Week 9 match coverage begins Friday, May 17 as the North Carolina Courage host the Utah Royals at WakeMed Soccer Park. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.

NOTES TO KNOW

TUNE IN

Viewers tuning in to the NWSL this season can catch more than 120 matches across CBS, ESPN, ION and Prime Video. The remaining matches will be available for free on NWSL+, the league’s first-ever domestic direct-to-consumer streaming platform.

Full details on how to watch all Week 9 matches can be found here.

CALIFORNIA CLASH

Week 9 action kicks off in exciting fashion as Bay FC plays host to the 2023 NWSL Shield-winning San Diego Wave in the second meeting between the two California-based clubs, streaming live on NWSL+. In the first rendition of the NorCal-SoCal clash on April 27, the Wave took all three points in a 2-1 final off goals from Wave midfielder Makenzy Doniak and forward Jaedyn Shaw. Bay FC striker Asisat Oshoala tallied a goal in the loss at Snapdragon Stadium. The club will look to capitalize on its home field advantage Friday, having scored in all four of its home matches this season with an average of two goals per game at home compared to one on the road.

BEV vs. VLATKO

Racing Louisville FC head coach Bev Yanez is all too familiar with Kansas City Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s style of play as the two coaches go head-to-head this weekend. Yanez played in the NWSL from 2014-2019 with the Seattle Reign, playing under Andonovski during her final two years.

Taking over the Reign in 2018, Andonovski brought the club back to the playoffs for the first time since 2015 and was awarded Coach of the Year for the second time in his NWSL coaching career.

SHOOT TO SCORE

Seattle Reign midfielder Ji So-Yun has attempted a team-high 18 shots this season while also setting up a team-high 18 chances for her teammates. Reign FC take on the undefeated Orlando Pride where newest Zambian forward Barbra Banda ranks third in the NWSL with 17 shots on target despite appearing in only five matches. The 17 shots on target are the most by a player in her first five career NWSL contests.

BATTLE FOR TOP SPOT

Two teams remain undefeated entering Week 9 of matches in the Kansas City Current and the Orlando Pride, who sit in the top two spots of the standings. The Pride are on a six-game win streak after starting the season with three draws. A win against the Seattle Reign would tie the league record for consecutive regular-season wins, currently held by the Reign. The Kansas City Current look to remain at the top with a win against Racing Louisville on Saturday.

MILESTONES

HARVEY FOR 100

Seattle Reign head coach Laura Harvey is racing towards an impressive 100 career regular season wins in the NWSL, a feat no other coach in the league has achieved. Her current 99 wins include the times she coached at both the Reign and the Utah Royals.

KINGSBURY OF SHUTOUTS

Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury is sitting with 29 shutouts in her regular season career. The next clean sheet will make her the first goalkeeper for the Spirit and fourth in the league to reach 30 shutouts with one club.

ASSITING ANGELS

Angel City FC forward Alyssa Thompson has tallied five assists this season, one behind the club record of six currently held by teammate Claire Emslie. Notably, the teen recorded three assists in back-to-back matches from April 21 to May 3.

WEEK 9 MATCH SCHEDULE

Friday, May 17

North Carolina Courage vs. Utah Royals | WakeMed Soccer Park | 8 p.m. ET | Prime Video

Houston Dash vs. Portland Thorns | Shell Energy Stadium | 8 p.m. ET | NWSL+

Bay FC vs. San Diego Wave | PayPal Park | 10:30 p.m. ET | NWSL+

Saturday, May 18

Washington Spirit vs. Angel City FC | Audi Field | 7:30 p.m. ET | ION

Kansas City Current vs. Racing Louisville| CPKC Stadium | 9:30 p.m. ET | ION

Sunday, May 19

NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. Chicago Red Stars | Red Bull Arena | 5 p.m. ET | NWSL+

Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride | Limen Field | 6 p.m. ET | NWSL+