What to Watch for as Racing Hosts Seattle Reign FC

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NWSL Racing Louisville FC

What to Watch for as Racing Hosts Seattle Reign FC

May 15, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Racing Louisville FC News Release


Racing Louisville FC exchange chest bumps
Racing Louisville FC exchange chest bumps
(Racing Louisville FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

The vibes in Louisville? Well, let's just say they're pretty high at the moment. Like a finely tuned engine, Racing Louisville FC is humming as it pulls in to Lynn Family Stadium Friday evening for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff with Seattle Reign FC.

Louisville will have the chance to do something Friday night that Racing midfielder Taylor Flint said last week was one of the club's goals - win three games in a row.

Using a dynamite second half winner by Flint, Louisville treated its home fans to a statement 1-0 win over Gotham FC last week. It was the club's second straight victory and first at Lynn Family Stadium in 2025.

Even with Gotham attaining its highest possession numbers of the season, Racing frustrated the visitors with its pressure, coupled with a rock-solid defensive effort. Gotham managed to tally just 0.9 expected goals - tied for its second-lowest total against Louisville in 11 matches across all competitions.

"We really feel like we're in a good spot as a group right now," said head coach Bev Yanez following another encouraging display. "We need to stay here and continue to push here and continue to go one step up every single time that we can."

Racing improved to a 3-3-2 record with 11 points in the standings - its best-ever start through the first eight games of the regular season. The point total places Louisville in ninth, just behind Seattle on goal differential for the league's last playoff position, eighth place.

The standings are clustered - three points are all that separate Racing from fourth-place San Diego Wave FC.

Seattle (3-3-2, 11 points) fell in its most recent contest by a 1-0 scoreline to the Houston Dash at home, a game in which it recorded just one shot on target. This defeat came one week after Seattle downed the league-leading Kansas City Current at Lumen Field.

Laura Harvey's team heads to Louisville having played four out of its last five matches on home soil. Its three road contests are tied for the fewest in the NWSL so far.

Racing's final home match of May - the perfect way to kickstart your weekend - is Cheer and Spirit Night at Lynn Family Stadium. Fans looking to attend this clash between two playoff hopefuls can visit RacingLoufc.com/seattle/ for tickets and additional information.

Follow along...

The game will be streamed on the free NWSL+ app or via plus.nwslsoccer.com. Fans can also listen to the match on Sports Talk 790AM or 790louisville.com.

For the starting lineup and in-game updates, follow @RacingLouFC on Twitter and Racing Louisville FC on Facebook. You can also find us at @racinglouisvillefc on Instagram.

Story lines...

Flint called game: There is no limit to what Taylor Flint can do on a pitch. While she leads the league in nearly every defensive statistic, she also produced the decisive offensive moment last week. Flint recorded her first goal of the 2025 season versus Gotham, which was not only a winner but also good enough for a second-place finish for the NWSL's Week 8 Goal of the Week. It was her fourth tally since joining Racing ahead of last season and just her fifth non-headed goal out of 14 across all NWSL competitions in her career. Besides netting the match winner, Flint also topped her team with seven aerial duels won, bringing her league-leading total to 45.

Holding it down: Goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer made five saves for the second match running last Friday, leading Racing to a shutout of a top-half side. Her display between the sticks earned her recognition within the league as one of the four nominees for the Week 8 Player of the Week. The clean sheet marked Louisville's second of the campaign, but her first between the sticks in the NWSL regular season. Flint has some high praise for Bloomer after the club's first home win. "She is just as good as any starting goalkeeper in this league," Flint said. "... I'm so happy that she finally gets her opportunity to show what she can do."

Nah, you can have it: Louisville has been out-possessed in each of its last two triumphs. In fact, in its shutout of Gotham, Racing held just 37.6% of the ball and completed 154 passes - its second-lowest total in a game this year. It's a perfect way to illustrate that having superior possession numbers doesn't always mean you are in control. Racing's defensive discipline and activity in an organized press without the ball made it an incredibly difficult night for the visitors, who finished with a season low 13 touches in the opposition's box.

Ironwomen in defense: Only two players have played every minute for Louisville so far in 2025 - Lauren Milliet and captain Arin Wright. The defensive duo, which finished third and fifth, respectively, in total minutes among Racing players last year, has continued to carry that reliability into this season. Milliet recently attained 100-straight appearances for the club, while Wright is 18 NWSL games away from 200 in her career.

All-around influence: Savannah DeMelo's fingerprints have been all over Louisville's turnaround since the 4-1 defeat to San Diego. She has registered a goal contribution in each of her last three starts, including the match-winning assist the last two times out. Against Gotham, the dynamic midfielder also played a key role in disrupting the visitors' rhythm in possession. She dominated the physical battle, winning 13 duels - four more than any other Racing player - while also tying the team's lead for tackles with four.

Series history: Similar to Racing's track record against Gotham, the club's history versus Seattle is also riddled with an abundance of draws - six in nine matches, to be exact. Louisville's lone win against the Reign came in the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup semifinals. Harvey's team did win the last meeting at Lynn Family Stadium in 2024, where Seattle came back from a goal down at halftime to win 3-2. Despite a 1-2-6 overall record, Racing found the back of the net in all but one of the encounters.

Impressing from the jump: Maddie Dahlien, Seattle's rookie forward out of the University of North Carolina, has made the transition to the professional game look almost seamless. The 20-year-old is the only Reign attacker to start in each of the first eight matches. Her single goal barely scratches the surface of her profound impact so far. Dahlien is a constant threat out wide with the bravery to take on any defender one-on-one. She leads the team with 12 shots on target - 10 more than any of her teammates. Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda is the only player with more carries into the 18-yard box than Dahlien across the NWSL.

Check out the Racing Louisville FC Statistics




Images from this story

Racing Louisville FC exchange chest bumps
Racing Louisville FC exchange chest bumps
(Connor Cunningham)		   



National Women's Soccer League Stories from May 15, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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