The No. 8 Louisville Cardinals are through 20 matches of their 30-match season, and they continue to trend downward in the poll.

Through the 20 matches, the Cards are 16-4: 5-0 on the road, 9-3 at home, and 2-1 at neutral sites. In comparison to the 2024 season, at this point in the season the team was 17-3.

So the Cards are right where they have been in the past. But in comparison to the last season, the number of five-set matches played in 20 matches has doubled. This is not a testament to the Cards’ skill level; this is a testament to how much skill and competitiveness is within NCAA Women’s Volleyball. But, in the 2024 season, the Cards were 2-0 in five-set matches. This season, the Cards are 0-4.

In short, all of the Cardinals’ losses are in five-set matches: Texas, Kentucky, SMU, and Pittsburgh. Further, the Cards were up 2 sets to 1 in all four losses.

As we get to the end, one can only assume teams will continue growing in competitiveness, chasing the tournament bid. The Cards must figure out a way to take these five-set matches and finish the match. What does this look like? We must see it to answer this question.

In closing, the Cards will finish their regular season with Notre Dame, NC State, Wake Forest, Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Pittsburgh, and Stanford.

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