Post & Courier Article on Mismatch of Clemson DB vs. Louisville QBs
From Aaron Brenner of The Post & Courier. The Clemson beat writer talks about how Clemson’s Secondary is a mis-match vs. Louisville’s Quarterbacks and how that would not have been the case a few years ago.
It’s worth a read.
On the Beat: Clemson defensive backs rolling, Louisville Quarterbacks Misfiring
Louisville Volleyball Wins Active Ankle Challenge
Senior outside hitter Erin Fairs had 22 kills, leading five Louisville players in double figures as the Cardinals came out on top of a five set slugfest 25-19, 25-27, 23-25, 25-22, 15-9 in the final match of the Active Ankle Volleyball Challenge at Cardinal Arena in Louisville, Ky.
Louisville was crowned tournament champions as they hit .228 for the match compared to .163 for Ohio. Tess Clark added 19 kills, hitting a torrid .760. Maya McClendon 13, Maggie DeJong 10, and Janelle Jenkins contributed a double-double with 12 kills and 13 digs to pace the Cards offensive attack. MVP Katie George finished with a double-double of her own, including a season-high 67 assists along with 12 digs. Freshman libero Molly Sauer added 30 digs. The Bobcats were led by Jaime Kosiorek’s double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs and Shelby Walker added 11 kills.
“That was a heck of a comeback. Their defense and blocking got us tentative. We started getting tight,” UofL head coach Anne Kordes said. “Tess kept us in the match. We scouted out the 3-1 play and I’m just amazed that she was able to keep running it.”
In the first, Louisville jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead but Ohio battled back and eventually used a 5-0 run to take a15-12 advantage. The Cards then used a 7-1 run of their own, including two Janelle Jenkins aces, to gain a 19-16 lead on a block by Maggie DeJong. A Cardinals 5-2 run, paced by two kills and a block from Tess Clark gave Louisville set point at 24-18. Tess Clark’s sixth kill of the set gave Louisville the 25-19 victory.
The second set was tightly contested early before the Cardinals rallied with a 7-1 run as three straight Tess Clark kills forced an Ohio timeout with Louisville holding a 13-8 lead. Ohio hung around and pulled within 20-19 using a 7-2 run to force a UofL timeout. The Bobcats took their first lead of the set at 21-20 on a kill by Mallory Salis, and forced another Louisville timeout ahead 23-22. The Cardinals hung tough but an ace by Mallory Salis gave Ohio the 27-25 win.
Ohio took an early 7-3 lead in the third and led until the Cards gained their first lead of the set at 15-14. A 10-4 Bobcats run gave Ohio set point at 24-19. Louisville climbed back within 24-22 behind three straight kills from Erin Fairs to force a second Bobcats timeout. A kill for Aubree Hord earned the Bobcats a 25-23 third set win.
In the fourth, the Cardinals built a 10-8 lead before using a 10-1 run to extend their advantage to 20-9. A quick Ohio 5-1 run forced a Louisville timeout as the Cards led 21-14. Ohio chipped away with a 7-2 run to force another UofL timeout with the Cards leading 23-22. Kills by Erin Fairs and Tess Clark closed out the set for Louisville, 25-22.
The Cardinals stormed out to a 4-0 lead in the fifth but the Bobcats hung tough before back-to-back Maya McClendon kills forced a timeout with Louisville clinging to a 7-5 lead. A 4-2 Cards run capped by an Erin Fairs kill forced another Ohio timeout with UofL leading 11-7. Back-to-back Erin Fairs kills closed out the final set 15-9 and the match for the Cardinals.
“Janelle Jenkins struggled at the midpoint but came in and got us three big time kills early in the fifth set,” Kordes said. “Great match and a good win against one of the scrappiest teams we’ve played. I loved the way we fought back for the win.”
All Tournament Team
Adora Anae. Utah
Tessa Fournier, Seton Hall
Meredith Ashy, Ohio
Abby Gilleland, Ohio
Molly Sauer, UofL
Tess Clark, UofL
Katie George, UofL **MVP**
Louisville Men’s Soccer Draws 1-1 at Syracuse
Junior Daniel Johnson scored his second goal of the week just before halftime to help the 23rd-ranked Louisville men’s soccer team to a 1-1 draw against Syracuse inFriday’s ACC opener at SU Stadium.
Friday marked the third time in the last five matches and the fifth time in 11 all-time meetings the Cardinals (3-1-1, 0-0-1 ACC) and Orange (3-1-1, 0-0-1 ACC) have played into overtime. It was also the sixth straight match between Louisville and Syracuse to finish either tied or with a one-goal differential. With the draw, the Cardinals extended their unbeaten streak against the Orange to seven straight matches overall.
