Laura Terry lands a new gig...An All-time UK team...--Thursday Cardinal Couple

LAURA TERRY NAMED TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY ASSISTANT COACH

We all remember Laura Terry. The tough-as-nails UofL WBB student-athlete who played three years for the Cards before injuries sent her to the sidelines. A lock-down defender. A career 52% shooter. An integral part of the 2008-09 squad that went to the NCAA Championship game. Stayed on for an additional two years as a student-assistant for Coach Walz before going to join Michelle Clark-Heard as a graduate assistant at WKU. 

WKU led to an assistant coaching at Weber State...where she was reunited with head coach (and former Louisville assistant Bethann Ord. After a year at WSU with responsibilities of on-court coaching and recruiting, scouting, player development, and community service initiatives...she has rejoined the coach who recruited her to play at Louisville. Coach "Z"...Zenarae Antoine.

Terry is a whiz at working with post players. At WSU she worked with Jalen Carpenter who led the team in scoring and rebounding. Another post player, Zakiyyah Shahid-Martin was nominated for the NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year. 

Fifth year Texas State head coach Zenarae Antoine. Coach Z was an assistant at Louisville and Arkansas before taking the job in San Marcos, TX in 2011.  

Laura talks about the change in venue:

" I'm blessed to join Coach Z and her staff. I feel as though it will be a great environment to grow as a coach, as well as a person. Since she has been at the helm, she has done a tremendous job at building a culture focused on winning championships and I look forward to helping her continue to bring success to the program."

I'll always remember Laura for her defensive play against Rutgers in the 2009 Big East Tournament. She tracked down an errant pass and made sure the Scarlet Knights didn't gain possession at the end of regulation to force an overtime in a game that Louisville eventually won in two overtimes...87-82.

If Rutgers gets that loose ball, it is a layup and Louisville loses in the first round. Terry makes the play and the Cards force the O.T. and go on to win. They advance to the final game of the Tournament after beating Pitt to lose to UConn. A 34-5 record in 2008-08 with three losses to Geno.

Do you remember the other two teams that beat Louisville that season? We'll put the answer at the end of today's article....

Hard work and dedication...great words to describe the Ironton, OH (Rose Hill Academy) native. Another branch of the Jeff Walz player tree that has gone on to mentor others. 

Get it done in the Lone Star state, #24 and congratulations! We wish you the best of success...even if you're a "Wildcat" coach again.

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HOW WOULD THIS UK "GREAT EIGHT" FARE AGAINST THE LOUISVILLE "GREAT EIGHT"?

Patty Jo Hedges

We recently ran a poll here where we asked you to pick the All-Time Top Eight WBB players at UofL. There is still debate about the final selections among a few of our readers. The polls have spoken. 

I asked Lexington-Herald sportswriter Jennifer Smith if she would be interested in coming up with an All-Time Top Eight UK WBB list. The affable UK beat writer responded to the request and asked her Twitter followers for suggestions.

Jen sent me this squad:

Valerie Still, Victoria Dunlap, A'dia Mathies, Patty Jo Hedges, Lea Wise Prewitt, Stacey Reed, Tiffany Wait and Leslie Nichols. 

They would appear to have a decided rebounding advantage over Angel, Shoni, Jazz, Asia, Valerie, Nell, Mo and Candyce. Who do you think would win this game, though?

I suppose the stats and such could be downloaded into  a computer and a simulation game could be created. 

I'm going to suggest we don't pick Walz and Mitchell to coach, though. For obvious reasons. How about Calipari and Pitino? Or Petrino and Stoops? Or Oscar Combs and Howie Linsdey? Or Laura Terry and Mickie DeMoss? Geno and "Q"?

( ANSWER TO THE QUESTION POSED EARLIER IN TODAY'S ARTICLE...LOUISVILLE ALSO LOST ON THE ROAD TO NEVADA AND AT HOME AGAINST WVU).

PAULIE
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Louisville's Bracket Selection viewing at PNC Club a big hit.

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TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Lady Cards will face Michigan State in NCAA


-Softball goes to 20-0 with double-header win over Illinois State 


-CARDINAL COUPLE NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Bracket Challenge is open for picks (and rolls and double screens). 

