Women's Gold finishes fourth in Wild Eggs...We look at C.B....Assumption one of nation's best...Who will replace the Orange and Panthers?

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WEDNESDAY WITH THE COUPLE:

-Women's Golf finishes fourth in Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup

-Hurricane Candyce rips through Puerto Rico

-Assumption Volleyball one of nation's best?

-Who replaces Pitt and 'Cuse?

Anna continues her
hot streak on the links

The University of Louisville women's golf team ended the two day Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup tournament with a fourth place finish at the Cardinal Club gold course in Simpsonville, KY. Led by Anna-Karin Ljungstrom, the Cards fired a 301 in the second day of competition to finish with a total score of 608. North Carolina won the event with a two-day total of 596. 

Ljungstrom finished tied for second with a closing round 74...one stroke off the leader - East Carolina's Julia Strandenberg. Her total for two days was 146. Other Cardinal finishes:

-Emily Haas - tied for 12th. with a 151
-Tara Lyons-  tied for 30th. with a 154
                             -Maria Castellanos - tied for 49th. with a 158
                             -Katie Petrino - tied for 69th. with a 164

Also shooting in the event as individuals and not associated with the team score were Cardinals Candice Wiley (161), Sara Karlsson (162) and Maike Klein (164).

Louisville returns to action on Oct. 7th.-9th. at the Tar Heel Invitational.

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Former UofL great Candyce Bingham is ripping through the Puerto Rican basketball leagues like a Category 5 hurricane. She recently received the Latinbasketball.com Week 4 Player of the Week award. She scored 26 points and 14 rebounds for her San German team...which is second in the standings.



C.B tearing up Rican hoops



Bingham has had an impressive stay in Puerto Rico...she's third in the league in points per game (21.0) and first in rebounds (12.9) per game. She also is the 6th. leading assist producer (4.7 per game). Can't say we're overwhelmed by the San German basketball logo (pictured right) but we do stand in awe of Candyce's stats so far. San German is 6-3 on the season. WE'RE glad to see #13 playing a little closer to the USA...she's been Euroball the last couple of seasons and done well...but statistics are kind of hit-and-miss on those leagues. Rumors floating around a couple of weeks ago that Bingham was in town and getting ready to take over the head coaching job for Fern Creek girls' basketball are obviously just that...looks like to us that C.B. is doing fine in the Commonwealth (of Puerto Rico)

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Louisville Assumption Volleyball is ranked one of the top ten high school girls' team's in the nation and they did nothing to damage the position against Holy Cross last night. The Rockets took a straight set win over Holy Cross.....25-13, 25-11 and 25-21.

Coach Kordes turns out winners.

Assumption also won the highly competitive Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas, NV over the weekend. The Rockets are 23-1 on the season and coached by Ron Kordes. In case the name sounds familiar, Kordes is considered a legend in local high school and club volleyball and his daughter Anne coaches the University of Louisville squad....

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Goodbye Pitt and Syracuse, hello Army and Navy? How will the service academies fit into the new BIG EAST lineup...if, in fact..the BIG EAST survives the recent topsy-turvy shake up occuring on the college sports landscape?

Dress Louie in fatigues
and give him a rifle?

A lot to be said about the storied history of both potential BIG EAST members...but are they the right choice for a staggering conference? Other options do exist for John Marinatto, the university presidents and athletic directors. Do East Carolina and Memphis deserve a look? If the BIG 12 disbands...which schools from there could be candidates for the league?

A lot of questions remain and the final shakeup is far from being settled...... In Jurich We Trust.

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My wallet is fat and I like that, folks.

Truth be told, WE'RE tired of all the drama and innuendo that is going on about league affiliations and defections. Especially because it is all football driven and oriented. Don't get us wrong, WE enjoy the thrill and excitement of college football quite a bit. Season ticket holders for a very long time and make several road trips a year. WE were there when Schnelly won in Arizona and Bobby took the Orange Bowl. But, WE'RE not fans of how the $$$$ are driving the college landscape these days. ESPN is the main culprit here. The trickle down flow to women's sports is a nearly dried-up stream. IF it wasn't for women's college basketball, it would be a dust bowl. It's time for the university presidents and athletic directors to gain back control of the sports they participate in and tell "big money" to listen to them for awhile. Of course, that won't happen. Notre Dame telling NBC that they don't want the nation-wide coverage? It'll never happen. It's a pig-trough and even Louisville has got slop and mud caked on the Cardinal Bird. Bring us the head of Brent Musberger...

.