After struggling for much of the opening half to organize any offensive chances and facing a one-goal deficit, the Cardinals evened the score at 1-1 in the 44th minute when Johnson corralled a deflection off a corner kick and scored inside the right post from the left side. The goal was the second of the season for Johnson, who found the ball at his feet after sophomore Tim Kubel’s corner kick into the box was deflected out by the Syracuse defense. On Tuesday, Johnson scored his first collegiate in Louisville’s 2-0 victory over No. 15 Kentucky.
The host Orange struck in the early going for their only goal of the night when Oyvind Alseth took a pass from Julian Buescher up the center of the field and scored past Louisville goalkeeper Nick Jeffs inside the right post for the 1-0 advantage in the ninth minute of action. The goal for Alseth was his team-leading third of the season.
Each side finished with just two shots in the first half. Both shots for the Orange came in the first 18 minutes, while both attempts for the Cardinals came in the final 90 seconds of the opening half.
The second half and two overtime periods featured a limited number of offensive chances for either side. The Cardinals were credited with just two shots during the final 65 minutes, while the hosts had only five shots during that same span. Overall, Syracuse finished with a 7-4 advantage in shots, including a 4-1 edge in shots on goal. The teams each had four corner kick chances in the match, though neither side had one in either of the overtime periods.
Following the early goal, Jeffs bounced back to finish with a trio of saves while playing all 110 minutes in goal. Austin Aviza did not have a save for the Orange.
Up next, 23rd-ranked Louisville returns home to host No. 16 Saint Louis on Tuesday at 7 p.m., ET at Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium.
Field Hockey Downs #17 Liberty
Senior Katharine Gwynne-Woodscored her first career goal and added another to lead the 11th ranked University of Louisville field hockey team to a 2-1 win over No. 17 Liberty Sunday afternoon at Trager Stadium.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. “Liberty is an amazing opponent and they’re just getting better every year. We knew after our game versus Virginia that this was going to be a mental battle for us and we would have to bring our best – not only physically, but mentally.”
The Cardinals (5-1) broke through in the tenth minute of the game. After drawing their second penalty corner of the half, Gwynne-Wood inserted the ball and Nicole Woods provided the stop for senior Elisa Garcia whose shot found Gwynne-Wood on the post. Her first career goal gave Louisville a 1-0 lead at the 9:44 mark in the game.
Louisville took the lead into halftime after outshooting Liberty 7-3 and holding a 4-1 edge in penalty corners.
The teams traded shots and corners throughout the first 20 minutes of the second half, but the Cardinals’ 1-0 lead held until the 55:04 mark in the game. Liberty’s Natalie Barr fired a shot that glanced off the pad of Louisville’s freshman goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran and into the cage to even the score at 1-1 with 15 minutes left to play.
The Cardinals answered three minutes later on another penalty corner opportunity. This time, after the initial shot was blocked and the teams scrambled in front of the cage, Gwynne-Wood took a rebound from Liberty goalkeeper Mallory Cuccio’s pads and sent the ball back into the cage for her second goal of the game to put Louisville ahead 2-1 at the 58:12 mark.
The Lady Flames (5-1) continued to attack, firing off five shots and drawing one corner in the last 12 minutes of the game, but Louisville’s defense held them at bay with two blocks and a pair of saves from McFerran. In the second half, Liberty outshot Louisville 9-5 while each team had three corners.
McFerran (5-1) posted five saves in the game while Cuccio (5-1) had six stops. Overall, the teams were evenly matched with 12 shots apiece in the game while Louisville held a 7-4 advantage in corners.
“I’m super proud of our team for the way they handled today’s game,” said Sowry. “They battled. We had some good leaders step up. Katharine Gwynne-Wood and Erin McCrudden stood out along with our really strong defensive unit. Even our strikers worked really hard and tirelessly from a defensive standpoint. They’re a good team – in my eyes, this was a national championship-type game out here today and we had to dig deep and we got the job done. I could not be more happy.”
Louisville (5-1) will return to action this weekend when the Cards travel to No. 2 North Carolina for an ACC matchup Friday and stay on the road to face James Madison Sunday.
Women’s Soccer Falls 2-1 to Ole Miss
The University of Louisville women’s soccer team fell 2-1 to Ole Miss in a tightly contested match on Sunday afternoon in Oxford, Miss. The Rebels scored the game-winner in the 83rd minute and the Cardinals were unable to find the equalizer in the final minutes, falling to 3-3-2 on the season.
“Today we are disappointed with the loss on the road at Ole Miss,” said head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes. “For long stretches of the game we played very well and were able to battle back from a goal down but couldn’t find a way to score the second. There are a lot of positives moving forward and we will certainly learn from our mistakes but now we must set our focus on Boston College and the start of our ACC schedule.”
The game started with back and forth play, both teams getting shots on goal in the early minutes. Louisville’s best chance of the half was a header shot fromAlison Price off a corner kick in the 14th minute but the Ole Miss defense was able to block the shot.