The University of Louisville women's basketball team will travel to College Park, Maryland, home of the Maryland Terrapins, to face Michigan State University in first round NCAA Championship action. Louisville is a #7 seed. Michigan State a #10 seed. The game will tip at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Winner gets the victor of the #2 Maryland vs. #15 Navy tussle.


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CARDINAL COUPLE staff writer Jenny O'Bryan and CARDINAL COUPLE Commish Mark Schneider were there and we've combined their reports and posted plenty of their pictures for you...

A large and enthusiastic crowd filled the Bracket Selection Party that the University of Louisville held for Cardinal fans at the PNC Plaza at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium for the showing of the NCAA women's basketball tournament. Womens' hoops party at a football stadium but the excitement reached the fevered pitch of a women's game at the KFC YUM! Center as the announcement time drew near.

The Cardinal player were on hand in full force and graciously signing autographs for eager fans. The hand had been tipped a bit earlier on who the Lady Cards would face...t-shirts were available for sale with Louisville vs. MSU on the front. Scores of UofL fans chatted with the Cardinal Faithful and plenty of Cardinal merchandise was available for purchase. 

A Tayy !!!!!

Shortly before the Selection Show began, Louisville head basketball coach Jeff Walz went to the podium to address the audience. He spent a good deal of time thanking the crowd and all Cardinal fans for their attendance and support of the program.


Walz also told the crowd that he always reminds the team of how lucky they are to draw the crowds to home games the size and number of those who attend Lady Cards contests at the KFC YUM! Center. He mentioned that the Cards sometimes play in front of 200-300 fans on BIG EAST road trip games, including the home team's coaches, players and pep band. 

Laura Terry, Derty Bird, and Shawnta

Walz told the crowd that Louisville was #2 in the nation in total attendance and that next year's objective was to become #1. He like to see the season ticket base increase from 8000 to 10000. He also revealed that the Lady Cards would home the home schedule next year against Texas A&M and the game would probably be on a Friday night. 


Walz also caught Becky Burke off-guard and called on her for an impromptu speech. Burke handled it well, though and expressed her appreciation for the fans, her teammates and her chance to play for the program. 

Walz seemed happy with the tournament draw and talked about how good a team Michigan State was.


He acknowledged that Maryland could be the net opponent for Louisville and spurred the crowd on by reminding them what Louisville did to them the last time the two teams faced. (That, of course was during the Cards march to the NCAA Championship game...when Louisville knocked them off to reach the Final Four.) 

After the gathering and media obligations this evening, Walz said he'd be busy with his staff watching film of the Spartans in preparation for the Saturday game. The team will practice Tuesday. 


E-mails received here at CARDINAL COUPLE have been mostly positive about the venue and the atmosphere. Here's a few comments...

"The fan-friendly nature of the event is a step above the days when the team was crowded into the Parrish House and no food was available"


"We had a wonderful time at the PNC Club and my daughters got to talk to several of the players, including Shelby Harper -- her favorite. I hope they go there again next year." 

"...Much better than having it at Cardinal Arena. Player interaction with the fans is a must if (Walz) wants to get 10000 season ticket holders." 




"Although the family and I had a great time last night, I do think this annual celebration of Cardinal basketball should be held in a basketball-type setting, not a football one. I would suggest that they go to the KFC YUM! Center next year." 


(Have a take on the event last night? Feel free to leave a comment or shoot us an-email. Due to Sonja's work schedule and Paul being out-of-town, we unfortunately had to miss the event.) 


cardinalcouple@insightbb.com


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Louisville Softball goes to 20-0 in the battle of the Birds (Redbirds vs. Cardinals) yesterday at Ulmer Stadium. 


The start was delayed a couple of hours due to storms, but the soggy conditions didn't dampen the UofL attack once things got underway.


GAME 1


Louisville jumped to an early 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Kristin Austin singled and scored on a Katie Keller single. Keller reached the plate on a wild pitch.