Women's Golf tied for 5th...Indiana advances to play Dream...UofL sweeps Field Hockey awards...What say you now, BIG EAST?

.

Field Hockey takes both
Big East awards last week

TUESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup shortened to 36 holes due to weather

-Conrad and Vance sweep Field Hockey honors

-Indiana eliminated New York in WNBA Eastern playoffs

-Watson wonders where does Louisville go from here?

Lightning and rain delayed the start of the Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup women's golf tournament yesterday and necessitated a shortening of the two day event to 36 holes instead of the planned 54...but the Cards slogged through the wet fairways and are tied for fifth place after Monday's action.

Junior Cardinal golfer Anna-Karin Ljungstrom is tied for the lead after firing an even par 72. Other Cardinal women scores...Maria Castellanos and Tara Lyons 78, Emily Haas 79 and Katie Petrino 85. Not competing for team scores were Candice Wiley and Sara Karlsson at 81 and Maike Klein with an 85. 

The Cards are 11 strokes off the lead with a 307. North Carolina State leads with a 296, East Carolina in second with 300 and Missouri and Penn State tied for third at 305.

Action concludes this morning with the final eighteen holes.

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Junior goalkeeper Erin Conrad and sophomore forward Elizabeth Vance swept the BIG EAST Field Hockey Players of the Week awards. Conrad, awarded the Defensive Player of the Week, shut out American and Georgetown. Vance scored the game winner against American and had a goal in the 5-0 rout of the Hoyas.

The Cards return to action at Trager Stadium this weekend with two tough contests...#5 Syracuse and #10 New Hampshire.

Justine Sowry has done a remarkable job in her first year at UofL as the head Field Hockey coach...picking up the pieces that Pam Bustin left behind and guiding the Cards to a 6-2 record so far this season.

Speaking of Bustin, her Duke Blue Devils are 5-3 in the tough ACC conference.

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The Atlanta Dream know "who's next" now and it will be familiar foe Indiana...who downed the New York Liberty by ten last night. Katie Douglas stepped up big for the Fever with 21 points and Tamika Catchings added 17. Atlanta swept the regular season matchups against Indiana and will travel to Indianapolis to begin the WNBA's Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night.

The Fever downed New York 72-62 last night despite Nicole Pierson's 19 points.

Douglas (pictured right) is in her tenth season in the WNBA and played her college ball at Purdue.

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(Special correspondent David Watson takes a look at the defection of Pitt and Syracuse from the BIG EAST)

I got out my road atlas last night and started looking at driving distances to Kansas and Texas from central Indiana. Lawrence, Kansas 587 miles. Waco, Texas 886 miles. Suddenly, the defection of Pittsburgh and Syracuse from the BIG EAST in 2014 isn't looking like a great idea. It's even rumoured Rutgers and Connecticut are sending out feelers. Cowabunga, dude. 

Does Greyhound run
from Indy to Iowa City?

If the BIG EAST scoops up the BIG 12 schools that don't decide to jump ship and head to the PAC 27 or elsewhere, the cost of road trips are going to soar. And, what do you call the merged schools? The BIG TWEAST? The BIG EASTWELVE? Fido or Spot? 

I keep telling myself that 2014 is a pretty long way off and by then many other changes could occur on the college football landscape. Because it is football that is creating this Chinese fire drill. I'm holding onto the hope that Butler or Ball State get included wherever the Cards end up. Maybe in the BIG CENTRAL ALSO RAN Conference. I can do a round trip on half a tank of gas to those home games.

Does Louisville get an SEC look? Is the ACC interested? Will Johnny Marinatto hold this fragile group of BIG EAST jilted lovers together for a couple more years? And WWID - What Will Irish Do?

It'll be an interesting thing to follow over the next three years. By then, maybe Charlie Strong will be a regular BCS Bowl game participant. Maybe even at Louisville. Jeff Walz will have a few additional Final Four appearances under his belt. And maybe Maryland will have gotten rid of those god-awful football uniforms.

(We'd like your opinion on where you think the Cards end up. Feel free to leave a comment, send us an e-mail and take part in the poll over on the left hand side of the site. And, send David bus fare for the potential UofL vs. Baylor football match up in 20...whatever. He's always had a 'thing' for Kim Mulkey.)

thanksforreadingtodayscardinalcoupleandcheckineverydayforupdatesonwomenssportsatuoflyoucouldspendyourtimeinworsewayslikematchingupsocksorcleaningfish

Field Hockey wins...Soccer ties...Dream advances...Golf today...BIG EAST defections

MONDAY, MONDAY @ CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Vance leads Field Hockey to win over #17 American

-Women's Soccer ties DePaul

-Angel pushes Atlanta past the Sun

-Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup tees off today

-Bye, bye Orange and Pitt

Vance advances Cards to
a shutout win.

