By Charlie Leffler
This past weekend the Cardinal volleyball team launched into action in the Arizona Tournament in Tucson AZ. On Friday the Cards were matched up against #19 Utah and won in a three game sweep.
The win placed them in the title match against #5 Arizona on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats (5-0) handed the Cardinals (4-1) their first loss on the season in straight games, 30-28, 30-19, 30-28. “Arizona has a lot of weapons,” said U of L head coach Leonid Yelin. “When we would adjust, someone else would pick up the slack.”
In the first game, Arizona could not break free of Cardinals and even trailed 18-15. The score see-sawed back and forth to a 28-28 tie. Louisville was then wide on the final two points and fell 30-28. Four service errors and a .190 hitting percentage for U of L told part of the story, while the Wildcats outblocked the Cards 6-1. Arizona was particularly effective against Anastasia Zaitseva’s attacks forcing her to notch more errors than kills for a negative hitting percentage, her first of the year.
“We were in the position to win the first game,” Yelin said, “but couldn’t push through.” In the second game the Wildcats raced to a 18-5 lead powered by five service aces. They then pulled away safely for a 30-19 win.
Not wanting to be swept the Cardinals produced another hard fought effort in the third. After not allowing Arizona to hold more than a two-point lead, the Cards tied the score at 14 on a kill by Sonja Percan. Yet, three miscues by Louisville pushed the Wildcats to a three point lead at 18-15. U of L battled back and took the lead at 28-27 on a block by Bennyt Flynn and Percan. But the Cards did not score again with Arizona blocking Percan for game and match point. Percan was named to the All-Tournament team.