The Cards added four more runs in the third inning. Taner Fowler and Alicja Wolny registered back-to-back doubles to plate a run. Jordan Trimble took first base on a Redbird error, and Hannah Kiyohara cleared the left field fence with a 'goodbye Mr. Splading' to make it 6-0 "Ville". 

The Redbirds notched a run in the fourth and fifth innings. Louisville retaliated in the fifth when Fowler smashed her second double of the game and made it home on a Trimble single. Louisville concluded the scoring in the sixth when Austin singled and made it 8-2 on a Wolny fielder's choice.


Torrid Tori Collins (9-0) went the distance for Sandy Pearsall...allowing two runs on eight hits and striking out eight. 


GAME 2


Louisville hit the scoreboard in the first when Austin singled and scored on Wolny's single. The Cards added five runs in the fourth. Kiyohara's single started it off. She was replaced by pinch-runner Kirsten Straley, who scored on a Whitney Arion double. Esteban reached on an error and scored on a Austin hit. Austin got home on a double steal to make it 3-0.
After a Keller single, Wolny parked a blast over center to put Louisville comfortably ahead 6-0


The Cards ended it with the run-rule in the fifth. Kayla Soles doubled, Kiyohara drew a base on balls and an Arion single sent Soles to greet the home umpire. Kiyohara got the final run on a RedBirds fielding error.

Caralisa Connell (6-0) gets the win, allowing one hit in 2.1 innings of relief. Starter Chelsea Leonard went 2.2 innings and struck out six while allowing just two hits.


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Brackets are ready to be filled out at YAHOO! for the Cardinal Couple Bracket Challenge. Go get some! Our info is 814 and the password is ladycards


Choose wisely and may the hand guiding the mouse be firm and accurate. Not signed up yet? Well, get crackin' man! (or woman). Linkie below:


CARDINAL COUPLE BRACKET CHALLENGE

Commish Mark has banks of laptops set up deep in the secret lair of the CARDINAL COUPLE world headquarters and has our CARDINAL COUPLE staff chimps on the phones to each of the 16 first-round sites for breaking news, trends, off-color jokes and influence-peddling. (Except for Co-Co, who is trying to get her Etch-A-Sketch hooked up to the Internet.) 


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Soggy Softball Starts today...

FRIDAY as seen through the eyes of CARDINAL COUPLE:


-Red and Black Softball Tournament today


-Catching up on Girls H.S. hoops.


-Seton Hall set to visit LADY CARDS Saturday


Take off those soggy tennis shoes and have a cup of cocoa (bring two!) coz' it's time for the Friday edition of Cardinal Couple! (insert applause...)

Day One of softball's RED and BLACK Classic is scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m. this morning with four games on tap (weather permitting). The events today at Ulmer Stadium:

11 a.m. Boston University vs. SIUE
1 p.m. Louisville vs. SIUE
3 p.m. Louisville vs. Boston University
5 p.m. Miami (OH) vs. Wright State


The Cards roll into the three day event with a 5-5 record. This is Louisville's home opener...having spent the last two weekends on the road. The Cards participated in tournaments in Texas and Alabama...facing stiff competition in both from the host schools, Syracuse and Tulsa...among others. The Cards will play five games over the weekend...giving Sandy Pearsall's young pitching staff another tough test. We think Connell, Leonard and Collins will come through just fine...Chelsea Bemis (pictured above) should have a big weekend swinging the aluminum...


The Cards will open against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE). The Cougars are 3-6 on the year and have been playing some very tough competition in UCLA, Tennessee and Long Beach State. They play in the Ohio Valley Conference and this is the first time the Cards and Cougars have ever met. Senior pitcher Erika Taylor is 1-4 on the year and shortshop Kasey Schlafke leads the team in home runs and runs scored.


Next, the Cards face Boston University. The Terriers haven't played yet this season but they have won the America East Conference two years running...so they'll be a good test for Pearsall's players. They're picked to finish first again and boast April Setterlund...who is on the National Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List. The senior outfielder set six school records in 2010 and was the AEC Player of the Year. First ever meeting between the Cards and Terriers.


