Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.
Issue link: https://loumag.epubxp.com/i/89420
[ Circuit ] Just Sayin' W hen you consider all the work- manlike trips up and down the floor and field, celebration www.kyselectproperties.com is an infrequent act among players at col- lege basketball and football games, and may even be subject to a technical foul or penalty. But not in NCAA women's volleyball, whose every point, it seems, generates fits of unrestrained happiness. And that's one big reason I'm enamored of it: I like to witness athletic joy. I also like powerful (and oftentimes cagey) serves, thunderous kills, exqui- sitely timed blocks and unbelievable digs. Tere are few acrobatic feats as thrilling to see as an airborne, blindly determined volleyball player — her stretched body a foot off and parallel to the ground — saving what had been a sure point before the ball touches the floor. She then tucks, rolls and jumps to her feet for the next body launch. I've followed University of Louisville volleyball for about a decade, and this year's team — coached by former As- sumption High and U of L setter Anne Kordes, daughter of Assumption coach- ing legend Ron Kordes — has all the power, agility, depth and personality that a loyal fan could ask for, including four players from local schools. And it has a bona fide star: All-America outside hit- ter Lola Arslanbekova, U of L's all-time leader in kills, who's also nimble enough that she's second only to libero Caitlin Welch in digs. A harsh reality is that in the 31 years the NCAA has hosted a Division I Women's Volleyball Championship tournament, only two schools not on the West Coast or in the Big Ten have won a national cham- pionship — Texas and Nebraska (before it joined the Big Ten). But when the last four squads standing arrive at the Yum! Center on Dec. 15 for this season's tour- nament finale, I won't be surprised if this team is among them. Until then I'll keep savoring the intensity and fresh cheer of these Cards. — Jack Welch www.potbelly.com/louisville [20] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 11.12 Illustration by Carrie Neumayer