Racing Louisville FC and the Washington Spirit played to a scoreless draw in a closed-door friendly Friday in Florida.
The match, which was played at Eastern Florida State College’s Melbourne campus, was the first time this preseason Racing squared off against an actual opponent. The Louisvillians previously played an intrasquad scrimmage before departing for the Sunshine State.
It was also the first time Racing played with new defenders Abby Erceg, Paige Monaghan and Carson Pickett, all acquired via trade this offseason. Fellow new defender Elli Pikkujämsä played the second half, along with NWSL Draft picks Jadyn Edwards, Kayla Fischer and Brianna Martinez.
Racing came close to scoring in the first period through a Savannah DeMelo shot and Kirsten Davis’s one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Louisville couldn’t break the deadlock.
“It was a typical first game of the season,” said Racing head coach Kim Björkegren. “There was no real momentum in the game. We had good control with our defense and two good scoring chances. We changed 10 of our 11 players at halftime, and the second half was a little more back and forth. Overall, it was a fair result.”
Racing will return to Louisville next week as preseason training camp continues, with an eye toward a Feb. 18 friendly against the Chicago Red Stars in Indianapolis.
Fans can follow preseason games via the club’s social media accounts, where any live streaming details will be posted if available.
Racing Louisville FC vs. Washington Spirit
Friday, 1 p.m. kickoff
Eastern Florida State College – Melbourne campus
Melbourne, Fla.
Racing first-half lineup (4-3-3): Katie Lund; Carson Pickett, Abby Erceg, Julia Lester, Paige Monaghan; Jaelin Howell, Savannah DeMelo, Lauren Milliet; Kirsten Davis, Jess McDonald, Wang Shuang
Racing second-half lineup (4-3-3): Kelsey Daugherty; Rebecca Holloway, Satara Murray, Elli Pikkujämsä, Brianna Martinez; Zaneta Wyne, Kayla Fischer, Taylor Malham; Jess McDonald (Paige Monaghan), Parker Goins, Jadyn Edwards