The University of Louisville Field Hockey team recorded their fourth straight shutout with a 1-0 win over American University Sunday in Washington, D.C. Sophomore Elizabeth Vance connected with the net shortly before the first half ended to give the Cards the only goal they needed in the win.

Erin Conrad with another masterful job guarding the pipes for the Cards again.

"What a great result today and a successful weekend for Louisville field hockey. We played hard and tough for the full seventy minutes of the game...Our defense was outstanding today, absorbing a lot of pressure and not faltering at all." Justine Sowry -Cardinal Head Coach.

Louisville returns home to battle #5 Syracuse on Friday and #10 New Hampshire on Sunday at Trager Stadium.

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Exeter produced the
Cards lone score.

The UofL women's soccer team returned home after a 1-0 win over Notre Dame Friday to face the DePaul Blue Demons. Fans at Cardinal Park got to see a hard-fought overtime battle that ended up in a 1-1 tie. Christine Exeter tallied the lone Cardinal goal almost eighty minutes into the contest....taking a pass from Erin Yenney and driving one in from the right side. Just seconds before, DePaul had taken a 1-0 lead.  

"We had plenty of chances to score a goal and win this game, but we didn't do that. The biggest lesson from this is that we must capitalize on the chances we get." - head women's soccer coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes.

The Cards(3-4-2) hit the road for their next two...facing Connecticut Friday and Providence Sunday. 

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Angel and Atlanta do it again.

The Atlanta Dream used a 25-13 fourth quarter to scoot past the Connecticut Sun and advance to the WNBA's Eastern Conference finals yesterday 69-64. Sluggish starts seem to be the norm for Angel and her teammates...but strong finishes have been quite commonplace as well. Angel McCoughtry scored all 12 of her points in the final half...one of four Dream to finish in double figures.

"We were down...and it didn't seem to bother us. I'll tell you what. Get us to the fourth quarter and we're pretty good. It was all about our defense, and it wasn't anything the coaches were saying." -Atlanta head coach Marynell Meadows. 

Atlanta waits to see who's next...the third and deciding game between Indiana and New York takes place tonight in Indianapolis's Conseco Fieldhouse.

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Anna heads up the
Cardinal five some.

Fourteen teams will face soggy conditions a the Cardinal Club Golf Course in Simpsonville, KY this morning, as first round play of the Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup gets underway. The 54 hole, two-day event will feature 36 holes today (maybe...) and conclude with 18 on Tuesday.

All eight Cardinal women's golfers will participate in the event. The starting lineup consists of Anna-Karin Ljungstrom, Maria Castellanos, Katie Petrino, Tara Lyons and Emily Haas. Candace Wiley, Sara Karlsson and Maike Klein will shoot as individuals.

Ljungstrom fared the best of the Cardinals in the recent Ptamigan Ram fall classic with a 228, but the scores were pretty close to her from her teammates...Castellanos fired a 229, Petrino 230 and both Lyons and Haas finished at 232.

Good luck, girls. I don't think the heavy stuff is going to come down for quite a while. (Carl Spackler, from Caddyshack)

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Reported destruction of the BIG EAST
may be premature.  Co-Co is ready, though and
would gladly implode the CarrierDome if asked.



The news reverberated around Commonwealth Stadium Saturday night like a bowling ball travelling down a flight of metal stairs. Pittsburgh and Syracuse are leaving the BIG EAST.  Like the game where you whisper in someone's ear and they pass the message on...the message got distorted by the second time it reached us - after the game. The BIG EAST was folding...Louisville was hoping for an SEC bid. I had to chuckle. The BIG EAST isn't going anywhere. Pitt and Syracuse are headed to the ACC. Certainly a blow for football and possibly men's hoops...but of no consequence to BIG EAST women's athletics.

Let's look at the top two revenue producers in BIG EAST women's athletics...basketball and volleyball. In hoops, it's UConn, Notre Dame, Louisville, Rutgers, DePaul and Louisville who will battle for the top four spots and conference crown. No Orange or Panthers here. Louisville, Cincinnati, Notre Dame and South Florida will vye for the volleyball title again this year. Don't see a Pitt or Syracuse on this list.

Granted, the Orange have won the BIG EAST softball tournament the last two years. Syracuse is always a strong contender in field hockey and soccer. They can be replaced. Exactly what has Pitt produced in women's sports? Ever? Besides the class act Agnes Berenato in hoops...I can't think of a single thing.