The rain is supposed to be gone by game time and Ulmer is a great place to watch softball, so grab the coat and hat and head on out for a fun afternoon of pitcher versus batter. Admission is free and they sell coffee and hot chocolate. CARDINAL COUPLE will be there and will provide our readers will all the activities over the three day event.
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We've gotten a little backed up in high school girls basketball coverage but tonight is a big night in district play. Both Manual and Mercy have advanced to the Seventh Region playoffs and Manual's Mechael Guess has been named Seventh Region Player of the Year. Guess, a senior, is headed to Pittsburgh to play college volleyball for the Panthers.
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Manual beat Mercy in 25th district action 74-68 but both move on to the regionals. We're glad to report that Rockcastle County and Sara Hammond won the 47th. district finals and will advance to the regionals, too. Makayla Epps, Kyvin Goodin-Rogers and Bre Elder lead Marion County into the 20th district finals tonight. Other local district action:
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21st - Holy Cross vs PRP tonite for the title
22nd - Doss and Butler tonite in the finals
23rd - Central 59- Presentation 41 (both advance)
24th - Bullitt East 57 - Bullitt Central 43
26th - Fern Creek vs. Assumption (GO CREEK!)
27th - Sacred Heart 53 - Ballard 51
28th - Christian Academy 49 - J'Town 40
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Good luck to all!

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Louisville plays their final home basketball game of the year against Seton Hall Saturday and it will be Senior day for Keisha Hines and Laura Terry. Terry no longer suits up for the Cards (knee injuries) but has been a valuable and hard working assistant student manager for Jeff Walz and the 'Ville'. We'll always remember Terry's saving defense in the final seconds of the Louisville win against Rutgers in the BIG EAST tournament in the 2007-08 season. (Laura and the beautiful smile pictured here.)
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Hines is the other Cardinal that was brought in by former coach Tom Collen. Jeff Walz calls her a "survivor" and is the only Cardinal on roster to have played four years at Louisville. Hines came in as a backup to Chauntise Wright during her freshman year and impressed Cardinal fans right away with 25 points against Florida in only her sixth game as a Card. She moved into the starting position her sophomore year and has patrolled the post for the Cards ever since. Hines has been a blue collar, behind the scenes foundation for Louisville teams since she's been here. Never flashy of flamboyant...she's worked the paint against some of the best post players in college basketball over four years and always battled gamely and physically against them. Her play in the 2009 run to the Final Four was outstanding...despite the fact her grandmother passed away...she had a career game a day later against Oklahoma. Keisha has been like so many of us out here...gets up each day, goes out and does the job without any headlines or superlatives and does it well. (Keisha pictured on the job here.)
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We know that Anne Donovan hasn't has the kind of season to go running down the Jersey Shore yelling and celebrating about..but Seton Hall must be respected Saturday. A win over Louisville would be the high point of their season and they are fighting to stay out of the cellar in the BIG EAST. We hope the Cards have practiced well for this one and that Mo's ankle has held up. WE think the Cards win rather handily in this one and give the Louisville fans in the KFC YUM Center plenty of fond memories of playing and being in the YUM Center to carry over to next season.
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Certainly no pressure here, but if the Cards win, Rutgers falls to WVU, UConn beats Georgetown and Marquette loses to DePaul...Louisville would be alone in 4th place at 10-5 with one game to go. 4th place means a double bye in the BIG EAST TOURNAMENT. Make it so, Cards.
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Where are they now?

Welcome to the Monday view at Cardinal Couple!

-Where are they now?

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-WE try to predict the BIG EAST

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Ashley Rainey (pictured right) is playing at Lindsey Wilson College and averaging 20.8 points a game and 10.4 rebounds for the Blue Raiders (10-3). She has been named the Mid-South Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week twice for the NAIA school. Rainey played in 22 games for Louisville in the 2009-10 season...starting 16 before leaving the team. She averaged 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in her one season at the Ville.

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Janae Howard is at Western Kentucky University and the third leading scorer on the Hilltoppers (4-7) squad. She's started 5 out of the 10 games she's played for the Toppers and is averaging 24.6 minutes per game. Howard leads the WKU squad in three pointers made and attempted (25-69). Howard was a reserve on the 2008-09 Louisville squad that made it to the NCAA Championship game.

