NC Courage to Host Washington Spirit on Wednesday Night
Published on October 11, 2021 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
North Carolina Courage News Release
CARY, NC - The North Carolina Courage will look to add to the win column as they return home to face the Washington Spirit on Wednesday, October 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Tickets are available here.
Where to Watch: Paramount+, WRAL (local)
Players to Watch presented by JubliaRX.com
North Carolina Courage - #14 Jessica McDonald
Scoring her fourth goal of the season against the Houston Dash on Sunday, McDonald has been a vital piece in the Courage attacking third this season. The Phoenix, AZ native has collected 1,338 minutes of playing time in 18 appearances, maintaining a 71.4% success rate in tackles and taking 39 shots, 20 of which were on target, and has pieced together 23 key passes working alongside fellow strikers Lynn Williams and Amy Rodriguez. As the playoff picture comes down to the wire, McDonald will look to lead the Courage to a win over the Spirit, utilizing her field intelligence, passing abilities, and tactical skill on the ball to earn the result.
Washington Spirit - #33 Ashley Hatch
Scoring two goals in the Spirit's last match against Racing Louisville, Hatch contributes to the Washington side in a number of ways. Defensively, the BYU alumna has posted eleven clearances, six interceptions, and one block, and has maintained a 53.8% success rate in tackles. On the attack, Hatch has logged nine goals, thirteen key passes, and 34 total shots, eighteen of which were on target. The Spirit currently sit at fifth place in the table, making every match a battle for points as the season draws to a close. Hatch will look to continue her dominance on both the defensive and offensive sides as the Spirit vie for an important win.
Last Time Out
The North Carolina Courage fell to the Houston Dash in a high-scoring contest on Sunday night. Jessica McDonald tallied the lone goal for the Courage, piecing together a stellar offensive performance despite the unfavorable result. Bri Visalli and Shea Groom each added individual goals for the Dash and Rachel Daly scored the brace as the Dash came away with three points. With the result, the Courage move into fourth place in the table, with an opportunity to advance in the cards as the North Carolina side returns home to face the Washington Spirit on Wednesday evening.
"It's a tough one, because I feel that everything we expected happened, in terms of how [the Dash] were going to play and how they were going to press, and we played into it a little bit," said Head Coach Sean Nahas following the match. "I don't know if that was a lack of focus or what have you, but the one thing that I'll say is that the players competed. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything, it has been a long ten days. It wasn't our best performance. I just think we got hit with a wave that we very rarely get hit with."
Courage captain Abby Erceg also shared her thoughts on the road match, saying, "In times like this, when it's quite stressful, being able to find something that you love and being able to find that outlet for stress, I think we're quite lucky in that and it's been a bit of a godsend for us actually. I can't say enough good things [about Sean], he's done a really good job, he's made sure that we have everything that we need and he's made sure that the players are supported. Most of all, he's getting our focus back on soccer. I think most importantly, he's bringing the group back to that because at the end of the day, that's what we do and that's what we want to do."
Up Next: The North Carolina Courage will play their last home game of the season against the visiting NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday, October 17 at 2 p.m. ET at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Tickets are available here.
National Women's Soccer League Stories from October 11, 2021
- NC Courage to Host Washington Spirit on Wednesday Night - North Carolina Courage
- Thorns FC Director of Goalkeeping Nadine Angerer Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension - Portland Thorns FC
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