Kailen Sheridan made 11 saves against the North Carolina Courage in a midweek matchup, but it wouldn’t be enough as Sky Blue dropped a 2-0 decision to the league leaders.
Days before the beginning of Pride Month in the United States, Sky Blue FC are looking to defend theirs by defeating Orlando’s.
The Jersey Girls host the Orlando Pride Saturday night (7:00 p.m.) at Yurcak Field in their third match in seven days looking to return to their winning ways by maintaining a perfect record at home.
Sky Blue fell flat midweek in North Carolina, suffering a 2-0 loss to the Courage in spite of a strong performance from rookie goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and missing out on an opportunity to take the top spot in the National Women’s Soccer League as a result.
Prior to that, Sky Blue (3-3-1, 10 points) had won two consecutive matches, one home and one away, against the Houston Dash, pushing them up the table to second place. Now, anything but a win can see the home side slip down the standings as far as mid-table considering how tight the league has been in the early going.
After winning their first two home matches of the season in dramatic fashion, with midfielder Raquel Rodriguez notching a late winner on both occasions, the Jersey Girls are confident entering the matchup, according to their manager.
“We are looking forward to playing in front of our fans again this weekend,” said Christy Holly, Sky Blue FC head coach, in a press release from the club. “We are beginning to establish a winning culture at home in New Jersey, and that is a great source of pride for us. We now look to continue the growth of that culture on Saturday when we host a very good Orlando team.”
The Pride, led by five-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Marta, enter New Jersey unbeaten in their last three matches.
The Orlando Pride’s Marta dribbles the ball at midfield in a match against the North Carolina Courage at Orlando City Stadium on May 14, 2017.
Orlando left their last outing with a bittersweet feeling, picking up a point in a 1-1 draw in which Marta scored the Pride’s lone goal but also losing starting goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris to a quadriceps injury which has ruled her out for the next eight weeks.
It’s a big blow the Pride will need to overcome if they hope to get a first ever win over their hosts. Playing in their second season in the NWSL, the Orlando club drew 1-1 at Yurcak Field and suffered a 2-1 loss at the Orlando City Stadium in 2016.
With four days remaining until the start of June, a month celebrated as Pride Month by members and supporters of the LGBTQA+ community, the Orlando Pride hopes to make it their day in New Jersey on Saturday.
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