**BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.** – The North Carolina Courage picked up a massive win with a huge over the Chicago Red Stars on the road, scoring a 5-0 shutout win for a second road victory in their last three games. The road side were led by forward Kerolin, whose hat-trick was sandwiched by goals from forward Mille Gejl and midfielder Denise O’Sullivan all before the hour mark.
North Carolina opened the scoring in the 11 ^th minute as Kerolin put home a pass from teammate Mille Gejl inside the penalty area to go one up against the Red Stars. Mille Gejl was in possession near the endline when she picked her head up and spotted the run of Kerolin near the penalty spot. Rolling a pass her way, the Brazilian finished on her first touch as she guided the ball to the far post and in past Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
Then, in the 31 ^st minute, Gejl turned from provider to scorer when she took a pass from teammate Denise O’Sullivan and spun in toward goal before powering a shot past Naeher. Gejl was near the penalty spot when she took the pass from O’Sullivan and turned on her defender, creating space in front of goal. Gejl then arrowed an effort into the top left corner that helped the visitors to a two-goal lead.
Continuing their onslaught, North Carolina scored just their third of the evening just three minutes later as Kerolin earned a first half brace. A ball over the top from defender Kaleigh Kurtz was both perfectly timed and perfectly weighted as it fell to the feet of Kerolin in behind the defense. Kerolin then closed down on goal and rounded both the goalkeeper Naeher and a Chicago defender before coolly slotting home from a narrow angle on the right side. That goal was her sixth of the season, putting her temporarily in a tie with Washington’s Ashley Hatch for the Golden Boot race.
Into the second half, North Carolina continued to dominate as the Courage scored just seven minutes in through Denise O’Sullivan. North Carolina was moving the ball around the Chicago penalty area when O’Sullivan opted to play a pass to teammate Narumi Miura to her right on the right flank. Miura then inched toward the endline before cutting a pass back to O’Sullivan in the box on the right side. From there, O’Sullivan curled a right-footed shot inside to the far post to add to Chicago’s troubles and give North Carolina a fourth goal.
Finally, in the 60 ^th minute, North Carolina found their fifth and final goal as Kerolin completed her hat-trick as she ripped a shot into the upper left corner and in to grab the sole lead in the league’s Golden Boot race. The Courage sprung a counterattack just inside the Chicago half when forward Tess Boade played Kerolin in inside the left side of the box. From there, she smashed a shot passed Naeher into the top left corner of goal and all but sealed the result.
The big result sees North Carolina jump all the way to 3 ^rd place ahead of both Washington (+4) and Gotham FC (+3) on goal differential (NC +4 – ahead of Spirit on goals scored) as their unbeaten stretch continues. Meanwhile, Chicago remains in 10 ^th place pending Kansas City’s result against OL Reign later on Saturday evening in Seattle.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights