Mission Rainbow
Friday will serve as the Club’s Mission Rainbow match, presented by CITY Furniture, kicking off the start of Pride month, while continuing to remember and pay tribute to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy that happened six years ago. A specialty Mission Rainbow merchandise collection will be available to purchase with a portion of the proceeds set to be donated to the OnePulse Foundation, while Pride players will wear rainbow numbers on the back of their Ad Astra kits for the match. Those game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off at a later date, with proceeds going to the team’s Mission Fund.
Pruitt’s Pride
Leah Pruitt scored her first goal in a Pride uniform this past week in their match against the Chicago Red Stars. In the 86th minute, Pruitt was able to turn and rocket a shot that hit the inside of the far post and into the back of the net. Through five games, Pruitt has led the Pride in chances created, totaling seven so far. Additionally, Pruitt’s hold up play has led to her drawing 10 fouls, the highest on the team, and fourth most across the league.
Seeing Double
Despite dropping a 4-2 result to Chicago on Sunday, the Pride have now scored multiple goals in three-consecutive games, including a 2-1 win over NC on May 18 and a 2-2 draw against Kansas City on May 14. This marks the first time the Pride have hit the streak since the summer of 2019 when Orlando compiled a five-game streak of multiple scores.
Success Away From Home
The Pride are looking to secure their first win at home this Friday in their match against the Washington Spirit. Both of the Pride’s wins this season have taken place away from Exploria Stadium. Their first win took place in Los Angeles, in a 1-0 victory against Angel City in front of 17,000 at Banc of California Stadium. Recently the Pride traveled to North Carolina to defeat the Courage 2-1 on May 18.
Super Subs
On Sunday, defender Amy Turner came off the bench to score for the Pride, the team’s first goal in a 4-2 loss to Chicago. Since the start of last season, no team in the league has seen better offensive production from substitutes than the Pride. The Club has had six goals scored by subs in that span, the most of any NWSL team during that time.
Laying it on the Line
While known as an attacking player, Sydney Leroux has provided an impact on the defensive end for her team. With Leroux’s two goals of the regular season both coming within the opening four minutes, the forward has also helped stop goals. Through five games, Leroux has totaled five blocked shots, a team-high for the Pride, and the second most across the entire league.
Readying for the Road
Following Friday’s game, the month of June consists of a lot of travel for the Orlando Pride, with all of their games in the month being on the road. The Pride will first travel to PNC Stadium to take on the Houston Dash on June 3. Next the Pride will head to Chicago for their second matchup of the season against the Chicago Red Stars. Finally the Pride will close out the month at Providence Park for a match against the Portland Thorns on June 19.