Twenty minutes into the match and the Ole Miss offense was able to keep possession for long periods and it eventually paid off for the Rebels. Ole Miss scored in the 34th minute to take a 1-0 lead over the Cardinals. The Cardinals had a shot by Price that was saved by the Rebels’ keeper in the 35th minute but could not find the equalizer in the first half.
Ole Miss held a 6-3 shot advantage in the first half and a 5-4 corner kick advantage. Louisville keeper Paige Brown finished with two saves while Marnie Merritt finished with two saves.
Louisville was able to apply offensive pressure in the second half. Twenty minutes into the half the pressure paid off for the Cardinals. Rachel Avant had a shot in the 64th minute but the ball was saved and the Cards earned a corner kick. Victoria Martinis took the corner sending it into the box where Casey Whitfield sent a shot into the goal from just a few yards out for the equalizer.
Louisville continued to look for another goal as Whitfield had another shot on goal a minute later but Merritt was able to make the save. She had another one in the 79th minute but the shot was saved. The Rebels then came down the field with a shot of their own but Brown was able to grab the save. Then two minutes later Ole Miss struck again to go up 2-1 in the 83rd minute.
Louisville pressed forward in the final seven minutes, trying to score the equalizer. Martinis had the best shot with 10 seconds remaining but Merritt came up with the save to secure the win for Ole Miss.
Ole Miss finished the match with a 14-8 shot advantage while both teams finished with five corner kicks. Both teams finished with seven shots on goal while Brown finished with five saves and Merritt finished with six.
The Cardinals will be back in action next Sunday as they open up ACC play at Boston College at noon.
Six Will Be Inducted to UofL Hall of Fame
Six outstanding individuals will be inducted into the University of Louisville Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 23 in the Brown & Williamson Club of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
The list includes Deion Branch, a receiver for the Cardinals’ football team who later was named MVP of the Super Bowl; Herbert Crook, a starting forward on UofL’s 1986 NCAA Championship team who is among the Cardinals’ career scoring and rebounding leaders; Sonya Gubaidulina Karmazin, an All-American volleyball player for the Cardinals who is ninth in career kills at UofL; Christy Hershey Allman, a four-year starter at goalkeeper for the Cardinals’ field hockey team and a two-time All-American; Mark Jurich, an All-American outfielder for the Cardinals who is among the Cardinals career power hitting leaders; and Sara Nord, the Cardinals’ all-time assist leader in women’s basketball.
The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the induction ceremony to follow. Tickets are $45 per person and may be purchased online through “My Cardinal Account” at GoCards.com. Additional information may be obtained via email at ronee@gocards.com or by calling 502-852-2015. The inductees will also be recognized at the Cardinals’ Oct. 24 homecoming football game against Boston College.
“It’s a treat to have the opportunity to honor an exceptional group of individuals who have each contributed so much to the tradition of Cardinal Athletics,” said UofL Vice-President and Director of Athletics Tom Jurich. “It will be a special evening as we pay tribute to some outstanding people who have represented our university with great distinction.”
Deion Branch (2000-01) was a stellar wide receiver for two seasons at Louisville after transferring from Jones County Junior College. With just two seasons at UofL, he is seventh in career receiving yards with 2,204 yards and his 18 touchdowns are the fourth-most. A native of Albany, Ga., both of his seasons rank among the top ten in receptions for a single season at UofL, with 72 catches in 2001 (fifth) and 71 in 2000 (sixth). A two-time All-Conference USA selection, his 11 career 100-yard receiving games is the second-most in school history. After helping the Cardinals win two C-USA Championships, Branch was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the New England Patriots. While with the Patriots, he was honored as the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXIX after producing 11 catches for 133 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles. He totaled 518 receptions for 6,644 yards and 39 touchdowns in 11 seasons with the Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
Herbert Crook (1984-88) was among the most productive forwards in UofL history as one of six players to rank among the career top 15 in both scoring and rebounding. A starting forward as a sophomore on the Cardinals’ 1986 NCAA Championship team, Crook ranks 10th in career scoring for the Cardinals with 1,723 points and 11th in rebounding with 877 boards. A Louisville native who played at Eastern High School, he was the 1987 Metro Conference Player of the Year and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1988 Metro Conference Tournament. A third round draft selection of the Indiana Pacers, Crook played two professional seasons in the Continental Basketball Association, averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds over 56 games with four different teams.
Sonya Gubaidulina Karmazin (1996-98) was an All-America outside hitter in volleyball who helped UofL advance to their its first NCAA Sweet 16s in 1996 and 1998. In her first year with the Cardinals in 1995, she was an AVCA All-American and All-Region selection as UofL won the Metro Conference and posted a 29-6 record. Hailing from Moscow, Russia, the transfer from Barry was a three-time All-Conference USA selection, leading the Cardinals to league titles in all three seasons. As a senior, Gubaidulina was the 1998 C-USA Player of the Year and was the league tournament MVP. She ranks ninth in career kills at UofL with 1,253.