Louisville to the SEC? Bring it. Road trips to watch Walz play Vandy, Tennessee and the Lexington Cats are a heck of a lot shorter than heading to Pittsburgh or Syracuse. SEC Volleyball would be a step up and a great challenge for the dynasty Anne Kordes is laying the blueprints for in volleyball. Sandy Pearsall produces winning, NCAA Tournament bound softball teams every year. SEC softball is big-time. Accept the upgrade. They don't play a whole lot of field hockey or lacrosse down south, though. That would hurt.

Who knows what will happen down the road? The defection of Syracuse and Pitt won't hurt Jeff Walz in recruiting. It won't ruin Anne Kordes' incoming classes. Sandy Pearsall won't miss spring trips to Pittsburgh or Syracuse to play in 40 degree weather. Wherever Louisville ends up...if they go anywhere at all...shouldn't affect University of Louisville women's sports.

I do not believe that UofL would ever be offered an SEC membership. Not as long as UK is a member. They'd block it with the fervor of Gwen Rucker soaring above the net to deflect a spike attempt.

Unfortunately, women's sports aren't the leading driving economic engines that are under Tom Jurich's guidance. This is all about football. Should be mucho interesting days ahead for the BIG EAST. If the BIG 12 evaporates into the thin air...time to go shopping, John Marinatto. Cards fans have seen it before. MVC to Metro. Metro to C-USA. C-USA to BIG EAST.

Just like mafia wars...the families need to have a little cleansing and shake-up every few years. Get out the mattresses and find a war-time consiglere. 

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Football Cards pull the upset in Lexington

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UL Cheerleaders entertain at the Red Mile

SUNDAY WITH THE COUPLE:

-Photo gallery from UofL tailgating in Lexington

-Cards hang on to win 24-17 in football

-Field Hockey blanks Georgetown 5-0

-Softball Cards sweep Bellarmine doubleheader

-Volleyball falls to Illini.

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A great time yesterday in Lexington for the UofL vs. UK football game. Some fan shots below from the Red Mile and game.

Gary 'the real red bird' Budd with friends Brandon Lefler and Courtney Korte

Sonja with CARDINAL COUPLE readers Bill Lacy (middle) "get me out of Lexington,
get me out of Lexington" Joey Strader (left) and the masked Red Rage.

                                              It was a crazy night for football in Lexington last night. Beginning with arriving on campus several hours before game time to find that the place we have parked since 1994 was already filled up. Plan 2...the Red Mile was enacted though and it was a big time.

Thank you, Stephan Robinson for choosing Louisville. His timely strip of the ball last night from DeMarco Robinson (no relation) saved this one for the Cards. They don't call us the 'Cardiac Cards' without good reason.



Rod Rine and Garrett Shadowen tailgate before kickoff



WE love the Red Mile as a tailgating venue. Found a nice shade tree to park under and had a great, relaxing few hours before climbing on the bus to go to Commonwealth. Even the Cat fans driving down Nelms Ave. past the Red Mile parking lot...screaming obscenities and profanities... didn't ruin the day. The buses, however, back to the Red Mile were few and far between after the game. Paul snuck on one...Sonja chose to hoof the mile back to the Red Mile. WE arrived about the same time...

Two of our tailgating neighbors at the Red Mile. They know
the words to BOTH Cardinal fight songs...impressive

Top five things we liked about yesterday:

1. Cards hold on to win.

2. Weather was perfect.

3. The look on the Cat fan faces after the game

4. Teddy Bridgewater getting the job done...no fear

5. The Louisville fans outshouting the UK fans for most of the game

Our view from Sec. 113 Row 37.

Thanks to the 53 participants who took part in the Name the Winner and Score Contest. We had some really close guesses. Keith Danbury nailed it right on the head, though and wins the PANERA Card. UofL 24-UK 17.

