It was quite the raucous and spirited, near-capacity crowd in the LNFCU last night for Louisville Volleyball match against Virginia and the Cards did not disappoint. The sweep of Virginia kept the #2 Cards perfect on the season at 19-0 and 9-0 in ACC play.
Louisville had little trouble with the 8-11, 1-8 visitors from Charlottesville.
Louisville began the first set down 4-2 but created a four-point run to overcome the deficit and take a 6-4 lead. The Cardinals then put together two 3-0 runs to jump out to a 12-6 lead and Virginia called its first timeout of the set. UofL kept the pressure and strong net play coming, eventually capping off a 6-0 run lead -- aided by a dominant service run from Ceci Rush for a 16-6 lead.
The Cavaliers did take back two points -- but after Louisville retaliated with two -- and Virginia called their final timeout of the set -- down 18-8. A bit of a stall in the Cards production after that, as they suffered three consecutive service errors, but Louisville would go on to win the first set 25-15
Set two started close early on, the two teams trading points back-and-forth and neither able to find an edge until UofL broke the scoring open, going on a three-point run for a 7-3 lead. The Cavs called their first timeout -- when they found themselves down 8-4. The Cavaliers did take two points out of that timeout, but Louisville answered back with a 4-0 run to push their lead to six at 12-6.
A UofL three-point run sent the advantage to 15-7. The teams traded points back-and-forth before Virginia called its final timeout of the set down 19-10. UVA won the first point out of the timeout but a huge block from Anna Stevenson put the serve back to the Cards and started a 3-0 run that put them up 22-11. The Cards would go on to take three of the next five points to win the set 25-13 and take a 2-0 advantage in the match as they reached the halftime break.
During that second set, members of the Louisville swim squads did their annual and highly anticipated "strip-tease". The swimmer, in the west end zone, came into the LNFCU bundled to the max in coats, scarves and toboggans. They took an item of clothing off after each Louisville point. They ended up clad only in their "speedos" by the end of the second set (Who knows what they would have done if the set had gone in overtime...)
The third and final set was similar to the second set in the beginning. UofL and the Cavaliers traded points back-and-forth and the tightly contested set continued as neither team could put together a run to take a commanding lead. Dani's bunch led 11-9 after seven ties and only two lead changes. But, UofL finally got on a roll -- as they used a 3-0 run to take a 15-10 lead. Huge in that run was a kill by Anna Stevenson that had the velocity of a runaway locomotive.
Louisville then went on a 3-1 scoring run for an 18-11 edge. Virginia took their first timeout of the set but the Cards stayed hot and grabbed two out of three points after the timeout. With a 20-12 UofL lead, Virginia called their final timeout of the set. A brief sign of life from the visitors ensued -- Virginia won the next three points -- but it was too little, too late and the Cards won the third set 25-16 and completed the sweep.
Next, it's a huge one for UofL and a contest that the DI Volleyball world has been anticipating. # 4 Pittsburgh (17-1, 7-1 ) comes to town for a matchup this Sunday afternoon at noon. The Panthers struggled at times visiting Notre Dame last night in South Bend, but prevailed in a five-set match.
--sonja--
Louisville had little trouble with the 8-11, 1-8 visitors from Charlottesville.
Louisville began the first set down 4-2 but created a four-point run to overcome the deficit and take a 6-4 lead. The Cardinals then put together two 3-0 runs to jump out to a 12-6 lead and Virginia called its first timeout of the set. UofL kept the pressure and strong net play coming, eventually capping off a 6-0 run lead -- aided by a dominant service run from Ceci Rush for a 16-6 lead.
The Cavaliers did take back two points -- but after Louisville retaliated with two -- and Virginia called their final timeout of the set -- down 18-8. A bit of a stall in the Cards production after that, as they suffered three consecutive service errors, but Louisville would go on to win the first set 25-15
Set two started close early on, the two teams trading points back-and-forth and neither able to find an edge until UofL broke the scoring open, going on a three-point run for a 7-3 lead. The Cavs called their first timeout -- when they found themselves down 8-4. The Cavaliers did take two points out of that timeout, but Louisville answered back with a 4-0 run to push their lead to six at 12-6.
A UofL three-point run sent the advantage to 15-7. The teams traded points back-and-forth before Virginia called its final timeout of the set down 19-10. UVA won the first point out of the timeout but a huge block from Anna Stevenson put the serve back to the Cards and started a 3-0 run that put them up 22-11. The Cards would go on to take three of the next five points to win the set 25-13 and take a 2-0 advantage in the match as they reached the halftime break.
During that second set, members of the Louisville swim squads did their annual and highly anticipated "strip-tease". The swimmer, in the west end zone, came into the LNFCU bundled to the max in coats, scarves and toboggans. They took an item of clothing off after each Louisville point. They ended up clad only in their "speedos" by the end of the second set (Who knows what they would have done if the set had gone in overtime...)
The third and final set was similar to the second set in the beginning. UofL and the Cavaliers traded points back-and-forth and the tightly contested set continued as neither team could put together a run to take a commanding lead. Dani's bunch led 11-9 after seven ties and only two lead changes. But, UofL finally got on a roll -- as they used a 3-0 run to take a 15-10 lead. Huge in that run was a kill by Anna Stevenson that had the velocity of a runaway locomotive.
Louisville then went on a 3-1 scoring run for an 18-11 edge. Virginia took their first timeout of the set but the Cards stayed hot and grabbed two out of three points after the timeout. With a 20-12 UofL lead, Virginia called their final timeout of the set. A brief sign of life from the visitors ensued -- Virginia won the next three points -- but it was too little, too late and the Cards won the third set 25-16 and completed the sweep.
Next, it's a huge one for UofL and a contest that the DI Volleyball world has been anticipating. # 4 Pittsburgh (17-1, 7-1 ) comes to town for a matchup this Sunday afternoon at noon. The Panthers struggled at times visiting Notre Dame last night in South Bend, but prevailed in a five-set match.
--sonja--
