Lavelle, Purce Hit Milestones in Starts vs. Racing Louisville
NWSL NJ/NY Gotham FC

Lavelle, Purce Hit Milestones in Starts vs. Racing Louisville

Published on May 3, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
NJ/NY Gotham FC News Release


Rose Lavelle will make her 50th appearance across all competitions for Gotham FC and Midge Purce will start an NWSL regular season match for the 100th time as Gotham hosts Racing Louisville FC at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Coach Juan Carlos Amorós made no changes to the lineup that has won back-to-back matches and outscored Bay FC and Chicago Stars FC 5-0 in the process. This iteration of the starting XI, originally borne out of a need for replacements for injured defenders Lilly Reale and Emily Sonnett, has produced Gotham's best performances, outshooting their opponents 44-11 and taking 85 touches in the opponents' box to their 20.

Victory+ will carry the free stream of the game locally. Fans can access V+ via victoryplus.com or the Victory+ app. CBS Sports Network will also carry the broadcast.

Gotham (3-2-2, 11 points) got goals from Lavelle and standout rookie Jordynn Dudley in Wednesday's win over Chicago, a commanding win following an even more emphatic victory last weekend vs. Bay FC. Dudley earned her first goal and first assist in those two games, while Lavelle has scored in consecutive matches.

Dudley, 21, will start alongside Spanish striker Esther González and young U.S. Women's National Team star Jaedyn Shaw up front, a dangerous trio that has created 16 chances in two games. Shaw assisted Dudley's goal at Chicago, and it was her incisive pass to Guro Reiten that led to Lavelle's second in the Windy City.

Lavelle's midfield grouping includes Savannah McCaskill and Jaelin Howell, who is fifth in the NWSL in interceptions and played the full 90 minutes in all but one match this season. The triad has started together seven of eight games so far in 2026.

Ann-Katrin Berger, who has led Gotham FC to an NWSL record five clean sheets in seven games, will start her 54th NWSL regular season match between the posts against Racing. Reiten and Midge Purce will flank centerbacks Jess Carter and Tierna Davidson, who wears the captain's arm band, in the defensive quartet ahead of Berger.

Reale is available off the bench, which also includes goalkeeper Shelby Hogan; midfielders Sofia Cook, Sarah Schupansky and Talia Sommer; and forwards Khyah Harper, Andrea Kitahata, Katie Lampson and Mak Whitham.

In addition to Sonnett, defenders Bruninha and Mandy Freeman were previously listed as out on the player availability report. Defender Kayla Duran (knee) and midfielder Taryn Torres (knee) are both on the season-ending injury list.

Gotham FC lineup vs. Racing Louisville FC

30 - Ann-Katrin Berger (GK)

23 - Midge Purce

27 - Jess Carter

15 - Tierna Davidson (c)

18 - Guro Reiten

7 - Jaelin Howell

13 - Savannah McCaskill

16 - Rose Lavelle

2 - Jordynn Dudley

9 - Esther González

10 - Jaedyn Shaw

Substitutes: 1 - Shelby Hogan (GK); 4 - Lilly Reale, 11 - Sarah Schupansky, 14 - Talia Sommer, 17 - Mak Whitham, 21 - Sofia Cook, 24 - Andrea Kitahata, 28 - Katie Lampson, 34 - Khyah Harper

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from May 3, 2026


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