Christy Hershey Allman (2000-03) became the Cardinals’ first field hockey All-American in 2001, earning third team honors by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). A native of Palmyra, Pa., Hershey owns the UofL career record for shutouts with 24.5. She was the 2003 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year and also earned All-America honors that season. Hershey helped the Cardinals win the 2002 MAC regular season co-championship and the 2003 league tournament title and played on Louisville’s first team to receive an NCAA Tournament bid (2003).
Mark Jurich (2001-04) was an outstanding outfielder who was a powerful force from the left side of the plate. He was a two-time All-American (NCBWA third team in 2002, 2004), was twice honored as a first-team All-Conference USA selection (2002, 2004) and was named to the C-USA All-Decade Team spanning 1995-2005. Jurich led the Cardinals in hitting (.365) and home runs (16) in 2002 as UofL won 39 games and advanced to its first NCAA Regional. Jurich is among the all-time leaders at UofL, ranking 2nd in career doubles (58), 5th in career home runs (47), 9th in career triples (12) and 10th in career RBI (178). After his collegiate career, Jurich played five seasons of professional baseball (2004-08) with the Atlanta Braves organization. He is in his sixth year in athletics administration at UofL, currently serving as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance. His father Tom is the Cardinals’ Vice President and Director of Athletics.
Sara Nord (2000-04) is the Cardinals’ all-time leader in assists with 852, second in career steals with 303, third in career three-pointers with 206, and seventh in career scoring with 1,645 points. A native of Jeffersonville, Ind., and a former Miss Indiana Basketball, Nord was a four-time first team All-Conference USA was named to the C-USA All-Decade team in 2005. She earned freshman All-America honors in 2001 when she produced her first of three career triple-doubles. Her jersey was honored in 2012, a recognition displayed above the court in the KFC Yum! Center. She played briefly in the WNBA for the Washington Mystics.
Women’s Basketball To Hold Tip-off Luncheon 10/14
Basketball season is inching closer, and fans are invited to the University of Louisville women’s basketball program’s annual tip-off luncheon on Oct. 14 in the Marriott Downtown Louisville.
Tickets for the event, presented by Ellis & Badenhausen Orthopaedics and Body Rx, are on sale and can be purchased through My Cardinal Account. Tickets – $30 each, or tables for 10 are $300 – will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the event begins at noon.
The Cardinals are coming off their sixth-consecutive trip to the Sweet 16, posting a 27-7 overall record. Louisville earned a 12-4 mark in its inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, placing third in the regular-season standings and reaching the ACC Tournament semifinal.
Full Court Freshman All-Americans Mariya Moore and Myisha Hines-Allen headline the returnees, with Louisville boasting the No. 1-ranked signing class that consists of Taja Cole, Erin DeGrate, Asia Durr, Sam Fuehring, and Brianna Jones.
For those interested in obtaining season tickets for the 2015-16 Louisville women’s basketball campaign, click here to fill out a waitlist application.
ACC Leads FBS Conferences in “Best Colleges” Rankings
The member institutions of the Atlantic Coast Conference again lead the way among Football Bowl Subdivision conferences in the latest “Best Colleges” rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.
Member schools combine for an average rank of 55.8, marking the ninth straight year that the ACC has led all FBS conferences.
“The Atlantic Coast Conference is proud to have a collection of schools that features the strongest balance of academics and athletics of any major conference,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “These rankings showcase the long-standing commitment to excellence which is a credit to the leadership of our 15 member institutions.”
The ACC is the only FBS conference to place seven of its member institutions among the Top 50 and also leads with six member schools among the Top 30.
Duke boasts the league’s highest ranking at eighth and is joined in the Top 30 by Notre Dame (18th), Virginia (23rd), Wake Forest (27th) and Boston College and North Carolina (tied for 30th). Georgia Tech ranked 36th and Miami 51st. Clemson and Syracuse tied at 61st, followed by Pitt (66th), Virginia Tech (70th), NC State (89th), Florida State (96th) and Louisville (168th).
Notables from this year’s rankings:
*Average rank of ACC Schools: 55.8
* The ACC has led the FBS conferences in best average rank in each of the last nine years.
* The ACC has had a school finish in the Top 10 every year since 2006 (one of only two FBS conferences that can make that claim).
* The ACC is the only FBS conference with seven of its member institutions in the Top 50.
* The ACC’s seven schools in the Top 50 are two more than any other FBS conference.
* The ACC’s six schools ranked in the Top 30 are the most among FBS conferences.
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