Below is a selection of moments to watch for and notes to know entering Week 8 of NWSL regular-season action. Week 8 match coverage begins Saturday with a pair of 7 p.m. ET contests between the North Carolina Courage and Angel City FC and the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit.
Below is a selection of moments to watch for and notes to know entering Week 8 of NWSL regular-season action. Week 8 match coverage begins Saturday with a pair of 7 p.m. ET contests between the North Carolina Courage and Angel City FC and the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit. NOTES TO KNOW STARTING OFF STRONG The Washington Spirit sit atop the NWSL standings with 15 points (4-0-3) as the lone remaining unbeaten team in league play. Washington is the sixth team in league history to have zero losses through the first seven games of a season. Only three teams have made it to eight games unbeaten to date, including the 2014 OL Reign, 2016 Portland and 2018 North Carolina squads. With a win or tie against the Orlando Pride this weekend, the Spirit will set a new club record for an undefeated streak to start a season, a mark that’s also good for fourth in league history. OL Reign’s 2014 team currently owns the best unbeaten streak, having won or tied 16 straight matches to begin the 2014 campaign. AN INTERNATIONAL FLARE This weekend’s matchup between Angel City and the North Carolina Courage marks the third regular season meeting between the two clubs. The home team has prevailed in each of the first two matches of the series, with Angel City earning a 2-1 win in the expansion side’s debut last April before the Courage bounced back with a 1-0 win in September. Notably, all four goals from the series have come from international players, including Brazilian stars Kerolin and Debinha, who has since joined the Kansas City Current, Japanese midfielder Jun Endo and Canada Women’s National Team star Vanessa Gilles, who is currently on loan with Lyon. THE DEMELO ERA Racing Louisville FC midfielder Savannah DeMelo has shined in her second NWSL campaign, scoring twice in Wednesday’s 3-2 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup win over Kansas City and pushing her goal total to four across all competitions. Last Friday, the 25-year-old playmaker also forced an own goal with her penalty shot in the club’s 3-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars, and currently ranks seventh in the NWSL in shot-creating actions with 27. RECORD AND MILESTONES CLOSING IN OL Reign defender Sofia Huerta is two assists away from matching the all-time record for assists in a regular season. The Boise, Idaho native, who currently owns 29 assists, is chasing Racing Louisville FC forward Jess McDonald’s record of 31. Her six assists in 2021 ranked second in the league, while her four helpers in 2022 led the Reign alongside teammate Megan Rapinoe. FRANCH TO 400 If Kansas City goalkeeper Adrianna Franch earns the start for the Current and records at least three saves this weekend, she’ll become the fourth keeper in league history to reach 400 saves in regular season play. A veteran of the league, Franch was drafted by the Western New York Flash with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NWSL Draft and spent a season with the former club before joining the Portland Thorns in 2016. The Salina, Kansas native was traded to the Current in 2021. OFF THE PITCH HAMIDA NADIM MEMORIAL FUND On Tuesday, Racing Louisville FC parent company Soccer Holdings, LLC pledged support toward the newly launched Hamida Nadim Memorial Fund, honoring the late mother of Racing forward Nadia Nadim. The fund will aid refugee families led by single mothers as they settle in Louisville. Soccer Holdings and former Louisville mayor Greg Fischer will seed the fund with $5,000 apiece directed to Kentucky Refugee Ministries for distribution to its client families. Gifts from the Hamida Nadim Memorial Fund will also include access for families/kids to Louisville professional soccer’s camps, equipment, youth academy and game tickets. BIGGER THAN THE GAME Official Sergii Demianchuk will serve as the head referee when North Carolina hosts Angel City this weekend. Born and raised in Ukraine, Demianchuk has returned to the NWSL pitch this season after serving as the referee for last season’s “PTFC for Peace” charity match, featuring mixed rosters comprised of players from both the Portland Thorns and Portland Timbers. The charity match, which was held at Providence Park last April, raised nearly $580,000 to aid UNICEF’s response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Chicago midfielder Cari Roccaro, who helped create the NWSL’s current mental health policies, including paid mental health leave for all players, was featured on CBS Sports’ “Mindset,” a series highlighting professional athletes and their mental health journeys. WEEK 8 MATCH SCHEDULE May 20, 2023 North Carolina Courage vs. Angel City FC | WakeMed Soccer Park | 7 p.m. ET | Paramount+ Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit | Exploria Stadium | 7 p.m. ET | Paramount+ Kansas City Current vs. Racing Louisville FC | Children’s Mercy Park | 8 p.m. ET | Paramount+ Houston Dash vs. San Diego Wave FC | Shell Energy Stadium | 8:30 p.m. ET | Paramount+ May 21, 2023 Portland Thorns FC vs. Chicago Red Stars | Providence Park | 5 p.m. ET | Paramount+ OL Reign vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC | Lumen Field | 6 p.m. ET | Paramount+