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NWSL Racing Louisville FC

Racing Starts Strong But Falls at North Carolina

July 7, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Racing Louisville FC News Release


Racing Louisville with possession vs. the North Carolina Courage
Racing Louisville with possession vs. the North Carolina Courage
(Racing Louisville FC, Credit: USA TODAY Sports Images)

CARY, N.C. - Three goals in 14 minutes pushed the hosting North Carolina Courage past Racing Louisville in a 3-1 decision at WakeMed Soccer Park on a humid Sunday afternoon.

Racing Louisville claimed a first-half lead through Reilyn Turner's 31st-minute goal - the first lead the club has ever had at North Carolina - but the Courage tied the game in the 55th minute, took the lead in the 61st and added an insurance goal in the 69th.

It was Racing's first loss this season after taking the lead.

"It was definitely tale of two halves - very disappointed," said acting Racing Louisville coach Carmelina Moscato, who stood in for head coach Bev Yanez while Yanez stepped away from the team for a family matter. "Nobody's happy about what just happened. This league break is coming up and we need to fill our cups and come back."

Racing Louisville (3-6-7, 16 points) enters the National Women's Soccer League's summer break on a five-match winless streak but still just two points off eighth place, the playoff cutline.

The Louisvillians will now have six weeks until their next NWSL regular season game, with the league stopping the season until the completion of the 2024 Olympics. The upcoming inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and the return of The Women's Cup will provide at least five games during the break for Racing to work on its rotations and prepare for the final 10 games of the season.

On Sunday, Racing started strong, applying steady attacking pressure through the first half-hour of the game leading up to Turner's goal. Louisville has now scored at least once in each of its last five road matches, the longest road goal-scoring streak in the club's short history.

In the 31st minute, Lauren Milliet swung a recycled cross back to Arin Wright, who squared a pass to Abby Erceg about 40 yards from North Carolina's goal. Erceg laced a low pass toward Turner at the top of the box, and Turner took one touch with her back turned to the goal and raked a right-footed shot across the face of the goal and in for her fourth goal of her first professional season.

Turner now has six goal contributions - four goals and two assists - which ties her for 12th in the NWSL and gives her sole possession of second in that category among rookies.

"Back to goal, I know that a quick touch and a shot will probably not be expected," said Turner, who won an NCAA championship at this stadium in 2022. "The ball was able to get through to me, and I just saw a window, and I just took a shot. It felt pretty nice being back on this field and scoring a goal, so definitely good memories."

North Carolina (8-7-1, 25 points) moved up to the sixth place with the win and extended its unbeaten run at home to eight games. The Courage is 7-0-1 at WakeMed Soccer Park this year, outscoring opponents, 16-3, in those games.

Ashley Sanchez scored the equalizer for North Carolina. Manaka Matsukubo made it 2-1. Olivia Wingate added the third.

"The biggest takeaway: Can we do the performance we did in the first half in the second half of the game?" said defender Arin Wright. "And I think beyond all that, like this game had more meaning for us, so to not get the result for both hurts the most."

Game Summary: Racing Louisville at North Carolina Courage

Date: July 7, 2024

Venue: WakeMed Soccer Park

Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. ET

Weather: 85 degrees, rainy

Scoring

Racing Louisville (1, 0, 1)

North Carolina Courage (0, 3, 3)

Goals

Racing Louisville

31' Reilyn Turner (Marisa DiGrande)

North Carolina Courage

55' Ashley Sanchez (Meredith Speck)

61' Manaka Matsukubo

69' Olivia Wingate (Denise O'Sullivan)

Lineups

Racing Louisville FC (4-2-3-1): 1 - Katie Lund; 2 - Lauren Milliet, 3 - Arin Wright, 20 - Abby Erceg, 16 - Carson Pickett; 6 - Jaelin Howell (c) (70' 21 - Parker Goins), 26 - Taylor Flint; 7 - Savannah DeMelo, 14 - Marisa DiGrande (83' 8 - Ary Borges), 9 - Kayla Fischer (46' 13 - Emma Sears); 66 - Reilyn Turner (83' 23 - Elexa Bahr)

Subs not used: 24 - Jordyn Bloomer (GK); 5 - Ellie Jean, 17 - Maddie Pokorny, 19 - Jordan Baggett, 29 - Uchenna Kanu

Acting head coach: Carmelina Moscato

North Carolina Courage (4-3-3): 1 - Casey Murphy; 13 - Ryan Williams, 3 - Kaleigh Kurtz, 7 - Malia Berkely, 11 - Feli Rauch; 2 - Ashley Sanchez (79' 17 - Dani Weatherholt);, 6 - Narumi Miura (79' 16 - Riley Jackson), 10 - Denise O'Sullivan (c) ;14 - Tyler Lussi (46' 20 - Olivia Wingate), 5 - Haley Hopkins (46' 25 - Meredith Speck), 94 - Victoria Pickett (46' 34 - Manaka Matsukubo)

Subs not used: 44 - Marisa Bova (GK); 8 - Brianna Pinto, 15 - Jenna Winebrenner, 19 - Landy Mertz

Head coach: Sean Nahas

Stats Summary: Racing Louisville / North Carolina Courage

Shots: 12 / 12

Shots on Goal: 5 / 6

Expected goals: 0.7 / 1.92

Possession: 38.8% / 61.2%

Fouls: 9 / 11

Offside: 2 / 2

Corners: 5 / 10

Discipline Summary

Racing Louisville

33' Kayla Fischer (yellow)

35' Jaelin Howell (yellow)

North Carolina Courage

80' Meredith Speck (yellow)

Match referee: Anya Voigt

Assistant referees: Austin Holt and Katarzyna Wasiak

Fourth official: John Matto

Video Assistant Referee: Shawn Tehini

Assistant VAR: Tom Felice

Check out the Racing Louisville FC Statistics




Images from this story

Racing Louisville with possession vs. the North Carolina Courage
Racing Louisville with possession vs. the North Carolina Courage
(USA TODAY Sports Images)		   

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