cardinals

Head coach Rodrigo da Silva expressed his pride in his team’s resilience, stating, “I am so proud of how the guys bounced back from yesterday. They played with a lot of energy, and they competed very hard. The schedule does not get any easier, so we need to work hard and stay focused.”

The Cardinals had an impressive showing in multiple events, sweeping their opponents in several disciplines. Ilia Sibirtsev led the way in the distance events, while Denis Petrashov dominated the breaststroke. Lindsay Gizzi excelled in diving, Gabi Albiero showcased her skills in the butterfly, and Christiana Regenauer sprinted her way to victory. The Cardinals also won all four relays, with impressive performances from Ella Welch, Gabi Albiero, Dalton Lowe, Denis Petrashov, and Matias Santiso.

Both teams are coming off tough losses in their previous games. The Cardinals have dropped three consecutive games, with their latest defeat being a 83-70 home loss to Pitt. On the other hand, Miami had their four-game winning streak snapped with an 86-82 overtime road loss to Wake Forest. Despite the recent setbacks, the Hurricanes boast an impressive 9-0 home record this season.

The Cardinals are coming into this game after a 12-day break since their loss to in-state rival Kentucky on December 21. On the other hand, Virginia has played twice since the holiday, winning against Morgan State but falling to Notre Dame in their most recent outing.

Kouijzer, who hails from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, is receiving her third straight NFHCA All-America honor. She played a pivotal role in leading the Cardinals’ defense to a remarkable 1.08 goals against average and securing six shutouts during the season. Moreover, she made notable contributions to the team’s attack penalty corners, scoring three goals and providing three assists. In addition to being a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, Kouijzer was named to the NFHCA All-West Region teams for four consecutive seasons.

The game began with a tight first half, featuring five lead changes and six ties. Going into the second half, Louisville held a narrow one-point lead. However, in the third quarter, Kentucky briefly took the lead by three points. The Cardinals, though, quickly responded with a late 14-2 run, giving them a comfortable nine-point lead.

Looking ahead to the Holiday Bowl matchup against the University of Southern California, Brohm expressed his team’s excitement. He acknowledged USC’s talent and coaching but remained confident in his players’ ability to compete. Despite not finishing the regular season as desired, Brohm emphasized the importance of getting back to their brand of football.

The Cardinals’ 56-game slate will see them face off against five teams that were ranked in the final ESPN.com USA Softball or USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association top-25 last season. In addition, they will go up against nine NCAA tournament teams, including Women’s College World Series runner-up Florida State.

The Cardinals were trailing at halftime but managed to take control of the game in the third quarter. With a 7-0 run, they regained the lead and never looked back. This win also ended the Rebels’ five-game winning streak.

The winter championships will kick off on November 28 with qualifiers running until November 30. The finals will then commence on November 29 and continue until December 6. This event also holds significant importance as it will serve as a qualifier for the upcoming 2024 World Aquatics Championships. Additionally, Knoxville has been selected to host the 2024 US Olympic diving team trials from June 16-23.