**Leesburg, Virginia** – The North Carolina Courage traveled to face the Washington Spirit at Segra Field on Saturday night and needed a stoppage time winner from defender Kaleigh Kurtz to prevail, as the Spirit came down from a two-goal deficit only to see Kurtz snatch three points with just seconds left to play.
The North Carolina Courage took just seven minutes to open the scoring as Brazilian forward Kerolin, who was named the Challenge Cup Final MVP against the Spirit, opened her regular season account on a counterattack. Dashing forward to get on the end of a through ball played in the center-left position of the field, Kerolin carried the ball into the box and dangled her foot threatening to shoot before she curled a right-footed effort to the far post and in. Prior to the match, the Courage were unbeaten when scoring first (W1 D1).
Looking to fire back quickly, the Spirit were able to create a quality chance of their own after 19 minutes through forward Trinity Rodman. On the right side of the field and in possession, Rodman cut inside and whipped a snapshot toward Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy. Though Murphy was able to get a fingertip on the effort, it also rattled off the crossbar and went away from goal as the chance went missing.
In the 36 ^th minute, a clever counterattack led to a Kerolin header that produced a diving save from Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury. Nifty footwork and a bit of skill saw the ball worked from the left side, through the middle and all the way to the right for defender Merritt Mathias. Mathias took a touch and lifted in a cross to the center of the box where Kerolin was waiting, but the forward’s headed effort was saved well by Kingsbury to keep the score level.
At the break, a slender lead for the North Carolina Courage came through Kerolin, but the Spirit were not without chances as the two heavyweights exchanged opportunities in front of goal with only one side able to the back of the net.
In similar fashion to the opening half, it didn’t take long for the Courage to get the second half off to a fantastic start either as they found their second goal of the game in the 51 ^st minute. On a corner kick, defender Carson Pickett arrowed a ball into the box near the goalmouth that defender Abby Erceg got on the end of, and Erceg headed the ball in from close range to double the Courage’s lead.
Washington would not quit though and again created a quality opportunity in front of goal through attacker Ashley Sanchez in the 57 ^th minute, but despite Sanchez’s ability to wriggle through the defense and create a shot, the effort was well held by Murphy. In the 74 ^th minute, though, the Spirit would break through and pull one back through Sanchez. A well-worked move saw the ball pinball around Spirit players before Feist slipped a ball across goal for Sanchez, who made no mistake from close range to beat Murphy and give her side a goal.
Five minutes later, the Spirit came one step closer to completing the comeback after Washington was awarded a penalty kick with just ten minutes left in regulation. Stepping up to the spot, forward Ashley Hatch converted and was able to pull her side level from 12 yards out.
Just as the match looked like it would end level, though, the Courage earned a free kick in the second of three minutes of stoppage time 40 yards out from goal. Delivered into the scramble of bodies inside the penalty area, the ball bounced around the box before defender Kaleigh Kurtz was able to bundle it over the line and give North Carolina a late winner on the road.
The victory is North Carolina’s second consecutive—both on the road—and third straight unbeaten match, while the Spirit’s struggles continue leaving them winless in their last eight in regular season play.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights