Successful Sunday with UofL WBB, Softball and Lacrosse wins --MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 A good Sunday, with Louisville WBB downing the Hokies 70-56, Lacrosse romping CMU 18-7 and Softball knocking off Villanova 3-2. Here's the details:

CARDS WBB 70- VIRGINIA TECH 56

A successful send-off for the three seniors (who aren't returning next year) in the 14-point win over visiting Virginia Tech.  

A game where the Cards led by 24 early in the fourth quarter and were never in any danger of losing -- they just ran into the best center in the ACC in Elizabeth Kitley, who decided she wanted to do a little scoring for her Hokies. Kitley finished with 21 points and 13 rebound for Kenny Brooks squad, but the Cards countered with 20 points out of Hailey Van Lith and 19 from Emily Engstler, to send the Hokies to 20-7 and 13-4 in the ACC.

The Cards took control early, racing out to a 13-4 lead in the first four and one half minutes and desperate for answers, VT head coach Kenny Brooks inserted Kayanna Traylor into the game. Traynor ended up with six points in the quarter, VT climbed back within two at 16-14, with 1:35 left in the quarter but Louisville decided enough was enough and Dixon, Hall and Robinson made shots to end the quarter with a 6-0 Louisville run. 22-14 Cards after one

VT used a 7-0 run to start the second quarter to make it 24-20, Kitley had woke up, but the Cards returned the favor with their own 6-0 run that featured a Van Lith three to push the lead back out to 30-20. with 6:06 until halftime.  The teams traded basketss the rest of the second quarter and Kitley sank two free throws with a second on the clock to create a 38-27 halftime score. Louisville tried Cochran, Dixon, Engstler and even Merissah Russell  in an attempt to quell Kitley's production but she ended the half with 10 points. Van Lith was "on" for UofL and had 13 first half points, complimented by nine Emily Engstler points, 

Kitley hit the first bucket of the third quarter, but the Cards shut the door on VT for next six minutes, going n an 8-0 run for a 46-29 lead. VT continued to have shooting woes and Louisville built a 55-33 on an Engstler bucket with 1:01 left in the quarter. Louisville was in charge, 57-36, after 30 minutes and won the quarter 19-9. 

Louisville would build the lead to 24 at 60-36 early in the final quarter on an Ahlana Smith jumper and coasted in the rest of the way. VT chipped away at the Cards edge, getting the score to 70-56 with 32 seconds to play, but Walz got a chance to replace all of the seniors along the way and all three received tremendous ovations from the crowd when he did. The foul that removed Engstler from the game with 2:43 to go drew the wrath of the fan base, but Engstler went to the bench and became the Cards biggest cheerleader the rest of the way.

  70-56 final.

{Fred McMurray's "My Three Sons" would have
approved of Walz's three leaving seniors Sunday) 

THE FRED REPORT

Free Throws --  Louisville went 11-15 for 73.3%. Van Lith was 3-4, so was Dixon and Engstler was 4-5. We award the CAPITAL "F", since the mandated 70% was cleared. 

Rebounding -- Louisville won the boards battle easily 43-31.  Engstler's 15 were awesome, Liz and Cochran combined for 11 and Hailey added five. She also jokingly blamed Emily and Liz for stealing several that would have been clearly Hailey's....in the post-game presser. No problem with a CAPITAL "R" here

Effort/Execution --  Points in the paint stand out 44-16 for the Cards. A 21-11 points off turnovers edge meets with our approval, too. 41.9% shooting was adequate for the win, and a 15-4 edge in 2nd chance points is impressive. Only seven assists on 26 made baskets, though. Just nine turnovers for Louisville, all-in-all, I think the effort and execution calls for a lower case "e". VT prevented the Cards from running away with this one. 

Defense -- Defense delivered most of the game, especially in the third quarter and despite Kitley's big night, VT shot just 39.5% and had 20 turnovers. The Cards also had 10 steals and held the Hokies to under 60 points. We' award the CAPITAL "D" here.

FINAL FRED TALLY:  F-R-e-D

- Walz praised the Cards for following the game plan, something that eluded them against UNC, and it was a big win over a potential contender for the Cards second-place standing in the ACC. We also found out that Hailey and Emily are really good friends and that's the kind of stuff you love to hear as tournament time draws near. 

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-- We also saw the return of Norika Konno to the sidelines. She participated in pre-game drills, appeared to be happy and supportive but did not see any game playing time. Good to know she's back, you want a strong contingent available as the ACC and NCAA Tournament get closer and Konno had been an important contributor to the squad before her illness sidelined her. 

