would, however, be a surprise...

This one is supposed to be live on You Tube at 5 p.m. today. Matt Andrews and Adrienne Johnson will have the radio call on WKRD 790.

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VOLLEY CARDS RAKE IN THE HONORS!

Congratulations to Molly Sauer, Katie George and Anne Kordes for capturing all the ACC Volleyball Awards.

Sauer was selected Freshman of the Year and Defensive player of the Year. George received Player of the Year and Setter of the Year honors. Kordes Coach of the Year. 

Along with Sauer, Aniah Philo was named to the Freshman First Team. Erin Fairs joined George on the All ACC First team. 

paulie