Dishing it with Hammond
November 30, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2012
Louisville, Ky. - Hello Cardinal fans and welcome to the first blog of the season!!! I'm excited to give you all a little inside scoop about our team and how things have been going so far this season. It is early but you couldn't have asked for a better start....8-0 undefeated!
Our first game of the year was one you sure didn't want to miss as we opened up at home against a Top 15 team in Texas A&M. After going to their place last year and coming out on the losing side we weren't going to have the same result this year. It was a hard fought battle but our hard work during the off season had us prepared well along with the game plan our coaches had to lead us to victory. Jude Schimmel made the play of the game sealing the win. We celebrated after the game and were excited to kick off the year 1-0 but we had to move on and little time to prepare for a very good Portland team.
It was a good game for everyone to get a chance to play and get more minutes on the court. It was a game to improve on the little things that coach is always telling us about like taking care of the ball, playing good defense, communicating to each other and executing our offense. Those are key things in winning games and in order to be a great team you have to do the little things right. Coach Walz asks us all the time "Do you want to be a good team or great one?" We don't want to be just average, we strive to become great and I know all of our athletic teams at UofL are doing the same!
We had a sweet start at home moving on to 2-0 but it was time to hit the road for a couple weeks. First up we headed down to Tennessee, taking on the Lady Govs of Austin Peay. We got off to a slow start but came out with a lot more energy in the second half and pulled away adding another win to the schedule.
Thanksgiving break was approaching and we were taking our talents down south to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for the week playing in the Hoops for Hope Tournament. We flew out early Sunday morning arriving in the later afternoon at the Hard Rock Resort, and it was beautiful! We were right on the beach with the sun shining and around 87 degrees (was mid 80's the whole week).
The coaches gave us the rest of that day and Monday to have some fun and after flying all morning, what better way to relax than on the beach! We put on our swim suits and headed straight to the ocean, we had so much fun that first night boogie boarding, swimming and playing beach volleyball against each other and the coaches (Coach Walz's team lost by the way).
The next day we got up early had a little yoga on the beach, went on a banana boat ride, and drove jet skis before heading to practice that evening. We enjoyed ourselves but didn't forget the main reason we were down there. We had three games to play starting off against an athletic group in Central Florida. They gave us some trouble in the first few minutes but once we got the ball moving and pushed it in transition we were able to build a good lead and never looked back.
Next up was Gonzaga, we knew they were a very smart and skilled ball team. It was another battle going back and forth, defense was going to win this game. We got some key stops late in the game helping us get a 13-point victory.
The championship game, we went on to play Oregon State and it wasn't an easy win. It wasn't a typical Thanksgiving holiday being with family and stuffing our mouths with great food but I'll trade off being on the beach and playing basketball with my other family!
Our next game is a very important one the "Battle of the Bluegrass" as we take on those Wildcats down the road. We need every Cardinal fan to be at the KFC Yum! Center at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday! We want to show UK who has the best fans not only in the state but in the country!
Hope you tune in again.... GO CARDS!! #L1C4 Philippians 1:6