Welcome back, Norika !!!

LOUISVILLE LACROSSE 18 - CENTRAL MICHIGAN 7 

Allegra Catalano and Nicole Perroni scored four goals each for Louisville Lacrosse in their Sunday afternoon 18-7 win over CMU at the L.L.S.

The Cards were aggressive early and built a 6-1 lead in the first quarter en route to winning the quarter 7-3. 

CMU would manage to stay close for awhile in the second quarter but Louisville went on a 6-1 run in the quarter to blow out to a 10-3 lead and go in the locker room at half time up 11-4. 

The Cards shut out CMU in the third quarter and got two of their five goals goals from Perroni  to force a running clock and a 16-4 lead.

Scott Teeter got a chance to go deep into the reserves in the fourth quarter and the Cards won easily by 11. 

Juliana Pleck and Sara Addeche split time at goalkeep for UofL, Pleck playing the first half an Addeche the second half. 

Louisville had a 25-14 shots on goal advantage in the contest and won the draw controls 18-11. Kylee Dobson, Bella Karstein, Paige Richbourg and Maddi McKee all scored their first goal of the season in the win, which improves the Cards to 2-2 on the season.

The Cards return to action Saturday when they open ACC play against Virginia Tech in the L.L.S.

SOFTBALL DOWNS VILLANOVA 3-2 in EXTRA INNINGS. 

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Louisville Softball and Villanova battled through seven scoreless innings Saturday morning in the final day of the T-Mobile Tournament on the University of Florida field in Gainesville. Then, the action got considerably more exciting a the teams went to EXTRA INNINGS. 

Villanova started the eighth inning with a two-run homer before the Cards were able to retire them and UofL was faced with the task of scoring at least two runs in the home half of the inning or taking a loss. 

The Cards were up to the challenge. 

Easton Lotus was placed on second base to lead it off for Louisville (those international tiebreaker rules, you know). She went to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a Carmyn Greenwood single. After an out, Korbe Otis smashed a triple to left-center to score Greenwood and tie the game up. Hannah File stepped to the plate next and ended the game with a single that got Otis safely home. 

Otis, Lotus and File...oh, my! The newbies to the Cards roster, along with Greenwood come through in the clutch to send the Cards to 7-3 on the season.

 

A big effort from Taylor Roby, who pitched the first seven inning for UofL an allowed just two hits. Gabby Holloway came in for the win in the eighth inning. 

The Cards return to the road next weekend and head to Fayetteville, Arkansas to play in the Wooo Pig Classic. (No, I'm not kidding. That's the name of it) 

LACROSSE AND WBB PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON

Have a great Monday !!

paulie  

Sunday Cardinal Couple --Softball takes doubleheader at Villanova

SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Softball Cards take two one-run victories

-Tennis eliminated from BIG EAST Tournament 4-2

-Lacrosse today vs. Cincinnati


After producing 23 runs a week ago in a double header, the University of Louisville softball team could just manage six yesterday against the Villanova Wildcats. They were enough, however, to allow Louisville to take both games and improved their record to 41-6 and 14-1 in the BIG EAST.

All that bragging we did on their offensive prowess on Saturday's Cardinal Couple Radio Show must have gotten to their heads. Either that, or the Villanova team tuned in and vowed to make liars out of us...

Louisville 1 - Villanova 0

It was Whitney Arion who provided the only first game fireworks...a second inning fence clearer that put Louisville up 1-0. The Cards had a chance in the fourth to add to the lead...with two outs Arion wrangled a walk, Hannah Kiyohara got plunked by a pitch and Jasmine Smithson took a base on balls to load the bags for Katelyn Mann. Her blooper poke to shallow left was corralled by VU shortshop Ali Lowe to end the threat.

Rachel LeCoq with another fine pitching performance...allowing just four hits and striking out seven WIldcats to go to 16-4

Louisville 5 - Villanova 4

The Cards jumped out to a 1-0 lead for Caralisa Connell in the first inning of the second game. Alicja Wolny drilled a double and got to home when Maggie Ruckenbrod singled.

'Nova tied it in the bottom of the third and took a 4-1 lead on a bases-loaded, three RBI triple from Beth Smetana.