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Turner's two scores lead Cards to
a 5-0 Field Hockey win

Hayley Turner scored twice and UofL Field Hockey shut out Georgetown yesterday in Washington, D.C. Taylor started the scoring for UofL, taking an assist from Caitlin Collins and finding the net. Minutes later, Turner returned the favor...feeding Erin Schneidtmiller with a pass and a score to make it 2-0 Cards. The Cards put two more scores on the board before the first half was through...Becca Maddock taking an Elizabeth Vance pass to the net and Turner getting her second goal of the half. The Cards out-shot the Hoyas 11-0. The Cards would add an insurance goal in the final half when Elizabeth Vance scored on an unassisted goal  

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Tori the Terminator

Softball swept two scrimmage games at Ulmer Stadium against Bellarmine yesterday...winning the Battle of Eastern Parkway 2-0 and 12-1. How about Tori Collins with 17 strikeouts in the opening game...pitching a one-hitter! The Cards got 14 hits in the closer...freshman Whitney Arion belting a grand slam homer. Caralisa Connell got the win, striking out 10 Knights and allowing only two hits. Good to see several freshmen contributing right off the bat also. Besides Arion...Carly Atkinson, Kayla Soles, and Kirsten Stanley all contributed to the second-game win. Also good to see Jordan Trimble back from last year's season ending injury...she pounded a double in the first game -  scoring Kristin Austin -  and then scoring on sophomore Taner Fowler's single.

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Volleyball took Illinois to five games yesterday to close out the BIG EAST vs. BIG 10 Challenge...but lost 25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 21-25 and 15-9. Lola Arslanbekova with another big effort - 30 kills - but the #3 Illini took control in the final game 11-4 and the Cards could not recover. Looks like the Gwen Rucker injury couldn't have come at a worse time. Get well, Gwen!

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Women's Soccer upsets #12 Notre Dame..,Volleyball falls 3-2...Atlanta tops Sun 89-84

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SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Yenney leads win over Notre Dame Soccer

-VolleyCards fall to Purdue

-Harding steps up for Atlanta Dream

-One last look at UofL vs UK football before the game

Chloe shuts
out the Irish

The University of Louisville women's soccer squad pulled off their biggest win of the season yesterday in South Bend, IN. with a 1-0 win over #12 Notre Dame. Louisville freshman Erin Yenney took a pass from Christine Exeter midway thru the second half and found net for the only goal of the contest.

The Cardinal defense was spectacular in shutting down the defending NCAA Champions during the contest. Senior goalkeeper Chloe Kiefer registered her second straight shutout and had five turn aways on shots-on-goal. Overall, the Cards were out-shot by the Irish 20-10 but stood strong...especially in the final half of play...when they denied three Irish corner attempts to score.

Louisville (3-4-1) returns home for a 1 p.m. Sunday match against DePaul.

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Despite Lola Arslanbekova's 20 kill effort, the VolleyCards fell 3-2 to #14 Purdue Friday in Champaign IL. The Boilermakers stay undefeated on the season with a 21-25, 25-19, 25-18, 16-25, 15-10 victory.

Louisville battled Purdue to the final game decider and led 7-5 before the Boilermakers went on a 5-0 run. The Cards could get no closer than three the rest of the way.

Juhl had 11
kills in the loss.

Emily Juhl had 11 kills in the match, Caitlin Welch recorded 13 digs and the Cards had nine serving aces...but fall to 8-3 on the season.

"We came out and competed. We had stretches of greatness and everyone showed sparks of just how good we can be. It was a full team effort and we can build on this experience in the future." Cardinal head coach Anne Kordes spoke after the match.

The building starts tonight at 8 p.m., when Louisville takes on #3 Illinois. Gwen Rucker did not participate for Louisville in the match...no word yet on how long she'll be sidelined.

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The former Duke guard leads the
Dream to a 1-0 advantage.

With Angel McCoughtry sidelined with foul trouble and the Atlanta Dream down by five going into the fourth quarter...one expected the worst for the Dream's first game in the playoffs. Not so fast, my friend...Lindsey Harding stepped up for Atlanta with 10 of her 21 points in the final stanza to help lead her team to a 89-84 win at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Dream got balanced scoring with five players in double figures. Angel, despite the foul trouble, finished with 16. Erika de Souza tallied the same, Sancho Lyttle contributed 13 points and 11 boards. Armintie Price popped for 14.

They'll head to Atlanta for game two of the three game series. If the Dream can pull off the win in Philips Arena Sunday, they'll advance to face the winner of the Indiana vs.New York series. Indiana leads that one 1-0...grabbing a close 74-72 win over the Liberty Thursday night.

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Ran into former UofL offensive lineman Ron Madrick, Jr. last night at the Seneca vs. Eastern football game. Ron played for Howard Schnellenberger from 1985-87 and is the son of Covington Holmes coaching legend Ron Madrick, Sr
.
Ron still looks like he could protect Jay Gruden from a Memphis blitz...but is doing a different kind of protection these days - as a Louisville fireman.



