From O-Town to H-Town
Sunday will mark a reunion with former Pride player Christine Nairn, who was traded to the Dash following the 2018 season. Nairn recorded 20 appearances in her one season in Orlando with 13 starts. She tied for the team lead in assists with four with Marta while also scoring one goal. Her lone goal against Portland Thorns FC at Providence Park earned her NWSL Goal of the Week honors.
Another One for the Books
Marisa Viggiano recorded her first professional minutes on Saturday against Utah. The Pride selected Viggiano No. 30 overall in the 2019 NWSL College Draft out of Northwestern. She is now the third Pride player to register her professional debut in 2019, with Erin Greening and Joanna Boyles both doing so in the season-opener. The Pride selected Greening No. 25 overall in this past year’s draft. Boyles served as a National Team Replacement Player for the Chicago Red Stars last season before coming to Orlando this offseason.
It’s Anyone’s Game
The Pride and the Dash have played a relatively even series throughout their history. The Pride hold the advantage with a 5-4-0 record over Houston in Club history, but the Dash have had the advantage of late. In 2018, the Pride earned a 1-0 victory at Orlando City Stadium over Houston thanks to a game-winner from former Dash player Chioma Ubogagu. Houston were victorious in the last two contests, however, winning by a score of 2-1 on June 27 and 3-1 on July 11.
Calling on Kop
Goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer registered her first start of the season in unexpected fashion last week following a warmup injury to goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris. In her first outing of the season, Kopmeyer recorded four saves, the first of which served as the 200th of her NWSL career, a milestone she reached in 51 appearances. Kopmeyer has now recorded 18 saves through four appearances since joining the Pride from Reign FC last season.
With Harris on international duty, Kopemeyer is expected to be the Pride’s No. 1 goalkeeper moving forward with Lainey Burdett as backup.
The A-Team Assembles
With the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup on the horizon, the Pride’s trio of U.S. Women’s National Team players have joined the defending FIFA World Cup champions to begin final preparations for their title defense. Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, defender Ali Krieger and forward Alex Morgan represent the Pride on the U.S. WNT’s 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup squad.
Sunday’s match will mark the last for Canadian international Shelina Zadorsky before she joins Canada’s pre-World Cup camp.