It stayed a three-run VU advantage until the top of the sixth. Kiyohara singled for UofL and Chrisanna Roberts came in to run. Jordan Trimble drew a walk and both Cardinals scored on Mann's single. With the score 4-3, Whitney Arion singled and Katie Keller received a base on balls to load the bags full of Cardinals. Alicja Wolny slapped a grounder to the Villanova second baseman...who mishandled the ball and Wolny beat the throw to first. Mann and Arion scored on the play to make it 5-4 UofL.

Rachel LeCoq got her second win of the day in relief of Connell...going 2.1 innings and retiring the final five Wildcats she faced in a row.

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Louisville women's tennis got eliminated by #2 seed USF in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Tournament yesterday in Tampa, FL. The Cards fell 4-2 to the #2 seeded Bulls.

Once again, the scoring selectivity has me baffled. Eight matches were played, one was stopped before it was finished and one doubles team and two singles participants won matches...but the Cards received only 2 points.

Manuela Velasquez and Mandy Brown succeeded in doubles and Velasquez and Rebecca Shine won their singles matches.

The Cards now await the NCAA Regionals. 64 teams will begin play on May 10th. at various regional sites yet to be determined.

The NCAA Championships will be held at the University of Illinois this year from May 16th - May 27th. Florida will look to add their third straight NCAA title in the events.


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Louisville Lacrosse takes the field for a home contest against the Cincinnati Bearcats today at 1 p.m. The Cards look for their first BIG EAST win of the season against our northern neighbors.

Louisville (8-6, 0-5) is led in scoring by Nikki Boltja, who should get plenty of chances to find the net against UC (5-6, 0-5). 

Paulie

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Wednesday wins over Nova improve UofL BIG EAST record to 9-2

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-Softball takes two in Philly...7-0, 8-4


-One final Petrino article

Katie Keller 2 for 3 with a home run
and three RBI's in the first game

The Louisville Softball team swept a double-header Wednesday against the home-standing Villanova Wildcats 7-0 and 8-4 to improve to 35-2 on the season and 9-2 in BIG EAST play.


Louisville hasn't loss since dropping two against DePaul to end the month of March and had a fairly easy time against the 0-8 in-conference Nova  squad yesterday.


GAME ONE


The Cards came out strong against Villanova starter Kaity Sitzman. Jennifer Esteban started the game with a single and Kristin Austin followed with the same. That set the stage for Katie Keller to plant a base-clearer over the right-center fence for her fifth home run of the year. The fireworks weren't quite finished...one out later Alicja Wolny sent one over the right field fence to give Louisville a 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the first. 

Tori Collins mows them down like
a mulching mower with a
new spark plug and sharpened
blades.

With torrid Tori Collins on the mound, the chances of the Villanova bats doing much damage were remote and Louisville added to their lead in the third inning. Austin drew a walk to start things off and Keller singled next. Wolny followed a out later with a double which scored Austin and Jordy Trimble got into the act with a single that scored Keller. Make it 6-0 Cards after two and a half. 


Louisville would put up a final run in the fifth. Should have been more, probably...the Cards loaded the bases but could only get pinch runner Kirsten Straley home on a Trimble single. 7-0 Louisville and it was becoming a long afternoon for Villanova.  


Collins (16-1) was masterful and domineering again on the mound for Pearsall's bunch...going the distance and allowing just four hits while striking out two. The whitewash was Louisville's 16th of the season.


GAME TWO

Maggie drove in the first
Cardinal run of the second
game.

Chelsea Leonard drew the start in the second game for the Cards and Louisville drew first blood in the top of the second when Trimble got a base on balls, advanced on a Kayla Soles single and scored on Maggie Ruckenbrod's infield single. 1-0 "Ville" as the teams went to the bottom of the inning. 


Villanova loaded the bases in the bottom of the second against Leonard with two outs...but she got out of the jam without allowing a run by getting a strikeout. Unfortunately, the Wildcats lit her up for four runs in the bottom of the third. Three 'Nova hits, a Cardinal fielding error and a wild pitch had the home team sporting a 4-1 lead with just one out in the inning and a runner on.


Pearsall and Louisville pitching coach Courtney Scott had seen enough and brought in Caralisa Connell to relieve Leonard. The call was a good one, Caralisa got the Cards out of the inning with no further damage done.

Taner Fowler's double put
Louisville ahead to stay.

Louisville retaliated with four runs in the top of the fifth. Soles started the inning off by reaching on a booted grounder and took third on a Ruckenbrod booming double. Esteban worked Villanova pitcher Caitlyn Delahaba for a base on balls and the bags were full of Cards. Kristin Austin got Soles across the plate with what looked to be a fielder's choice but a error got Austin to first safely and the bags were still full. Keller grounded out to score pinch-runner Katelyn Mann to make it 4-3 and Taner Fowler's double drove in Esteban and Austin to give Louisville a 5-4 lead. 