"Coach"

 We talked about the upcoming UofL v. UK football game and Ron agrees that the key to victory could come from who will win the "trench battle" between the teams' linemen. He also pointed out the importance of special team play and expects the Cards to do well on containing the UK offense.

"It's a rivalry game...anything can happen. If the Cards get a few big plays and get momentum on their side...they could win this thing." Ron commented.

Madrick was a letterwinner during the first three years of the Schnellenberger era but never got the chance to go up against the Wildcats.

Seneca is probably wishing they wouldn't have had to face Eastern this year...losing 31-0 to the Eagles in Middletown.

Speaking of the game, as of 8 a.m. Saturday morning...we have 37 responses to picking the final score and winner of The Battle of the Bluegrass. 22 of you are going with UK, 15 with the Cards. Some other interesting numbers on your picks:

Highest point total : 116 (UK 59-UofL 57)

Lowest Point total:  9 (UofL 6 - UK 3)

Biggest margin of victory: 35 (UofL 42 - UK 7)

Best comment so far: "Why bother? Let's look forward to basketball. The Lady Cards and Pitino's crew will sweep this year."
Worst comment so far: "Your Cardinal Birds will fly west after UK's trouncing. Stay away from your busted Indiana bridge."

For Paul's final take on the contest, check out his post at http://www.uoflcardgame.com/

Remember, you have until 7 p.m. this evening to get your pick in. $10 gift card for PANERA to the winner. Just pick your team and the final score. Closest to the final score with correct team pick gets you the goods. E-mail your picks to: cardinalcouple@insightbb.com and make sure you give us a way to get in touch with you. Good luck and GO CARDS!

thankyouforcheckingouttodayseditionofcardinalcoupleweareproudtopresentyouwiththenewsonuoflwomenssportsonadailybasisandpromiseweredonewithfootballaftertomorrow

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Field Hockey Heads to nation's capitol...

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CARDINAL COUPLE FRIDAY EDITION

-Field Hockey faces test in D.C.

-Volleyball in Champaign

-Soccer starts Big East

-Angel & Atlanta start playoffs

-Cats vs. Cards in football: One man's opinion

Get ready, Cardinal women's sports fans...the weekend is full of Cardinal sports. Let's look at the action!

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Justine Sowry takes the UofL Field Hockey team to D.C. this weekend but they wont' be spending much time at the Smithsonian or Capitol Hill. Instead the stick Cards will battle Georgetown on Saturday and American on Sunday. Nice streak for the Cards coming into these two...they've outscored their opponents 10-0 in the last two games and they're getting great play out of goalkeeper Erin Conrad. 

Against the Hoyas, Louisville leads the all-time series 5-0 and took a 6-1 win over them last year at Trager. This year's G'Town squad is 2-3 and have lost to Davidson, LaSalle and Bryant Universities. 

American U. is ranked #17 currently and the Cards are 1-1 all-time against them. Louisville won 2-1 last year in Trager. The Eagles are 2-3 on the year, with losses to Northwestern, Ohio and Old Dominion. 

Hayley Turner (right) leads the Cards with five goals and four assists this season. Both she and Erin Conrad were selected for the BIG EAST Honor Roll Sept. 12th. The Cards will need big performances out of both to sweep the weekend trip.

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 Anne Kordes and the Louisville Volleyball squad participates in the BIG EAST vs. BIG TEN challenge this weekend in Champaign, Il. Not an easy task ahead for the Cards...with undefeated and nationally ranked Purdue and Illinois on the docket. As Lola Arslanbekova goes...so do the Cards. 

Louisville scrimmaged against both schools this spring...defeating the Boilermakers and narrowly losing to Illinois. The Cards will need big time matches from Emily Juhl, Kaitlynn James, Taylor Brauneis and Caitlin Welch along with the powerful Lola to win this weekend.

UofL is keeping mum about the status of Gwen Rucker's injury, so we'll check the box scores and see if the talented senior from Lexington get any action...

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It hasn't been a easy season, so far, for the University of Louisville women's soccer team. The BIG EAST provides a chance to turn it around this weekend. The Cards will travel to Notre Dame for a Friday match before returning to Cardinal Park for a Sunday tilt against DePaul.

Goals have been the problem for Karen Ferguson-Dayes squad this season and the Irish aren't an easy team to score on...allowing only six in their first seven games. WE'RE not greedy here at Cardinal Couple...we'll take a 1-0 win over the Irish anytime. Things should get easier for UofL when DePaul visits Sunday. The Blue Demons (2-5) have only scored six goals this year.

