The stakes keep getting higher for Racing Louisville as the squad travels to the nation’s capital for a 5 p.m. Sunday clash at Audi Field with the second-place Washington Spirit.
With three games left in the regular season, Louisville sits in ninth position – one spot off the playoff cutline. Washington has already sealed its playoff berth, but the Spirit still have homefield advantage to play for, aiming to clinch its first playoff game since 2021 with at least a point from the game.
Racing’s second-to-last regular season road game will be broadcast on WAVE’s Bounce TV (channel 3.2). Fans can also stream the game live on the free NWSL+ app or via plus.nwslsoccer.com. You can listen to the match on Talk Radio 1080 AM, online at talkradio1080.iheart.com or via the iHeart app.
Racing Louisville (6-10-7, 25 points) had its two-match home winning streak snapped last week in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the playoff-bound Kansas City Current. Thanks to results elsewhere, Louisville’s position in the playoff race remained unchanged. Three points separate Racing from Portland and Bay FC, who sit in seventh and eighth place, respectively.
The previous match between the Louisvillians and the Spirit was a closely contested battle on May 10, with Washington winning, 2-1, despite Racing outshooting the visitors, 14-9, and getting 32 touches in the opponent’s box to Washington’s 14. Savannah DeMelo scored on a magnificent free kick to avenge her missed penalty shot earlier in the match.
Washington leads the all-time series between the teams, with three wins and one loss in eight previous meetings. The Spirit started a 7-1-1 stretch with the win in Louisville, a 22-point surge that helped secure a spot in the league’s top four.
Led by head coach Jonatan Giráldez, the Spirit (15-6-2, 47 points) have lost just twice since the beginning of July. Ashley Hatch, the 2021 NWSL Golden Boot winner, has been Washington’s biggest goal threat as of late, recording three of the Spirit’s last five goals, including two in a dominant home triumph over the Houston Dash.
Follow along …
- 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.
- The match will be broadcast on WAVE’s Bounce TV (channel 3.2). Fans can also stream the game live on the free NWSL+ app or via plus.nwslsoccer.com. You can listen to the match on Talk Radio 1080 AM, online at talkradio1080.iheart.com or via the iHeart app.
- Fans can watch the game at any of our Pub Partners. Please check with the bar to ensure it is open for the late kickoff.
Storylines …
Team of the Year slam dunk: Taylor Flint should be an obvious selection for NWSL Best XI of the Year thanks to a standout first year with Racing. Her statistics bear out that she has been the most productive defensive midfielder in the league. Though the 25-year-old has missed two and a half games this year, she still leads the NWSL in aerial duels won, aerial duel win percentage, interceptions and tackles won; ranks second in successful take-on percentage; ranks third in blocks; fifth in passes into the final third; and 12th in progressive passes. She also has two goals and an assist this season and was named to the NWSL Best XI for March/April.
Marisa’s milestone: Midfielder Marisa DiGrande became the newest member of the NWSL’s 100 appearance club when she started in last Saturday’s game vs. Kansas City. The Michigan native became Louisville’s first free agent signing last offseason after two productive seasons with the Houston Dash. She came into the league via the 2019 NWSL Draft and has recorded at least 1,000 minutes in each season since. In her debut campaign in lavender, DiGrande has two assists and the game-winning goal on Aug. 24 in a win vs. Chicago.
It’s Milliet Time: Lauren Milliet is as solid as a professional comes, recording her 76th consecutive start – and 91st straight appearance – on Saturday vs. the Kansas City Current. The 27-year-old has played in all but 47 minutes since the start of the 2022 season, including an ironwoman campaign in 2023. No field player in the NWSL has started more consecutive games or played more minutes than Milliet since the start of the 2022 season. So far this season, she is one of nine players with at least 105 progressive passes and ranks in the top 30 in passes completed and total passes into the penalty area.
Records meant to be broken: Racing is closing in on achieving new club season highs with just three weeks left. The Louisvillians have already set a club mark for goals in a season, with 30, and need three more points in the final three games to secure the most points in club history. A win in the final home game of the year against Portland would also set a new high for home wins in a campaign with six.
Rock solid Lund: Veteran goalkeeper Katie Lund has been vital to much of Racing’s success down the stretch. The Texas native totaled at least three saves in each of the last five matches. She is ninth all-time on the NWSL saves list and sits 23 saves away from 300 for her career.
Newcomers showing out: Three of Racing’s newly acquired players – Bethany Balcer, Janine Beckie and Courtney Petersen – have been at the center of Lousiville’s recent successes. Balcer, who drove in the deciding penalty vs. North Carolina, has two goals and an assist in her first seven games with her new team. Beckie rifled home the clinching goal in the 68th minute against Angel City in a battle between two playoff hopefuls. Petersen has made five appearances, including four straight starts, since moving to Louisville. Last week, she led Racing in progressive passes (7) and finished third in passes completed (61).
Air Kiwi: Defensive stalwart Abby Erceg has climbed into second in the NWSL in career minutes played, recently surpassing Seattle’s Jess Fishlock. The New Zealand native currently stands at 16,989 career minutes and has started every game and played every minute for Racing since joining the club via trade from North Carolina ahead of the 2023 season. She has two goals and two assists in 45 league games with Racing.
Dynamic DeMelo: Savannah DeMelo has made quite a name for herself since joining the club via the 2022 NWSL Draft. She is now the pacesetter for multiple club high marks. The 26-year-old is the club’s all-time leader for goals (14) and assists (6). Her next goal and assist would give her new single-season bests in either category. The California native is the NWSL’s leader in free-kick goals among current players and tied for third all-time.
Heady play: In Racing Louisville’s come-from-behind win over Angel City, Bethany Balcer converted Racing’s seventh headed goal of the season – tied for the most in the NWSL with the league-leading Orlando Pride. The headers have come from six different sources – Uchenna Kanu has two, as did former forward Reilyn Turner. Balcer, Ary Borges, Taylor Flint and Parker Goins all have scores from the head. In contrast, Orlando’s headed goals are the combination of two individuals.
Uniquely Racing: Racing Louisville is a team with several standout notes. This is the only NWSL team to have NAIA products on its roster, and the club has two forwards in Bethany Balcer and Uchenna Kanu. Both were decorated players at the collegiate level, with Balcer winning national player of the year honors twice and a national championship at Michigan’s Spring Arbor University and Kanu breaking the NAIA single-season scoring record. The club also has the most Michiganders (Balcer, Marisa DiGrande, Courtney Petersen and Taylor Flint) and most Texas Tech alumni (Janine Beckie, Madison White and Kirsten Wright) on its roster.
Bahr none: How about that for an NWSL debut? For the first time in eight years, a player registered an assist and a goal in their NWSL debut, with Racing’s Elexa Bahr matching Houston’s Rachel Daly in 2016 with the feat. Bahr scored a magnificent opening goal in the season-opening draw vs. Orlando on March 16, chipping the goalkeeper from the edge of the box. She added an assist a few minutes later on Uchenna Kanu’s well-taken goal in transition.
