Midfielder Macey Hodge and forward Taylor White will make their first starts for Racing Louisville FC at 6:30 p.m. Saturday against Seattle Reign FC at ONE Spokane Stadium.
Hodge, who came to Louisville ahead of the campaign via a January trade with Angel City FC, has appeared off the bench in her first two matches for the club. The former SEC Midfielder of the Year with Mississippi State inked an extension with Racing through 2027 just over a month after the initial deal.
White has also played in both of Racing’s games this season, registering 41 minutes combined. The 21-year-old rookie forced a save on her only shot of the season. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, White was an All-American at West Virginia last season at the collegiate level.
White will take the place of Emma Sears on the wing. Sears misses out Saturday due to injury.
Katie O’Kane and the in-form Kayla Fischer will join Hodge in the midfield. Fischer will again contribute in an attacking midfield role after picking up a goal and an assist in last week’s 2-2 draw with the Washington Spirit.
In slotting Hodge into a deeper midfield role, Taylor Flint takes up a new position as one of the two center backs alongside Ellie Jean.
Flint, already known as a defensive pillar while in the midfield for Louisville, brings her natural disruptive instincts to the backline with the hope of clinching the club’s first clean sheet. The 27-year-old led Racing in two key defensive statistics last time out: interceptions (6) and clearances (10).
Courtney Petersen, a center back last week, shifts out to left back, while vice captain Lauren Milliet keeps her place on the opposite flank of the defense. Milliet will also don the captain’s armband again, as Arin Wright remains missing due to injury.
Anchoring the backline once again is Jordyn Bloomer, who recently delivered a stellar performance with eight saves, matching her single-game career high set last year at San Diego Wave FC.
Sarah Weber leads the line in the attack for the third match running, with Ella Hase lining up opposite White on the wing.
NWSL veteran Rachel Hill is available off the bench for the second straight match. She’ll be accompanied on the substitutes list by dynamic rookie attacking threat Audrey McKeen, and newly signed goalkeeper Erynn Floyd. Floyd, a product of the University of Louisville, signed her first professional contract with the club on Friday.
Team sheet at Seattle Reign FC
24 – Jordyn Bloomer
8 – Courtney Petersen
26 – Taylor Flint
5 – Ellie Jean
2 – Lauren Milliet (c)
10 – Macey Hodge
20 – Katie O’Kane
9 – Kayla Fischer
6 – Ella Hase
11 – Taylor White
42 – Sarah Weber
Substitutes: 1 – Maddie Prohaska, 30 – Erynn Floyd; 19 – Avery Ciorbu, 21 – Rachel Hill, 22 – Natalie Mitchell, 23 – Macy Blackburn, 88 – Audrey McKeen