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Another player on that team, Mary Jackson, is at Memphis after sitting out her transfer year and comes off the bench for the Tigers. She recently had 11 points against North Carolina A&T and averages about 3 points a game. The Tigers (8-3) have won their last 5 in a row.

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Laura Terry played in 11 games for Louisville in 2009-10 before a knee injury put her on the sidelines during her junior year. She twice hit double figures for the Cards last year, with 11 points against IUPUI and 10 at Central Michigan. Terry is now a student assistant coach for the Cards and you can see her on the bench during Cardinal home games.

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Nikki Burton took part in 18 games as a part of the 2009-10 Cards and started 11 of them before going to the sidelines with injuries. She's on the injured list this year with a groin injury and is expected to redshirt this season. Burton averaged 5.9 for the Lady Cards last year and had 36 steals...good for second on the team despite playing only about half of the Cardinal contests.

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With BIG EAST play right around the corner, the action will be coming fast and furious amongst the 16 teams in the league. WE'VE got some very early conference season speculation on how the teams could finish up. Read at your own risk...

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Them that has:

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-Connecticut is loaded again and is our pick to win the BIG EAST schedule. Will Maya Moore ever graduate? They may eventually lose a game...we figure either the Connecticut men's team or the WNBA Connecticut Sun are the two most likely candidates to knock them off.

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-DePaul has a wealth of talent and can score from anywhere on the court. Sam Quigley and Keisha Hampton should be able to lead the Blue Demons to the runner up spot in the BIG EAST and....they did knock off #2 Stanford recently. UConn beware.

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-Georgetown has talent with Sugar Rodgers and Monica McNutt and will be a tough opponent for anyone who crosses their path in the BIG EAST. These Hoyas are a rough and tumble bunch...bring the first aid kit and team physician. Rutgers loss a wake up call.

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-Louisville is 2-2 against top 25 opponents this year and features a well balanced scoring attack led by freshman Shoni Schimmel. The Cards can be deadly in their zone presses and can score in bunches with the transition game. Try and zone them and they'll burn you from deep.

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Them that is pretty good:

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-Notre Dame returns talent from last year's team and led by Skylar Diggins...they can shut you down with pressure defense and tear you up outside. Wouldn't be surprised at all with a top four finish in the BIG EAST regular season. Muffet McGraw knows a thing or two about hoops.

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-St. John hasn't disappointed in the pre-BIG EAST schedule and returns a talented bunch of hoopsters that can light up the scoreboard. You won't win many rebounding wars against them and your defense better be clicking if you expect to beat them.

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-Syracuse plays the brutal possession by possesion ball that Quentin Hillsman teaches and it's paid dividends for them so far with an undefeated record. That'll change in the BIG EAST...but don't be shocked in the Orange pull off a few major upsets.

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-West Virginia is highly ranked so far under the tutelidge of Mike Carey and features one of the best players in the league in Liz Repella. The Mountaineers are well disciplined and won't beat themselves. They will whip up on quite a few BIG EAST opponents, though.

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Them that is so-so:

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-Rutgers is rebuilding under C.Viv Stringer but still has talent with April Sykes and company. They can throw scary defense on opponents and C.Viv is rarely out-coached. They did beat Georgetown.

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-Marquette returns three starters from last year and has gotten off to a strong start in pre-BIG EAST play. They don't get blown out and no one puts up big numbers on them.

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-Providence returns two starters from a team that made it to the WNIT quarterfinals last year. Mi-Khida Hankins are Symone Roberts are legit hoopsters.

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-USF has gained a couple of talented transfers in the Smith sisters and they've turned it around in Tampa. Beware BIG EAST teams that venture into the SunDome.

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Them that aren't so much:

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-Villanova will compete with anyone but the talent level there isn't quite enough to get them into the over .500 bunch in the BIG EAST. Harry Perretta begins his 34th. year there.

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-Pittsburgh does have four starters back from last year...four starters from a 16-15 team. Agnes will need a few miracles in the Peterson if they are to improve on that record.

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-Cincinnati has a young and bright coach in Janelle Elliott. It's a shame the Geno prodigy can't suit up for the under-manned Bearcats. They'll fight to stay out of the BIG EAST cellar.

