Racing Louisville coach Kim Björkegren returned to a familiar starting lineup ahead of tonight’s 8 p.m. matchup at Audi Field against the Washington Spirit, picking the same 11 as last weekend’s home tilt against North Carolina.
Louisville and Washington are set to complete their regular-season home-and-home series against each other. The teams tied, 2-2, at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville on April 1.
Three Racing starters should be well-rested coming into Saturday’s game – defender Julia Lester and forwards Kirsten Davis and Wang Shuang did not play in Wednesday’s UKG NWSL Challenge Cup win at Chicago.
Several other starters – defender Carson Pickett, midfielders Ary Borges, Savannah DeMelo and Jaelin Howell and forward Paige Monaghan – played abbreviated minutes at Chicago as Björkegren attempted to rotate and rest his squad with three matches in seven days.
Goalkeeper Katie Lund is once again between the posts for Racing, starting her 36th consecutive regular-season match for the Louisville club.
Lester and Pickett join Lauren Milliet and Abby Erceg, who has played every minute across all competitions this season, along the defensive back line. The quartet will be starting its sixth consecutive regular-season game together. Tonight will be Lester’s first appearance this year against Washington after missing the April 1 matchup due to injury.
Ary Borges and DeMelo join Howell, the captain, in Racing’s talented midfield three in what should be an intriguing battle in the middle of the field. Led by U.S. Women’s National Teamers Ashley Sanchez and Andi Sullivan, Washington also has one of the top midfields in the league.
Up front, Davis leads the attacking line with Monaghan on the left and Wang Shuang on the right. Monaghan notched her first assist in a Racing jersey on Wednesday in Chicago.
Jordyn Bloomer, Jess McDonald and Nadia Nadim were all previously listed as out on the player availability report.
Racing Team Sheet at Washington
1 – Katie Lund
16 – Carson Pickett
20 – Abby Erceg
15 – Julia Lester
2 – Lauren Milliet
6 – Jaelin Howell (c)
7 – Savannah DeMelo
8 – Ary Borges
5 – Paige Monaghan
22 – Kirsten Davis
77 – Wang Shuang
Substitutes: 99 – Olivia Sekany; 3 – Zaneta Wyne, 4 – Elli Pikkujämsä, 9 – Kayla Fischer, 11 – Thembi Kgatlana, 19 – Jordan Baggett, 21 – Parker Goins, 25 – Rebecca Holloway, 29 – Uchenna Kanu
