CARY, N.C. (Sep. 30, 2017) – The NC Courage concluded the 2017 regular season on Saturday night at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, falling 3-2 to the Orlando Pride and setting up a NWSL semi-final home playoff match against the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday Oct. 8 at 3:30 p.m.
Before the action on the field started, Amanda Duffy, NWSL Managing Director of Operations, presented the North Carolina Courage with the NWSL Shield – an award given to the league’s regular season champions. The team clinched its first major trophy during a midweek 4-0 win over the Houston Dash.
Overall, the high-intensity action on the field rivaled the atmosphere of a playoff game in front of a season high 7,020 fans, as the teams traded scoring chances throughout the night. Orlando would go up 2-0 with goals from Kristen Edmonds and Marta before the Courage responded with a brace from Lynn Williams to level the match at 2-2. In stoppage time, Orlando’s Alanna Kennedy scored off a free kick from the edge of the box to clinch the win.
“I was really pleased. We came back from being down 2-0,” said NC Courage Head Coach Paul Riley. “I don’t know if we deserved to be down 2-0, because we missed a lot of good chances early in the game to get ourselves ahead. Every game you get something different that hits you in the face. I don’t remember us being down 2-0 all season.”
“The fans were brilliant tonight,” Riley continued. “They came out in droves and got to see some of the best players in the world. To think there were 16 international players on the field tonight and you’re not going to see that anywhere else in the world. It felt like a playoff game tonight”
The match started with an immediate scoring chance for the Courage as Kristen Hamilton’s pass found Williams in on goal in the second minute. Williams and Orlando goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris met in a one-on-one duel that ended with Harris making the save. Minutes later, Orlando escaped another attacking chance from the Courage, as a McCall Zerboni’s shot from inside the box was deflected away from the mouth of the goal.
Despite the Courage’s attack-minded play, Orlando converted its first big chance to take the lead. In the 22nd minute, a cross from Chioma Ubogagu found Edmonds in the box who placed her shot in the bottom right corner for an Orlando Pride goal.
Following the halftime break, Orlando came out on the front foot and scored an early second-half goal. The dangerous attacking duo of Marta and Alex Morgan combined to score. Morgan fed Marta, who added a collected finish for the tally, pushing Orlando’s lead to 2-0 in the 52nd minute.
Despite being down two goals, the Courage erased the deficit with two goals in five minutes, as Williams scored twice in quick succession to level the match.
In the 62nd minute, Taylor Smith dribbled her way into the box and found an open Williams who fought off the defender and blasted the ball past Harris for the first goal. Just five minutes, later, Williams scored on a penalty kick to level the match after Debinha was brought down in the box. The brace gave Williams a team-leading nine goals on the season.
The remaining 25 minutes played out to a thrilling finish, as both teams went end-to-end with their attacking play. During stoppage time, Orlando won a free kick on the edge of the box and made the most of its chance, as Kennedy scored the game-winning goal for the Orlando Pride off a curling free kick.
The NC Courage will start post-season play on Sunday, Oct. 8 as the team hosts a semi-final playoff match against the Chicago Red Stars at 3:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at NCFCTix.com or by calling the box office at 919-459-8144.
“No one has ever won the NWSL Shield and won the championship in the same season,” concluded Riley. “We’re 0-3 against Chicago, so we’re the underdog, which is great. I don’t mind the underdog tag. I look forward to next weekend. There were no red cards and we got everyone through the game healthy, that was the top priority.
Notes:
The NC Courage were presented the NWSL Shield for winning the league’s regular season title prior to kickoff.
The NC Courage closed out the regular season with 15 wins, seven losses and one draw.
The Club recorded 12 shutouts which is the record for shutouts by an NWSL team in a single season.
Lynn Williams scored a brace during a six-minute period during the second half to record her eighth and ninth goals of the season.
Taylor Smith added her second assist of the year.
The Courage hosted a season-high 7,020 fans at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Box Score
Lineups
NCC: Katelyn Rowland; Taylor Smith, Abby Erceg ©, Abby Dahlenkemper, Jaelene Hinkle; Nora Holstad (Ashley Hatch, 63’), McCall Zerboni (Sam Mewis, 63’), Denise O’Sullivan; Debinha, Lynn Williams (Jessica McDonald, 76’), Kristen Hamilton
Subs not used: Sabrina D’Angelo, Makenzy Doniak, Meredith Speck, Sam Wittman
ORL: Ashlyn Harris ©; Steph Catley, Ali Krieger, Monica, Kristen Edmonds (Jasmyne Spencer, 76’); Camila (Rachel Hill, 35’), Alanna Kennedy, Dani Weatherholt; Chioma Ubogagu (Toni Pressley, 83’), Marta, Alex Morgan
Subs not used: Aubrey Bledsoe, Nickolette Driesse, Jamia Fields, Danica Evans,
Score:
NCC: 2
ORL: 3
Goals:
NCC: Lynn Williams (Taylor Smith, 62’, PK 67’)
ORL: Kristen Edmonds (Chioma Ubogagu, 22’), Marta (Alex Morgan, 52’), Alanna Kennedy (unassisted, 90+’)
Cautions:
NCC: Abby Dahlkemper, 90’
ORL: Ashlyn Harris 67’, Marta 72’
Ejections:
NCC: —
ORL: —
Attendance: 7,020
