The winless Courage upsetting the previously undefeated Current wasn’t the only surprising stat in one of the most-action packed Week 6 matches. Eight years into her career, defender Ryan Williams got her first-ever NWSL goal.

At the 52’ mark, the Courage were down one when Manaka Matsukubo slipped a pass by the Current defense. Williams got the ball in stride and knocked it inside the far post. Her teammates immediately mobbed her in the box, and teammate Kaleigh Kurtz wasted no time scooping Williams up in her arms and spinning her around, both beaming.

“It makes me smile so much,” Williams said. “It was so cute how everyone was so excited for me. Everyone was kind of surprised. I’m like, ‘Guys, act like I’ve scored before. Be cool!’”

Williams’s goal leveled the game, but five minutes later Bia Zaneratto would give the Current the lead. As the end of the game approached, it seemed like it would be the same song and dance this season. The Current would win. The Courage would lose.

But in the 90th minute, Kurtz put one home, and three minutes into stoppage time, Ashley Sanchez notched the game winner.

And who was there to tee up Sanchez? Yup. That was Williams too.

The underdog score in the underdog win is just another reminder of how every game is a chance for every team to prove themselves - regardless of standings.

“We were in a tough spot. We were trying to fight bad energy and we wanted to keep the vibes high. We hadn’t won a game, and I think from there the pressure can really start to build,” Williams said. “There can be a negative shift. I think we did a really good job of not doing that and still having fun at practicing, still working hard, and still rooting for each other and not getting frustrated.”

As the last pick in the 2018 NWSL draft, Williams was ultimately not signed, but she stayed close to the organization and was signed on as a National Team Replacement Player (NTRP) in the midst of a historic run with a stacked roster. Sam Mewis, Crystal Dunn, Lynn Biyendolo (Williams), Debinha, Abby Dahlkemper - just to name a few.

“It was just jawdropping,” Williams said. “I feel really thankful because those were the players that I was playing against every single day.”

Those players set the standard and a winning mindset in North Carolina. The Courage made NWSL history, winning three consecutive NWSL Shields and back-to-back NWSL Championships in 2018 and 2019.

For her first year in the league, Williams saw mostly practice time. As a NTRP, she was expected to perform at every turn to sharpen not just herself but her teammates when their big players were away representing their countries.

“I was just being pushed every day, and I was able to get better through practice, which I feel like is really a rare thing. I’m happy that I was able to do that and even recognize that because if I hadn’t, then maybe I would have tried to go somewhere else to play,” Williams said. “They talk about how important playing is and getting game minutes and that’s the only way you get better, but I felt like that wasn't true for me.”

It wasn’t just the talent Williams was around that built the foundation of her strong and steady career. It was the mentality too.

“They were successful and so talented, but they were also never satisfied,” Williams said. “We’d win a game 5-0 or something, and the next day at training, it was like everyone had forgotten about that. It was just back to work like it was nothing. It was really inspiring to see that kind of consistent work ethic.”

In 2019, she was officially signed on by the Courage and around her fifth season, Williams’s practice minutes started turning into more considerable game minutes. Being able to carve her own lane through gradual game exposure and competitive practices built her confidence, she said.

“I felt like when I started getting more minutes in 2022, I was the most prepared I could be. So then I was able to bring that into the game and play in games with confidence from the start because I felt like, okay, I've paid my dues here,” Williams said. “I've done my time, put in the work, and now I feel really good.”

After chipping away for years to make a name for herself, Williams is now one of the longest tenured Courage players - a veteran to whom her younger teammates can look to for guidance. It’s a role that suits Williams and is as vital as it was when she first got to Cary in 2018.

“I want to carry on the type of culture that I had when I first got to the Courage,” she said. “That's making sure that our practice environment stays really competitive, that we're all working for each other, and the culture is good in the locker room.”

The start of the 2025 season has proved challenging for the Courage, but it is that lockerroom resilience that makes a difference. Now, Williams said, all they can do is ride the energy of the Week 6 win, and try to turn the season around.

“Obviously, momentum is huge. We do want to keep playing well … I think we're all in really good spirits right now,” Williams said. “We still were before, but it's easier when you win.”

The Courage head to Utah to face off against the Royals on May 3 at 10 p.m. EST. You can watch the match on ION.