Video Score: three / five

Former Brother Martin soccer standout Andre Boudreaux took extreme measures to make sure his junior season at the University of Louisville was a success.

Boudreaux took up yoga during the summer to improve his physical and mental preparations for the position.

“I have been really focused on trying to get better each season,” Boudreaux said this week. “I knew that I had to get better to help out my team. We wanted to win a national championship; that was our intentions.”

It’s all paid off, so far.

Boudreaux has become one of the top goalkeepers in the country and has helped Louisville to an undefeated season and top seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

The Cardinals (19-0-3) , with Boudreaux in goal, meet North Carolina (16-3-1) today in the NCAA Soccer College Cup Final Four at UC Santa Barbara’s Harder Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

It might be early, but there is plenty of reason for the third-ranked Mandeville to feel this could be their year. In a 2-1 victory over District 7-I rival and seventh-ranked Fontainebleau, setting a tone for the remainder of the 2010-11 season was of paramount importance in reaching the ultimate goal.

“Competition in the district is very tough, and this is just one match,” said Mandeville coach Sean Eskers. “In the beginning, I think both teams came out very aggressive and strong and you really didn’t see anyone really asserting themselves.”

Mandeville (13-0, 3-0) trailed early in getting off any shots against Fontainebleau (3-2, 2-1). Because of the degree of familiarity between both teams, the early stages of the contest resembled a chess match where each searched for the smallest of weaknesses. Much of the first half took place near the center line for battles for possession.

Fontainebleau had an early advantage with a pair of shots on goal, including Chelsea Stiebing’s attempt in the first two minutes that was stopped by Mandeville keeper Jennifer Boudreaux. The attack resulted in three shots in the first 15 minutes and eight times, the Lady Bulldogs ventured within 15 yards of the goal, but Hannah Hail withstood the pressure, denying the Lady Skippers each time.

“We came out early and were winning pretty much on every possession,” Stiebing said. “After they scored their first goal, we lost control of the match. It’s going to take hard determination and confidence to finish opportunities.”

Just by its performance alone in a 5-1 victory against Riverside at Pan American Stadium on Sunday in the first round of the Division III girls soccer playoffs, McGehee shunned pity and commanded respect.

The win sends McGehee into the regional round on Tuesday where they  will host University of Baton Rouge, an 8-2 winner against St. Frederick. The match will either be played at Tad Gormely or Pan American Stadium.

With a bottomless capacity to show resiliency, it wouldn’t have been a stretch to say they’d gained a moral victory of sorts by showing up for the match. Coach Paul Marinaro has only been on the job for two weeks, after former coach Melissa Lewis suffered injuries from her second car accident within the past year. Add to the mix the team’s two keepers are unable to play due to injuries and were forced to start seventh grader McKenzie Cummins.

“It was a well-played game and we tried to keep possession and take off some of the pressure,” said Marinaro. “Hannah (Tyler) has a great left foot and (Madden) Wilbert is ferocious and has so much speed. Before the match, I told the girls to just go out and have fun. Everyone enjoys playing with each other.”

Behind a solid group of senior leadership, the Hawks were able to put together a performance that left little doubt they were up to the challenge. A three-goal showing by Tyler and two from Wilbert eased the pressure for Cummins, who stared in goal for the fifth time this season.

“McKenzie does a good job of what we ask her to do,” said Tyler. “Stepping in as a seventh grader like she did is amazing and she really knows what she’s doing. As a team, we also had to learn a new formation and make sure we marked correctly.”