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Angel and the Atlanta Dream start the WNBA Playoff against the Connecticut Sun tonight and since Sancho Lyttle has returned to the Dream starting lineup, the Dream have been a nightmare for opponents. A certain #35 for Atlanta has also had a lot to do with the Atlanta squad recovering from an early season 3-9 mark. This one will be a war.

Gotta love Angel's chances for the MVP slot in the WNBA if Atlanta can reach the finals again. She and Diana Taurasi were the scoring leaders in the league with 21.6 points per game and Angel's liable to pop for 30+ on any given evening.

The Sun and Dream were 2-2 in head-on match ups this season...both teams winning their games at home. Sun star Kara Lawson isn't afraid:

"There is no reason why we can't we can't win the title this year. All we have to do is tighten it up defensively." 

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(We asked CARDINAL COUPLE'S David Watson to put on his bicycle helmet and run into his garage wall a few times before commenting on the upcoming UofL vs. UK football game. He sends this report in from the E.R.)

OK, it is finally here. Cards vs. Cats. Maybe without the luster and importance of past years. No Randall Cobb, Bilal Powell or Brian Brohm type players on either squad this year. Amazingly, Mother Nature is smiling down benignly on Lexington this weekend with moderate temperatures and no rain. Maybe she's got a wager on this one. If she's smart...she'll take the seven points and UofL. I did.

I keep hearing that neither team has much of an offensive. I'm holding my hands over my ears and shouting "la la la la la" to those words. UofL has two great running backs and four potential Sunday receivers. The Cats will eventually figure out how to use Morgan Newton and newcomer Josh Clemons is running the ball at a 6.6 yards per carry pace. They're averaging 20.5 points per game. That doesn't look like three plays and a punt to me.

As most games are, this one will be won in the trenches. That's where UK has the decided advantage. Seven guys on UK's O-line with starting experience. The Cards without Mario Benavides at center have been a work in progress up front when Will Stein leads them out of the huddle. Time for Hernandez, Miller, Kupper, Smith and Kessling to grow up.

Both school have good punters. Wade Tylacka might be a tad better than UofL's Chris Philpott. Philpott is a danger when he decides to go with the fake, though, so the Cats may create some big return opportunities for Eli Rogers and Scott Radcliff if they're watching out for Chris's scooting skills.

Charlie Strong claims that UofL isn't a very good football team currently. Is it a motivational ploy? We'll find out around 10 p.m. or so Saturday night. I'm going with the Cats 33-28. My heart's going with a 28-24 UofL win. Given my football prognostication skills, this one will probably end up 10-7. Good luck, Cards.

(Just a reminder, you can nab a $10 Panera Gift Card if you can predict the winner and get closest to the final score. Send those guesses to cardinalcouple@insightbb.com )
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Volleyball heads to Illinois...Angel on the Big Screen?

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THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE:

-Volleyball part of a packed Cardinal Sports weekend

-Angel's Dream hoping to become a reality

The University of Louisville Volleyball team heads to Champaign, Ill. this weekend to participate in the BIG 10 vs. BIG EAST Volleyball Challenge. Along with Cincinnati, the Cards will take on two ranked opponents in #13 Purdue and #3 Illinois. Both the Fighting Illini and Boilermakers are a perfect 9-0 on the season.

The Cards will need a huge performance for junior Lola Arslanbekova (left), Emily Juhl and may be without the services of stellar senior Gwen Rucker for the weekend. No official announcement has been released on her status...but sources tell us she is undergoing rehab for an injury.

The Cards did face both Illinois and Purdue in the spring in exhibition matches. They barely lost to Purdue and beat Illinois.

They'll face Purdue Friday at 4:30 p.m. and Illinois on Saturday at 7 p.m. We'll have recaps for you on each match.

Besides volleyball, Cardinal teams in field hockey, men's and women's soccer and football all take to the fields over the next three days. We've got a listing over on the left side of the board. And, you can catch some fall softball also over at Ulmer on Saturday as the Cards scrimmage with Bellarmine in a double header that starts at noon.

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Angel McCoughtry grabs headlines. She's a potential Sportscenter moment anytime she takes to the court...so progression to the big screen is only natural. The unquestioned leader of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream is working with filmmaker Stephen Philms to produce a documentary about her life, including her upbringing in Baltimore and college career at Louisville. The title is Angel's Dream and #35 talks about it in this interview with ESPN's MIchelle Smith below:

"I'm so excited about it - it's going to be big time. I don't think people have seen a lot of this type of film with women's basketball. They've seen documentaries about LeBron (James) and the Fab Five (from Michigan). This is the women's basketball side. 