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-Seton Hall is in Anne Donovan first year of coaching. She'll turn the program around in South Orange...we have no doubt...but it isn't going to happen this year.

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Cards drop a tough one in Lexington to UK

THE THURSDAY EDITION OF CARDINAL COUPLE

- Cards fall in five sets to the Cats in Volleyball

-Laura Terry update

Louisville jumped on Kentucky early and late in the match last night but could not hold on in the final set as Kentucky won the decisive fifth game to win the hotly contested match in Memorial Coliseum last night...3 games to 2.

Hotly contested is a perfect way to describe the event in ancient Memorial Coliseum. The facility is sans adequate air conditioning and the two teams played in the equivalent of a boiler room for 2 1/2 hours in front of a wildly appreciative and rowdy fan base of both Louisville and Kentucky fans. Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner seemed to be toweling off his bald head every time the cameras caught him on screen and Louisville head coach Leonid Yelin spent a lot of time flapping his shirt to get air. The humidity, referred to often by the announcers on the Big Blue Sports Network..which showed the game on the Fox Sports South channel..caused frequent stoppage of play as the match progressed, so that the court could be dried.

Louisville roared out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first set and eventually built that lead to 20-11 thanks to the strong net play of Gwen Rucker and Lola Arslanbekova. The Cards closed out the Cats in game 1 25-14 and it looked like Louisville was much the dominant squad.

Kentucky came back in game 2, though and built a 6-2 advantage on the Cards. Heady play by the Wildcats at the net made sure that the Cards would get no closer than four points and UK took the second set 25-19. Despite some excellent slams by Arslanbekova, Louisville could not catch the Cats and the match was tied 1-1.

The teams battled tooth and nail in set three and Louisville led 9-8 after a spectacular spike from Anastasia Artemeva. Kentucky regained the advantage with the score tied 18-18 and would go on to outscore Louisville 7-4 the rest of the way to win the third game 25-22.

Up against the wall, the Cards knew they had to find a way to win game four and force a fifth contest. They battled the Cats to a 10-10 tie early in the set. UofL gained the lead at 13-12 but then went into a hitting slump and UK took a 18-15 advantage. Emily Juhl picked up the sagging Cards with a couple of power kills, though and Louisville roared back to tie the game at 22-22. UK actually had two chances late to eliminate the Cards in the game and match, but a couple of unforced errors and some heads up net play allowed Louisville to score the final three points of the match and win 27-25.

In the fifth game, Louisville jumped out to an early 6-1 lead and appeared to have UK on the ropes...but some impressive serving and blocking at the net got UK back in the contest and they outscored Louisville the rest of the way to win the final game 15-10 and take the contest.

Impressive for Louisville was freshman outside hitter Juhl, who finished with 12 kills. The Sacred Heart high school grad lifted the Cards repeatedly with her slams from the sidelines and baffling serves that UK had trouble setting. Amanda Simmons rose to the occasion for Louisville also with 13 blocks and 12 block assists...tying a school record.

This is a young Cardinal squad...made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores...and the play of Juhl, Arslanbekova...who had 12 kills for the evening...and Artemeva was encouraging against the veteran UK squad. Rucker plays well up the middle for Louisville and Caitlin Welch showed some excellent digging skills...leading Louisville with 13 digs.

A quick turnaround for Louisville...they head to Arizona next to play in the Arizona Wildcat Classic...where they'll start off against Cal State Bakersfield on Friday.

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Lady Card Laura Terry will finish her career at the University of Louisville as an student assistant basketball coach for Jeff Walz in the 2010-11 season. The popular Terry played bits and pieces for Louisville over the last three years but three knee surgeries kept her off the court most of the time and eventually ended her career as a Cardinal player.

Terry and Keisha Hines are the only two Cardinals that are left from Walz's inaugural season at Louisville and we never really got to see the full talent Terry possessed at Louisville after a stellar high school career at Rose Hill Academy in Ashland, KY.

Terry's experience and knowledge of Walz's system will help greatly in the development and tutelage of the younger Cardinal players and it's good to know that she'll be an active part of Team Cardinal during her senior year at Louisville.

