Memorable Milestone
Currently sitting at 99 career NWSL appearances, midfielder Kristen Edmonds could reach the century mark in front of her hometown crowd in New Jersey on Sunday should she see time in the match. Edmonds has recorded 66 of her 99 NWSL caps as a member of the Pride, joining the Club ahead of its inaugural season in 2016. In her near four seasons in Orlando, Edmonds has found the back of the net nine times with two assists to add.
Moving Uphill
Rachel Hill scored her third goal of the season in the Pride’s last match, trailing only Marta on the squad in finishes this season. Hill has appeared in every game for the Pride this season, now sitting at 55 appearances in her near three years as a member of the Pride. Since joining the Club in 2017, Hill has scored 10 goals while adding three assists.
Looking for the Sweep
The Pride will look for the season sweep over Sky Blue FC on Sunday morning, having defeated Sunday’s opposition in each of their previous two matchups in 2019. In its first visit to New Jersey this season, the Pride came away with a 2-1 victory behind a Sky Blue own goal forced by a driving run in the box from midfielder Marisa Viggiano. The rookie then scored the game-winner herself in a 1-0 shutout at Exploria Stadium against the New Jersey-based club on July 20.
Change of Venue
Sunday’s match against Sky Blue FC will be played at the home of MLS club New York Red Bulls, as it was announced on Sept. 16 that the match would be moved from Sky Blue’s Yurcak Field to accommodate a demand for tickets. This weekend’s match will mark the first visit to Red Bull Arena for the Pride in Club history and the second time Sky Blue FC will host a match at the Harrison venue this season. The previous came against Reign FC on August 18 in front of a club-record crowd of 9,415.
Morgan Ruled Out for Year
Since their last outing, the Orlando Pride announced that they will finish out the season without U.S. Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan. The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion will remain sidelined for the rest of the year due to a stress fracture in her knee. Morgan appeared in six matches for the Pride this season with five starts, missing the majority of the season due to national team duty.
