NC Courage Defines Exciting Women’s Soccer with Record-Setting Night
The WPSL season has been usual this year with one clear dominating force leaving several teams bewildered and wondering what happened to their game. It is usual for one team to exercise such commanding control on the pitch but North Carolina Courage has accomplished more than just this. With humility, poise, determination, and talent, this team has single-handedly raised the bar in women’s soccer.
The fans are responding, and showing up in record breaking crowds.
The star power of Lynn Williams, the Courage’s top goal-scorer this year recorded her 13th goal of the season in the 43rd minute to give North Carolina the league’s scoring record. With Williams’ goal, the Courage passed Seattle Reign FC’s 2014 squad record of 50 goals, the league’s previous high. The team also broke the record for attendance – 9,505 spectators turned out for this Saturday’s doubleheader.
Key Stat:
North Carolina’s five goals were a club-record.
Here is the latest NC Courage Press Release
The North Carolina Courage ended the NWSL regular season in style, breaking multiple records in its 5-0 win over the Houston Dash in the second game of Saturday’s historic doubleheader at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.
With the victory and club record five goals, the Courage (17W-1L-6D, 57 points) set the NWSL records for wins (17), regular-season points (57) and regular-season goals (53).
The postseason now awaits the most successful regular-season team in NWSL history.
“I thought it was a really professional performance,” Courage head coach Paul Riley said. “Difficult game for us. But the players again, the players that have come back – that have been away – have been professional in their approach the last 48 hours. Hats off to them. They set a big mark, I think, for the league in the future in a lot of different ways. I just said to them it’s not an easy thing to do, to do what they’ve done this season.”
NC Courage – What’s Up Next:
The Courage host the Chicago Red Stars in the semifinals of the NWSL Playoffs for the second time in as many years on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m. ET. The Courage went 1W-0L-2D in the regular season against the Red Stars.
North Carolina defeated Chicago 1-0 in October behind a late game-winner from midfielder Denise O’Sullivan to secure its spot in the 2017 NWSL Championship.
