Match Forecast: OL Reign Set to Square off with North Carolina

OL Reign and the North Carolina Courage are set to meet for the second time this season tonight at 4:30 p.m. PT. This match up in Cary, North Carolina, as every point counts in the push to clinch a playoff spot.

WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, September 17 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC

WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available on Paramount+ and Twitch internationally.

2022 REGULAR SEASON RECORDS AND STANDINGS (W-L-D): OL Reign: 7-4-7 (28 points, 6th place, North Carolina Courage: 7-7-4 (25 points, 8th place)

Key Points Ahead of the Match:

1. LAST MEETING – OL Reign and the North Carolina Courage last met in July of this year in OL Reign’s annual Pride Match. The Reign picked up a 2-0 win after a dominant second half. Fishlock scored the opening goal of the match in the 52nd minute, on an assist from Balcer. In the 74th minute, the hard work from the Reign paid off, as Balcer doubled the score. This time, Fishlock found Balcer in the middle of the box. Balcer got on the end of the ball, and one touched it into the back of the net.

2. SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA– Currently, the Courage are in 8th place, with three less points than the Reign. The team is currently on the three-game win streak going into the match. Most recently, they took on Angel City FC and came away with a narrow 1-0 win. The deciding goal was scored in the 54th minute by Kerolin.

3. TIGHT STANDINGS – It is no secret that the NWSL standings are tight with only seven points separating the eighth place North Carolina Courage from the first place Kansas City Current. More than ever, getting three points from each match is crucial.

“I think, obviously, everyone is aware of the situation in the league, and we've got a big road trip coming ahead and this is the first one of those three games to go out and get points on the board, which at this stage of the season, the most vital thing is getting the points,” said OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey.

She continued, “So, I think, yeah, just looking forward to it, looking forward to being able to put on a performance after last week and go out there and right the wrongs of last week where we felt we should have got three points and didn't.”

4. ADJUSTMENTS – Though the two teams squared off early this summer, the teams looked a little different with some added players and adjusted styles of play.

“I feel like North Carolina, since I've been in the league, has always just been this powerhouse team and this year,” said OL Reign forward Bethany Balcer. “Obviously, the start of their season didn't really look like that and so now they're kind of getting into, I think, the form they want. They're toughest to play right now, I feel like. So, I feel like we've got a really good challenge tomorrow to go in and make a statement, but obviously looking forward to doing that. I know that we're completely capable of doing that. We've said all season that we want to be just as hard to beat away as we are at home, so hopefully we can, as Harv said, just set the record straight on certain things that have happened this year and come away with a win.”

MultiCare Availability Report:

OUT

Angelina (SEI - right knee) 

Tobin Heath (SEI - left knee)

Sinclaire Miramontez (SEI - right foot)

Jodi Ulkekul (right knee)

QUESTIONABLE

Lauren Barnes (right leg) 

INTERNATIONAL

None