Toledo Can’t Hold on at Louisville, 3-1

by Brian DeBenedictis

September 10, 2012

LOUISVILLE, KY - Nationally ranked Louisville scored three unanswered goals to post a 3-1 victory over Toledo on Sunday in the final match at the Courtyard by Marriott Louisville Airport Cardinal Classic at Cardinal Park.

With the loss, the Rockets (2-5-0) finish fourth in the weekend event. Samford won the two-day tourney with a 3-1 triumph over Kentucky to open Sunday’s action, while the No. 12 Cardinals (5-1-0) placed third.

Senior Natalia Gaitan and senior Kristen Mattei represented Toledo on the All-Tournament Team.

"The team showed some real emotion today and it translated into improved play at different points of the match," Toledo Head Coach Brad Evans said. "Clearly, we will continue to work on developing our attack. There will be no quit in us, and we will meet the challenges head on and focus on improvement heading into MAC play."

UT held a 1-0 advantage early in the second half, before UL countered with three consecutive scores in a 22-minute stretch to claim the come-from-behind triumph. Angelika Uremovich sparked the home victory, tallying two of the three goals.

After a scoreless first stanza, the Midnight Blue & Gold connected for the first goal when junior Rachel MacLeod scored inside the left post from 15 yards out at 51:03. The unassisted goal for MacLeod was her team-leading third of the season.

Unfortunately for the two-time reigning Mid-American Conference regular-season champion Rockets, the host Cardinals answered right back when Chelsea Hunter successfully converted a penalty kick at the 58:43 mark. The scoring chance was setup when teammate Charlyn Corral was fouled in the box by a Toledo defender.

Louisville then gained the lead for good when Uremovich found the back of the net on a header from approximately eight yards away off a corner kick from Corral in the 70th minute.

The final goal of the afternoon came in the 81st minute when Uremovich connected inside the right post from 22 yards out on a pass from Andrea Distler to set the final score at 3-1.

The Rockets were outshot 19-6 by the Cardinals and finished with a 7-0 disadvantage in corner kicks. MacLeod accounted for three of UT’s six shots, while junior Emily Tustin, freshman Angelika Hernandez and Mattei also had shots in the non-conference match.

Sophomore Kelsey Borowitz (0-4-0) played the entire contest between the posts and tallied four saves.

Uremovich fueled the Cardinals attack with a match-best five shots.

"We’re a team through the good, the bad, and the ugly," senior Blair Sorg said. "We have yet to realize our full potential. Through hard work and persistence, we will get to where we need to be for MAC play and in November."

Toledo will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 16 when it concludes non-league play against Illinois State at Scott Park. The opening whistle is slated for 1:00 p.m. at the corner of Hill Ave. and Parkside Blvd.

Courtyard by Marriott Louisville Airport Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team
Kaley Blanton, Samford
Katie Danehy, Samford
Jessica Perry, Samford
Shanika Thomas, Samford
Arin Gilliland, Kentucky
Cailin Harris, Kentucky
Kayla King, Kentucky
Chelsea Hunter, Louisville
Angelika Uremovich, Louisville
Natalia Gaitan, TOLEDO
Kristen Mattei, TOLEDO