Racing Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund will reach another new milestone on Saturday evening when she starts her 50th consecutive game in a Racing jersey.
The 27-year-old Lund anchors Racing’s defensive setup for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff against the Portland Thorns at Providence Park. Racing coach Bev Yanez made no changes to her lineup from last weekend’s 0-0 draw at Houston.
The match will be broadcast over the air on ION (find ION on your TV with this search tool) and streamed for free on ionnwsl.com. News Talk 1080 AM, talkradio1080.iheart.com and the iHeart Radio app will carry the radio broadcast.
For Lund, this will be her 51st NWSL regular-season appearance and start, all in a Racing uniform. She has started every Louisville match since Oct. 16, 2021, playing every minute of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Last year, Lund was a finalist for the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award after posting the best advanced statistics of any shot stopper in the league. She’s looking for her second straight and 14th career clean sheet on Saturday in Portland.
Ahead of Lund, Louisville’s back four will once again feature Lauren Milliet, Elli Pikkujämsä, Abby Erceg and Carson Pickett from right to left. It’s Racing appearance No. 25 for Erceg, while Milliet continues to set the pace in the club record books, making her 66th career start in lavender.
Captain Jaelin Howell leads the midfield, joined by Kayla Fischer and Taylor Flint for the second consecutive match. Howell played the full 90 minutes in Houston, registering three blocked shots and two interceptions in her defensive midfield role. The 25-year-old Flint is off to an excellent start with Racing, leading the NWSL in interceptions (9) while ranking fifth in tackles won (5) and 13th in clearances (11). Fischer had four shot-creating actions at Houston in her first start of the season, including three live-ball passes that led to shots in open play.
Fischer is starting for the second consecutive game in place of star midfielder Savannah DeMelo, who is sidelined for Saturday’s match with an upper leg ailment.
Up front, Elexa Bahr, Uchenna Kanu and Reilyn Turner will again press the issue for the Louisvillians. Turner set a new club mark with six shot attempts on goal in a match, peppering Houston from the center forward spot. Bahr and Kanu, both making their third starts of the season alongside Turner, have Racing’s two goals so far this year.
The substitutes list includes reserve goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer, plus defenders Ellie Jean and Maddie Pokorny; midfielders Jordan Baggett, Marisa DiGrande and Linda Motlhalo; and forwards Parker Goins and Emma Sears.
DeMelo, Ary Borges, Milly Clegg, Yuuka Kurosaki, Kirsten Wright and Arin Wright were previously announced as out on Racing’s availability report ahead of an important weekend off.
Racing Louisville lineup at Portland Thorns
1 – Katie Lund
2 – Lauren Milliet
4 – Elli Pikkujämsä
6 – Jaelin Howell (c)
9 – Kayla Fischer
16 – Carson Pickett
20 – Abby Erceg
23 – Elexa Bahr
26 – Taylor Flint
29 – Uchenna Kanu
66 – Reilyn Turner
Substitutes: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 5 – Ellie Jean, 10 – Linda Motlhalo, 13 – Emma Sears, 14 – Marisa DiGrande, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 19 – Jordan Baggett, 21 – Parker Goins