People think I was a McDonald's All-American and everything, but I wasn't highly recruited .This is my story about growing up in Baltimore and how I got here. Not even women's basketball fans get to see the things that we go through, to see the things we've conquered to succeed."

No distributor for the film has been selected yet and according to Angel...things are 'pretty much in the beginning stages'. There is a site with a video out there where Angel is encouraging fans to donate to help her get the film produced. She hopes the film will be ready to go next summer. The link: www.ifundie.com/angel35

First Shoni...with Off The Rez.  Now Angel. We're waiting to see what next for the Cardinal basketball family on the big screen. Maybe Asia visits Asia? Or a spin-off of Charlie's Angels...named Walz's Warriors...and featuring Shoni, Mo and Tia? 

The bottom line is this....any and all Cardinal film and video that gets nationwide publicity and play goes to prove what we've been telling Cardinal WBB fans all along. Something magical and special is happening with the growth of Lady Cards hoops. Get on board... 

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Women's Golf records ninth place finish...Greenwell injured in 3X3

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WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

-Anna Karin Ljungstrom leads women's golf in tournament

-Greenwell tears ACL.

-What's your take?

The University of Louisville women's golf team began their fall season participating in the Ptarmigan Ram Classic in Fort Collins, CO. The five-iron
Cards finished ninth overall in the three day event.

UofL golfer Katie Petrino

Leading the way for Louisville was junior Anna Karin Ljungstrom. She fired a 228 for the meet...finishing with a final day 77. Maria Castellanos finished with a 229. The senior had a 79 to complete her 3rd round. Red shirt freshman Katie Petrino recorded a 230.

Also participating for Louisville were:

Tara Lyons - 232
Emily Haas - 232
Sara Karlsson - 232
Maike Klein - 245

Louisville returns home and will host the Wild Eggs Cardinal Cup next week at the Cardinal Club in Simpsonville. The two day event starts Monday Sept. 19th.

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Louisville women's basketball target and Owensboro Catholic junior Becca Greenwell has torn the ACL in her right knee while participating for the USA in the FIBA 3x3 Championships.

Early reports are that she does not have surgery scheduled yet...preferring to wait and find the best surgeon available for the operation.

Greenwell is ranked #5 in the ESPN Top 100 for 2013 and #2 at the guard position.

CARDINAL COUPLE staff columnist Jenny O' Bryan fills us in:

Becca reported to ESPN that she tore her ACL in the semi-final game of the USA Basketball Girls 3x3 Youth World Championships while playing Italy -in Italy- this past Sunday.

Becca was one of four USA high school girls chosen to play in Italy for the games. The USA had gone undefeated until Becca's injury, but were sidelined after that...since fellow USA player Taya Reimer was already suffering with an ankle injury. The remaining players...Linnae Harper and Kaela Davis took the Italians to overtime before falling 21-19. The USA squad was awarded an honorary bronze medal for their incredible effort on the court.

Becca had a tremendous summer - culminating with the invitation to play in Italy. She started earlier this year for the U16 team playing in Merida, Mexico and helped lead her squad to a gold medal. Greenwell was co-MVP for the tournament and had several record-breaking performances. After that, she joined her club team Tennessee Flight and was spectacular on the summer AAU circuit.

The Lady Cards are one of eight colleges vying for Becca's services.

Cardinal Nation wishes this star-in-the-making a swift and full recovery. WE look forward to more record-breaking stats coming from this young woman in the future. And maybe, just maybe, she will be wearing Cardinal Red while doing it...

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Just a few days away from the annual (for now) UofL vs. UK football game. CARDINAL COUPLE wants to know how you see the outcome. Closest to the total score gets a gift certificate to...wait for it...Panera Bread! Here are our picks...

Paul
UK 20 -UofL 10 (OK, bring on the hate e-mails. I hope I'm wrong but Stein isn't the answer, unless you're in Germany drinking beer.)

Sonja
UofL 14- UK 13 (Charlie's been slow-playing this one perfectly. The streak ends for UK)

David Watson
UK 33 - Louisville 28 (Cards blow a 4th quarter lead to the delight of Big Blue Nation)

Tommy Boy
UofL 24 - UK 21 (Vic finds his groove.)

Bill the Goat
UK 10 - UofL 7 (I'll be grazing in the parking area near the West Entrance - stop by!)

Send your predicition to: cardinalcouple@insightbb.com by 7 p.m. Saturday and we'll announce and contact the winner Sunday. Be sure to give us a way to contact you...e-mail or phone #. Good luck and GO CARDS!

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