Set pieces proved to be the difference as Racing Louisville FC’s USL W League team opened its 2023 season with a 3-0 win Thursday against cross-state foes Lexington SC.
Two corner kicks, both served by captain Ella Sanchez, were headed in by Missouri’s Grace Pettet and Kentucky’s Jordyn Rhodes. Louisville’s Brooke Dardano notched a third goal right before halftime off a direct free kick.
“They did everything that we did in practice,” Racing W League coach Callie McKinney said following her first game in charge. ”They implemented things very well. We didn’t put too much emphasis on set pieces. We did have a bit of a structure, but we let the players create and do what they wanted.”
Sanchez, 18, was a member of last fall’s United States Under-17 World Cup team and has most recently received the a call up with the U-19 squad this spring. Last year, the Racing Academy appeared in 10 matches in the W League, scoring one goal.
“She’s calm, cool and collected,” McKinney said about Sanchez. “Always poised. She is a good heartbeat of the team because she never gets too high and she never gets too low. She’s very steady, always working her hardest and Ella was great for us tonight.”
Up next, Racing travels Sunday to St. Peters, Missouri, to play St. Charles FC at 5 p.m. ET. Select away games may be streamed live via ElevenSports.com. Home W League games will be open to the public and free to attend at the Lynn Family Sports Vision & Training Center, 801 Edith Road.
