Feature story by Chris Mattingly
Paige Monaghan made Saturday a night to remember.
In her first start with Racing Louisville, the New Jersey native scored her first goal with the club, opening the team’s scoring in the seventh minute with a neat left-footed finish from eight yards out. Monaghan was later named player of the match in the 2-2 draw vs. OL Reign, last year’s regular-season camps.
For the 26-year-old Monaghan, it was the moment she’d been waiting for since Racing traded for her in January in a deal that sent the No. 4 pick in the NWSL Draft to NJ/NY Gotham FC in exchange for Monaghan, along with allocation money and an international slot.
“I felt in my flow state,” Monaghan said Saturday night. “Sometimes, as an athlete, I feel like we can black out because we are so focused on the game. I saw it was a missed clearance on the defender, and I knew to get in a good position, bring it down and put it low to the back post.
“It felt really good to score my first Racing goal.”
It was a happy-release performance for a player who quickly became a fan favorite, having started the team’s “Go Big Purp” mantra by accident, shouting the phrase as she left training in January, not fully aware that Racing Louisville’s colors are shaded lavender rather than purple. She’s also a veteran leader and upbeat presence in Racing’s young locker room.
After opening the season as a substitute through the first four matches, in which she played a total of 109 minutes, Monaghan made her biggest impact yet in 83 minutes as a starter. She took four shots, putting three on target, and she pressed effectively, winning back possession twice in the attacking third.
Monaghan described “flow state” as a deep focus that allows her to play with freedom while having fun.
“I think for me, when I am in the flow state is when ‘I’m my best,” Monaghan said. “Feeling that way was really good, and it’s something I can leave feeling happy about.”
Racing (0-1-4, 4 points) has yet to win this season, but the Louisvillians have played the toughest schedule in the league through five matches, according to Field of Vision analytics.
Monaghan said Saturday that Racing is closer than ever to getting over the hump and starting to win games. Even in the draw with OL Reign, when Racing led 2-0 only to concede two second-half goals and settle for a tie, Monaghan saw significant progress as a team.
“If you look at the stats, ‘Oh, how did they score two goals in the second half?’” Monaghan said, “but we were down a man and (OL Reign converted a penalty). I think it’s coming together. It’s a marathon not a sprint. I think just remembering that is super important.”
Now, Racing’s attention turns to the Orlando Pride, with a Derby Week matchup set for 7 p.m. Saturday in Florida. Louisville is hoping the confident, goal-scoring Monaghan builds on her first start and first goal with more highlights and moments to remember.
“Winning is a habit,” Monaghan said. “We have to get into the habit of winning. In training, we need to train down 2-0, up 2-0 – what do we do different in those moments? Sometimes we need to learn from our mistakes. I’m glad we are experiencing this early in the season so we can learn and get better.
“One thing that is special about this team is the fighting spirit. It’s about getting over the line – I think once we get those (first) three points, the ball will just get rolling.”
