Star midfielder Savannah DeMelo is back in Racing Louisville’s starting lineup for tonight’s much-anticipated matchup with the Washington Spirit that will be nationally broadcast on Amazon Prime Video’s “NWSL Friday Nights.”
DeMelo, who scored her first two goals of the season in Racing’s last home game, the 5-1 win over Utah on April 20, represents the only change to Louisville coach Bev Yanez’s starting XI from last weekend’s loss at Orlando. She was knocked out of the 1-1 draw at Gotham on April 28 with a heavy challenge that gave her concussion-like symptoms and forced her to miss the game in Florida.
Racing Louisville (1-1-5, 8 points) kicks off at 8 p.m. at Lynn Family Stadium with the chance to move into seventh place with a win. The Louisvillians are 8-2-6 in their last 16 games at home, but Washington (5-3-0, 15 points) has not lost to Racing since May 21, 2021, including a win and two draws in the last three games at LFS.
Only one Racing Louisville player played in that 2021 game, right back Lauren Milliet, who is set to make her 72nd career start for the club. She’ll be joined in defense by Abby Erceg, who is wearing the captain’s arm band tonight in place of substitute Jaelin Howell. Carson Pickett will start at left back, with Arin Wright pairing at center back with Erceg.
With DeMelo in midfield, Marisa DiGrande makes her second consecutive start. The 27-year-old Michigan native will play in the double pivot with Taylor Flint, who was recently named to the NWSL Best XI, presented by Prime, for the months of March and April. This will be the second straight game DiGrande and Flint, former teammates in Orlando, pair together in the heart of Yanez’s 4-2-3-1 shape.
Kayla Fischer, who started in central midfield at Orlando, switches out to the left wing in tonight’s setup and makes her fourth start of the season. Rookie Emma Sears again starts on the right wing. The Ohio native scored her first professional goal in the April 20 match in Louisville. Up front, Elexa Bahr leads the line at center forward.
The subs bench features Jordyn Bloomer as the reserve goalkeeper alongside defender Ellie Jean; midfielders Howell and Linda Motlhalo; winger Maddie Pokorny; and forwards Milly Clegg, Parker Goins, Uchenna Kanu and Reilyn Turner.
Midfielders Jordan Baggett, Ary Borges and Yuuka Kurosaki; defender Elli Pikkujämsä; and forward Kirsten Wright were previously listed as out in the league availability report.
Racing Louisville lineup vs. Washington
1 – Katie Lund
2 – Lauren Milliet
3 – Arin Wright
20 – Abby Erceg (c)
16 – Carson Pickett
14 – Marisa DiGrande
26 – Taylor Flint
13 – Emma Sears
7 – Savannah DeMelo
9 – Kayla Fischer
23 – Elexa Bahr
Substitutes: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer (GK), 99 – Olivia Sekany; 5 – Ellie Jean, 10 – Linda Motlhalo, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 18 – Milly Clegg, 21 – Parker Goins, 29 – Uchenna Kanu, 66 – Reilyn Turner
