By Noah Allison —

Hosting a top five team provides more than the obvious win or lose options. It is a chance to gauge one’s self on a national scale and see where hard work has paid off and what areas of improvement call for more attention.

Louisville may not have beaten the number four Florida State Seminoles Friday night, but they had no reason to be in despair about their performance.

“I like the way we pushed, I don’t like coming up short, but I’m not going to say playing the number four team that tight is not good enough. I like the fight of our kids,” head coach Anne Kordes said.

Louisville fell to FSU 3-1. Putting U of L’s overall record to 10-7, with their ACC record at 2-3.

The Cards came out ready, fighting in a back and forth first set that eventually went the way of the Seminoles, 25-21. Louisville bounced back in the second set. After succeeding the match point to Florida State at 23-24 the Cards fought on to score three straight to win the set and tie the match at 1-1 heading into the locker rooms.

A slow start in the third set made Louisville face a 7-17 deficit before dropping that set 18-25. The Cards made a night of it matching the fourth ranked Seminoles point for point in the fourth set before experience, talent and maturity granted FSU the 25-22 set and the 3-1 victory they earned.

In the match the Cards were led offensively by outside hitters Laura Blab, Janelle Jenkins and Maya McClendon who combined for 32 of Louisville’s 46 kills.

U of L’s freshman middle blockers Tess Clark and Maggie DeJong set the tone against the larger Seminoles and managed to push back when it came to getting big in the middle. Their efforts were huge in Louisville’s 10.5 blocks compared to FSU’s 11.

It was a night where newcomers like the freshman middle blockers and transfers alike were able to express the work and team chemistry that is developing through conference play.

“This match was a really big opportunity for us, of course they’re highly ranked and they have a good RPI but this is a building season for us. We knew that this was going to be a challenge but nothing that we couldn’t take on,” McClendon said. “I feel like our practices are getting better and we’re moving along, its all about the results, its all about the end for us.”

Louisville had 69 digs to FSU’s 81. Louisville’s junior setter Katie George led all players in assists with her 37 on the night. Louisville didn’t capitalize on all opportunities presented to them, but they also didn’t falter when FSU put the pressure on.

The Cards head into their next match on Sunday at 2:00 pm against rival Notre Dame at the KFC Yum! Center.

“I like how we competed and it has got to get us a little fired up. With everybody healthy it gives us so many options and so many opportunities left,” Kordes said. “I think with a healthy line-up there is some good stuff to come; it’s promising.”

Photo by Austin Lassell / The Louisville Cardinal