Courage Storm Back behind Sanchez Brace, Exit Break with a Win
NWSL North Carolina Courage

Courage Storm Back behind Sanchez Brace, Exit Break with a Win

by Fran Stuchbury
Published on July 5, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
North Carolina Courage


A big crowd watches the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park
A big crowd watches the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park
(North Carolina Courage, Credit: Fran Stuchbury)

Thanks to forward Ashley Sanchez's second brace of the National Women's Soccer League season, the North Carolina Courage defeated the Seattle Reign 3-1 in front of 7,126 fans at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., Saturday evening. It was the first match for both teams following a mid-season break.

The Courage are now 11-6-3 against the Reign during the regular season. North Carolina earned the club's first four-match winning streak since 2023.

"First of all, so important for us to feel like we can continue win games, four in a row as you say after this break," said North Carolina Courage Head Coach Mak Lind. "I felt the the start of the game was not what we wished for. We made couple of tactical changes during the first half, went into halftime and spoke with the players about changes we need to do. I felt the response was really good. In the end I feel it's clear that we we won the game and the goal-scoring optimism we created in the second half was good for us. Overall very happy how the game ended, and again three points; continue chasing the next game."

"Win three in a row in this league is hard," Lind continued. "Win four in a row is even harder. So I believe that we have that confidence that we can win games and we can win a couple of games in a row. I want to feel like we can be a team that not only are happy now with four games in a row, we're chasing the next game now and and believe that we can win a fifth game but I know it's very tough. I'm respecting this league. It's so competitive. Many great teams, good coaches. So today I can just be proud that we continue this journey by winning games."

Seattle opened the scoring in the 19th minute on a goal by midfielder Sally Menti, her first of the season and second of her career. The assist came from team captain Sofia Huerta, her third of the campaign.

The Courage evened things up at 1-1 in the 19th minute on Sanchez's first score, her eighth goal this year, assisted by Evelyn Ijeh.

Near the end of the first half, North Carolina goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan made a diving save and defender Maycee Bell contributed a key block to keep the match level.

"I cannot praise her enough," said Lind. "She's an incredible goalkeeper. You need that kind of player when you are again having challenge in the game. To keep us in the game and and in the end, win the game; I'm happy for her performance."

A Riley Jackson penalty kick made it 2-1 for the Courage. It was the midfielder's first goal of the year. She had converted a pair of penalty kicks last season.

"She's practicing on that and she will continue take penalty kicks," said Lind. "She's not only good at that, she's also an incredible player. She's important for us in the way she plays. Today she didn't get the ball too often. I wish to have her more on the ball and it was maybe part of the team not really functioning in our buildup to progress the ball and find her higher up on the pitch. But in the end of the game, she looked happy to play and I recognized her."

North Carolina wrapped the scoring on Sanchez's second, assisted by Shinomi Koyama, in the 71st minute.

"We were coming off three wins and we just wanted to start this second half of the season strong," explained Sanchez. "I think we've done that in this game. I think a little bit too long of a break. Obviously in that first half we were just a little slow. I think we just came together, and good teams just find a way to win and I felt like we did that tonight."

Koyama contributed her third assist of the season.

"She has a game intelligence that is important both out of possession but also in possession," added Lind "She's an incredible player, understands the game, reads the game, understands the spaces, how to run into space, first touch, breaking lines with her passes and happy for her doing the assist today."

The Reign have now lost four of its last five games. Goalkeeper Cassie Miller made her first start of the season for the team.

"I thought in the first half we were the by far the better team, created more chances than they did," said Seattle Head Coach Laura Harvey. "More disappointed that in the moments we had momentum, when we were creating chances, that we didn't make more of the chance than we did."

"Obviously disappointed with their goal, because goals change games," continued Harvey. "The momentum obviously really shifted when they got their penalty. After they got their penalty really we were desperately trying to get ourselves back in the game. We brought fresh legs on and tried everything we could to get back into the game, but then opened ourselves up a little bit and exposed some spaces for them. I said to the players at the end, the difference between the game was in the first half where we had momentum and we had chances. We weren't ruthless enough and clinical enough, and the chances that they had, they were and that's the game in a nutshell really."

North Carolina's next match at home is Saturday, July 11th against the Washington Spirit at 6:30 pm est.

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Images from this story

North Carolina Courage mascot Roary in superhero attire
North Carolina Courage mascot Roary in superhero attire
(Fran Stuchbury)		 A big crowd watches the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park
A big crowd watches the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park
(Fran Stuchbury)		  



National Women's Soccer League Stories from July 5, 2026


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