Whitney Arion's two run tater was her fifth of the year.

The Cards added two more runs in the top of the sixth. Trimble started the inning with a double and two outs later Whitney Arion smacked a shot over the left field fence to make it 7-4 Cards. That was enough to send Delahaba to the bench and Molly Manning took the circle...getting Nova out of the inning with no other runs scored. Pearsall brought in Collins to pitch in the bottom of the sixth for the Cards. 


Louisville added the final run of the game in the top of the seventh. With one out, Keller doubled and moved to third on a Wolny single. Keller scored on a Fowler single to make it 8-4 Louisville. 

Caralisa Connell is now 12-1.

Caralisa Connell got the win for Louisville, allowing no runs and three hits in 2.2 innings of relief. Credit Collins with the save with 2.0 innings of scoreless, two-hit hurling. Leonard allowed four runs on four hits in her 2.1 innings of work. 


The Cards come home for a three game, out-of-conference series with Longwood starting Saturday. 


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Too much probably has already been said about the Petrino fiasco. We've covered it ad nauseam and we don't even do that much with men's sports. So...this will be our final "take" on the events unless something dramatic happens in the future -- if Bobby is abducted by a spacecraft full of aliens and Elvis impersonators or decides to run for the senate in Arkansas -- we'll give it some coverage. 

"Will someone explain this Waffle House menu
to me? Where's the @#$% smothered and covered
hash browns? "

 Positions of power do not give people the right to be a megalomaniac Lord and Manor over all they survey. WE look at the kind and benevolent way Bernie Trager ran Republic Bank for years or the impeccable way John Asher handles his duties as Vice-President of Racing Communications at Churchill Downs as shining examples of how power, humility and good-heartedness can co-exist with authority.

MArky MArk poses with the next two "hog riding"
candidates. 

We can only hope that, finally, the former Arkansas coach has learned a life lesson that will help shape and turn him into a person that can respected for more than just directing a gridiron offense to success. After all, Ronald Reagan went from a "B" movie actor to President of the United States. Howard Stern parlayed a disc jockey job to a  judge on a network talent show. We digress...but hopefully you, dear reader, get the point. If not the sack...


We all make mistakes and errors in judgment. Most of our slip ups, though, are not normally played out and documented in the main-stream media. People will still continue to lie, deny and commit acts of adultery and corruptive influence in this world. But, learning from such mistakes and becoming a better person after paying the price for their erroneous ways is a sign of character. A sign of growth and maturity. 

"You do want to be good, don't you Bobby?"

We hope that Bobby "wants to be good" (in the words of Judge Smells in Caddyshack) from now on. Christian philosophy teaches that to err is human but to forgive is divine. Many will forgive Bobby, in time, for the events and actions that embarrassed him, the Arkansas football program and legions of Razorback fans. He must, however, become the type of person that is "forgivable". 


We hope that he can become a different, a better Bobby. Time will tell. In time, he'll get another opportunity to stand in, or near, the white, hot spotlight of notoriety. 

The morning after Bobby Petrino was fired,  a rainbow
appears to lead to the stadium where Arkansas plays
their home football games. Whoa....

Do it the right way, Coach...when the light hits you again.


Here's a interesting and funny Asian animation on the Petrino saga. Click the link below.


Bobby-san


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Wednesday doubleheader for Louisville softball

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


-#12 Louisville softball heads to Philly for doubleheader


-Bobby Petrino: What now?


-Louisville baseball downs UK 12-0


-More on Baylor and Mulkey


-Clark-Heard names assistant at WKU

Kristin Austin has the highest
batting average in the BIG EAST.

Louisville Softball (33-2, 7-2) takes a mid-week trip to the City of Brotherly Love for Philly cheese-steaks, a viewing of the Rocky statue and a double-header against the Villanova Wildcats. The BIG EAST foe is 25-12 on the season, 0-6 in BIG EAST action and comes into the game after getting swept by Connecticut in a three game series over the weekend. 


The Wildcats have the second best batter in the BIG EAST in Jamie O' Hara (.384). Molly Manning and Briana Fujii are the run producers with 21 RBI's each. In the circle, Caitlyn Delahaba is 13-8 and solid with a 2.79 ERA. Manning gets the call from the stripe as well and is 10-4 with a 3.11 ERA.

