CARY, NC (April 23, 2022) – The North Carolina Courage drew with the Washington Spirit 2-2 on Saturday afternoon in their final match of the group stage of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. With today’s result in hand, the Courage will advance to the semifinal round of the tournament. Debinha and Malia Berkely recorded a goal apiece for the home side, and Ashley Hatch added two goals for the Spirit.

“I saw [Washington’s] center back was looking to play their midfielder,” Berkely said of her goal. “I knew that I could jump on that pass, and I just think that I read it pretty well. Since [Washington] were in a big attacking shape, I had that opening in the middle, and I had Taylor on the right if I needed to. I knew that it was a great opportunity for a shot and so I took it.” In the 15th minute, Ashley Hatch drew first blood for the Spirit in this afternoon’s match. Intercepting the ball just outside the Courage eighteen, Hatch placed a driven ball into the net on her first touch to give the visitors an early advantage, 1-0. In the final minute of the first half, the Courage were awarded a penalty kick and with it a chance to level the score. Debinha took the kick, and with no hesitation, the Brazilian international converted the penalty, burying a shot past Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury and into the upper 90. With her goal in today’s match, Debinha is the first and only player in Challenge Cup history to score a goal in four consecutive matches during the tournament. After concluding the first half in a 1-1 deadlock, the Courage were quick to add a go-ahead goal in the 53rd minute. Getting in front of a clearance attempt by the Spirit defense and setting up for a shot with a single touch, Malia Berkely collected her first NWSL goal to put the North Carolina side back in the driver’s seat. Later, in the 76th minute, the Spirit were likewise awarded a penalty kick that was scored by Hatch, who recorded the brace to equalize for Washington. “At halftime, I looked [the team] in the eye and I said, ‘You need to collectively compete for the crest. This is not an individual game, each of you have to take care of individual responsibility so that collectively, we are great,’” said Head Coach Sean Nahas following the match. “We needed that trigger, and the players stepped up in the first 10 minutes [of the second half] and look what happened. It was a mental grind and it was an educational grind, and both sides should be proud of who they are and what they’re trying to do in the women’s game.” Despite creating several scoring opportunities as the second half wore on, the match concluded in a 2-2 draw, and with the result, the Courage have punched their ticket to the Challenge Cup semifinals. The results of other matches will determine both the match location and opponent, with more information to be made available at www.nccourage.com.

Up Next: The North Carolina Courage will travel to face Angel City FC in their first regular season match of the year on Friday, April 29, at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Match Notes:

• Malia Berkely scored her first NWSL goal in today’s contest.
• With her goal in today’s match, Debinha is the first and only player in Challenge Cup history to score a goal in four consecutive matches during the tournament. 
• Kerolin Nicoli recorded her first appearance in the starting lineup.

Box Score:

NC (4-4-2): Katelyn Rowland, Kaleigh Kurtz, Abby Erceg, Merritt Mathias, Jaelene Daniels, Brianna Pinto (Kiki Pickett – 46’), Malia Berkely (Meredith Speck – 79’), Denise O’Sullivan, Taylor Smith, Kerolin Nicoli (Diana Ordoñez – 88’), Debinha (Emily Gray – 90’)

Subs Not Used: Ryan Williams, Katie Bowen, Rylee Baisden, Jorian Baucom, Marisa Bova

WAS (4-5-1): Aubrey Kingsbury, Kelley O’Hara (Morgan Goff – 27’), Emily Sonnett, Amber Brooks, Cam Bielgalski, Karina Rodriguez (Bayley Feist – 60’), Ashley Sanchez, Julia Roddar, Trinity Rodman, Anna Heilferty (Jordan Baggett – 80’), Ashley Hatch

Subs Not Used: Andi Sullivan, Tinaya Alexander, Devon Kerr, Dorian Bailey, Nicole Barnhart

Score:

NC: 2 WAS: 2

Goals:

NC: Debinha – 45+3’, Malia Berkely – 53’ WAS: Ashley Hatch – 15’, 76’

Cautions:

NC: Abby Erceg – 37’ WAS: Karina Rodriguez – 19’

Ejections:

NC: – WAS: –