By Noah Allison
Coach Kordes’ Louisville Volleyball team improved to 11-7 and stayed unbeaten in
American Conference play Friday night when they defeated upriver rival University of
Cincinnati 3-0.
The Cards started the season in a hole losing six of their first eight games, but have since
righted the ship. They have won nine of their last 10 games, which includes a 7-0 AAC
record.
The Cardinals are led by a deadly freshman/senior outside hitting combination in the
form of true freshman Maya McClendon and senior Emily Juhl. McClendon is first on the
team in kills with 194 and Juhl is second with 165. The third outside hitter in rotation is
red-shirt freshman Janelle Jenkins who is fourth with 157 kills.
Two fifth-year senior middle blockers have set the tone in the Cards undefeated
conference play. Brooke Mattingly is third on the team in kills with 160 while Randi Ewing
is fifth with 122.
Defensively the Cardinals are led by senior libero Caitlin Welch who with each dig adds
to her school record. On the season she has 305 digs.
Jenkins and McClendon bring their own bit of defensive prowess for their young age
as McClendon is second on the team in digs with 174 and Jenkins is second on the team in
blocks with 38. Ewing leads in blocks with 60.
Sophomore setter Katie George has been the definition of consistency on the team, often
the only player to never rotate out she leads the team in successful sets with 613, service aces
with 18 and is third with 121 digs.
A team that has considerable contribution from underclassmen has battled unforced
errors all season long.
An area of improvement for the team to work on is service errors, as the Cards have had
152 on the season compared to opponents 119. As a team the Cards are now in the positive
with 340 errors on the season compared to their opponents 355.
They also lead their opponents in overall kills with 864 compared to giving up 753 kills to
opposition.