Tori Collins is one of three
pitchers Sandy Pearsall uses.

Louisville boasts the leading hitter in the conference in Kristin Austin, who is the only BIG EAST hitter batting over .400 on the year. Her .407 average is complemented with 30 runs scored and seven triples. Louisville has seven players in the starting lineup batting over .300. Sandy Pearsall has torrid Tori Collins, Chelsea Leonard and Caralisa Connell to choose from when the Wildcats are at bat. The trio has a combined 1.26 ERA and have fanned 252 batters in 234.1 innings. 


Louisville lost the first game to 'Nova 3-1 when the teams  last met on March 26th, 2011 but rallied to take the final two games of the series 5-3 and 12-5 the next day at Ulmer Stadium. Louisville leads the overall series 9-2.


The Cards return to Ulmer for a non-conference, 3-game weekend series against Longwood this Saturday and Sunday.


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Arkansas AD Jeff Long

As we expected here at CARDINAL COUPLE, former UofL head football coach Bobby Petrino has been fired at Arkansas. Watching the news conference with Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long at the podium detailing the events and the reasoning behind the 'Bobster's' ousting showed us that Long had a hard time with the decision. He choked up several times when addressing the media and seemed to be portraying a man who was reluctantly relaying a difficult decision on a highly controversial situation.

Gotta wonder if wedding bells
will still ring for "JD" in June.
Seems Bobby already laid
down some serious cash for
the bridal shower.

He and the University did the right thing, though. They bonked the "win at all costs" mindset that persists at way too many Athletic Departments in the NCAA. Bobby lied, tried to cover up the lie and made an inappropriate hire and had an inappropriate affair with "the girl in the athletic department in volleyball shorts" Jessica Dorrell. Mention was also made that Petrino gave the ex-Arkansas volleyball player $20,000 large in cash. 


That's some pretty expensive "whoopee", son.


So, what now, Bobby Petrino? We're no life coaches here at CARDINAL COUPLE...but one would think that getting one's personal and family house in order would be job #1 for B.P. If that's even possible. 

Tell your story walking, pal.

We figure he'll eventually hit the job market again. And, there will be someone out there willing to take a chance on the inglorious philanderer...because he is a brilliant offensive football  strategist. Maybe we'll see a role reversal again. Bobby was John L. Smith's offensive coordinator at Louisville. Bobby hired John L. Smith at Arkansas. Now that John is head coach at Weber State, would the possibility exist that he bring Bobby on board and staff? 

With the firing, Bobby now has plenty of time
to "head out on the highway, looking for
adventure."

Stranger things have happened. 


WE hope that Petrino can get his deck of cards in order. WE hope that going from king to joker finally shows him that honesty, integrity and respect still have a viable place in today's society. But, in his case, we're not betting on it...


Can old dogs learn new tricks?

We applaud Arkansas for doing the right thing. WE realize that there are tons of disappointed Hog fans this morning. You have a right to be, but the reason you should be is that you got 'played' by your former head coach and it caught up with him.


For Bobby's response, click the link below...courtesy of Mike Rutherford over at Card Chronicle.


Bobby's farewell address


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How about the UofL baseball team? Taking the road-show to Lexington last night and thumping #1 UK 12-0!  It was even worth turning off NCIS to watch...


We like Charlie Springer's take on the massive Cardinal win and you can view the "observer's" words at the link below.


UofL 12 - UK 0

Louisville is extremely fortunate to have such "diamond skippers" as Dan McDonnell and Sandy Pearsall. Two people of integrity, committed and dedicated to their players and both with a great sense of humor. 


Show your thankfulness for having these two here at UofL and get out and watch a few games at Ulmer and Patterson. Free admission and big fun. 


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The NCAA may have a few more questions for Baylor head womens' basketball coach Kim Mulkey. Thanks to the several CARDINAL COUPLE readers who mentioned or sent the link. 


The implications aren't "death penalty" serious but could open a big can of Beef-a-Roni that the NCAA may not have the appetite to finish. 


Baylor, Mulkey may have some explaining to do, Lucy.

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Finally, Michelle Clark-Heard has made an assistant coach hire down at WKU. She brings Margaret Richards aboard. The former Louisville and Weber State staffer and Michelle go way back. Once again, thanks to our eagle-eye CARDINAL COUPLE readers for the find. Linkie below.


Clark-Heard hires Richards as assistant at WKU

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