East Wake Times

The North Carolina Courage secured a point on the road with a 1-1 draw against Racing Louisville FC on Saturday night at Lynn Family Stadium. The match was played under challenging weather conditions, with rain pouring throughout.

Racing Louisville took an early lead in the match when Emma Sears scored following a corner kick, assisted by Arin Wright. Despite several attempts from both sides, the score remained 1-0 in favor of Louisville at halftime.

Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy made crucial saves to keep her team in contention during the first half. As the second half unfolded, North Carolina increased their pressure and found an equalizer through Riley Jackson in the 69th minute.

North Carolina continued to seek a winning goal but could not capitalize on their opportunities. They out-shot Louisville 8-3 in the second half and controlled over 71% of possession during this period.

The match saw Jaedyn Shaw make her debut for North Carolina Courage, marking her 50th NWSL regular season appearance. Hannah Betfort and Shinomi Koyama also debuted as substitutes for the team.

Due to storms forecasted in the area, kickoff was delayed three hours to ensure safe playing conditions.

Next Saturday, March 22, North Carolina will host Seattle Reign FC at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park for their home opener. Following that match, Jessica McDonald will be honored as she becomes the second member inducted into the club’s Ring of Honor.