What to Watch for with Racing vs. San Diego Wave FC

May 17, 2022 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Racing Louisville FC News Release

Racing Louisville FC huddle
(Racing Louisville FC, Credit: Connor Cunningham)

Racing (0-1-2) tied Seattle's OL Reign, 2-2, on Mother's Day before a 1-1 draw against Houston on Saturday in the regular-season home opener at Lynn Family Stadium. The team left both games feeling confident about its work rate and fighting spirit, with leading scorer Jess McDonald netting goals in both.

"I think we're getting better and better," star fullback Emily said Saturday.

Now Racing turns its attention to a tough Wednesday match against the hottest team in the National Women's Soccer League.

San Diego (3-0-0) is unbeaten through its first three matches, with the expansion team sitting atop the standings with nine points. The Wave beat Houston, 1-0, in the season opener and followed that up with 4-0 and 2-1 wins over NJ/NY Gotham and Chicago Red Stars, respectively - two playoff teams from a season ago.

Star forward Alex Morgan leads the league in scoring, with five goals, including a four-goal performance against Gotham. The Wave also features U.S. Women's National Team mainstay Abby Dahlkemper, a center back, and the top pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, defender Naomi Girma.

The match will be broadcast on Paramount+ as well as Twitch for fans living outside the United States.

Follow along...

- For Starting XI and in-game updates, follow @RacingLouFC on Twitter and Racing Louisville FC on Facebook. Also find us at @racinglouisvillefc on Instagram.

- The game will broadcast live on Paramount+ in the United States and on Twitch internationally.

Storylines...

Jess the equalizer: Jess McDonald played in her 159th NWSL regular-season match Saturday against the Houston Dash. She used her veteran knowledge to motivate the team after four last-minute changes to the starting lineup, taking the captain's arm band after Gemma Bonner was a last-minute scratch from the game. McDonald's 82nd-minute header beat Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell and helped Racing earn a tie against Houston.

Backline rotation: In the hours leading up to the start of the match against Houston, four players were removed from the starting lineup due to COVID-19 protocols and illnesses. Addisyn Merrick and Erin Simon both started Saturday's game. It was Simon's first start of the season after making 18 last year, while Merrick re-entered the starting lineup for the first time since the 1-1 draw against Chicago on April 16 in the NWSL Challenge Cup.

Comeback kids: Saturday marked the fifth time in nine games this year that Racing scored an equalizer after falling behind 1-0 and the sixth time the team has come back from a losing position.

Savannah DeMelo excelling: Rookie Savannah DeMelo is off to a standout season, playing out wide or in central midfield in starting each regular-season match. Against Houston, DeMelo led the team with 85 touches and 20 completed passes in the final third while winning possession nine times and drawing a team-best five fouls.

Defensive reinforcements: On Monday, Racing announced the signing of defender Satara Murray. The Jamaican international previously played with Bristol City in the FA W Championship. She will be available for game selection when the transfer window opens on June 1.

Racing Louisville FC huddle (Connor Cunningham)

National Women's Soccer League Stories from May 17, 2022

• Courage Return Home for Regular-Season Action Wednesday vs. Orlando - North Carolina Courage
• Orlando Pride Hits the Road for a Midweek Matchup against the North Carolina Courage - Orlando Pride
• Washington Spirit Announces Reserves Coaching Staff and Roster - Washington Spirit
• Alex Morgan Scores Again as San Diego Wave FC Wins Their Third Straight to Begin Their Inaugural Season - San Diego Wave FC
• What to Watch for with Racing vs. San Diego Wave FC - Racing Louisville FC
• Rachel Daly Named to England's Provisional Roster for 2022 UEFA Women's European Championship - Houston Dash

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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