We're Back....

HELLO, AGAIN. Thank you for bearing with our short absentee status on UofL Women's athletics. Some minor computer adjustments were necessary and now we're good to go.
(By the way, the hamsters did return from Truckee..a bit nervous but otherwise in good health.) California dreamin...

The young lady in the picture above wearing the blue #42 jersey is Cierra Warren. Please welcome her as the newest signee for the UofL women's basketball team. Cierra has transferred from the University of North Carolina, will sit out the 2010-11 season and wil have three years of elgibility for Louisville after that.

Warren is a 6'4" post that was ranked 18th best in the nation when she graduated from Los Osos high school in Rancho Cucamonga, CA in 2009. She went to the Tarheels and averaged 4.2 points and 2.6 boards her freshman year as a back up post.

The scoop on Warren is that she is a strong, physical interior presence. Picture Tina Charles or Kia Vaughn and you'll get an idea of her skills. She scores with ease in the paints and is a feared shot blocker. She'll be the type of brawling, agressive post that is a definite plus in the brutal Big East.

Louisville has fared well with transfers in recent years. Candyce Bingham came to the Lady Cards after two years at Xavier. Toni Slaughter joined the team after starting her college career at Cincinnati. Currently on the roster is talented guard Tia Gibbs...here after a year at Vanderbilt.

Sometimes, it goes the other way. Janae Howard left the Cards after one season to transfer to Western Kentucky. She'll be on the court this year, as will Mary Jackson who shipped out to Memphis after a year on the national runner up team.

Welcome to the nest, Cierra.

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Jeff Walz has made official what we've been telling you for weeks here at CARDINAL COUPLE. Gwen Rucker will concentrate on volleyball in 2010-11 and not don the basketball jersey. Laura Terry's career is finished...a victim of knee problems. Ashley Rainey is at Lindsey Wilson. All three of the Cardinals had their shining moments in the red and black and we wish them the best of future endeavors as they go onward toward their degrees and careers. Rucker will be fun to watch on the volleyball court this year. Rainey will probably average double doubles each night at NAIA Lindsey Wilson. Laura will be an inspiration for the team from the sidelines.

And so it goes. They come, they leave, they contribute and they learn.

Cards fall to Tenn. in 9 innings 3-1

Cardinal Couple has found out that senior forward/center Laura Terry will not play basketball for the Lady Cards in the 2010-11 season. Knee problems force the popular player to the sidelines.

Louisville's softball team lost Sunday to the Tennessee Vols 3-1 in 9 innings to end their season. The Cards had reached the finals of the Knoxville Regional with two wins Saturday and needed to beat UT twice Sunday to claim the title.

The Cards took an early 1-0 advantage when Chelsea Bemis blasted a shot deep over the left center wall. Cardinal starter Tori Collins allowed a run in the fifth to tie the game. Both teams had opportunities to score in the successive innings but UT ultimately ended up capitalizing in extra innings with two runs, laregely due to two Cardinal throwing errors in the field.

Tough end to a wonderful season for Sandy Pearsall's squad. Louisville won 40 games this year and has a strong team returning with Bemis, Jordan Trimble, Colby Wherry, Jennifer Esteban, Tori Collins and Alicja Wolny just a few of the girls that will be back next year.

Louisville does lose ace pitcher Kristen Wadwell and four year starter at catcher Melissa Roth to graduation but Pearsall's youth movement contributed big and often to the Cards successes and recruiting has gone well for Louisville for next season.

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As mentioned above, Laura Terry's career as a Lady Cardinal basketball player for Jeff Walz has ended because of her knee problems. Terry gave the CARDS three years of hustle and depth in the paint and was a decent three point shooter as well.

We'll miss that determination and lockdown defense on the hardwood but that big smile and positive attitude will still be on the Cardinal sidelines cheering her teammates on. We'll always remember Terry dashing down the court at the end of the Rutgers game several years ago to protect a loose ball from getting into the Scarlet Knights' hands and preserving a Cardinal win.

Thanks for the memories, Laura and remember that you will always be a part of the sisterhood known as Lady Cards hoops.