Misc Soccer News

Ordoñez Nets First Career Brace in Draw vs. Washington

North Carolina FC Travel to Face Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC

July 30, 2022 – United Soccer League One (USL1)North Carolina FC News Release

CARY, NC – The North Carolina Courage drew with rivals the Washington Spirit, 3-3, on Friday night at home at WakeMed Soccer Park. As is becoming tradition between the Courage and the Spirit, the teams’ fifth meeting of 2022 was an interesting, goal-heavy affair that included braces from the Courage’s Diana Ordoñez and the Spirit’s Trinity Rodman. Friday’s match was also the Courage’s Pride Night, and featured the organization’s inaugural prematch Pride Festival.


“I was proud of the character of the group tonight,” Head Coach Sean Nahas said. “To go down one-nothing, equalize, go down again, and shortly after equalize, then go down. The character of the group and the way they fought through it and persevered, I thought was fantastic. I think it’s a tribute to them, to their continued commitment… I don’t think we were at our best by any stretch today, but we still had chances to win at the end. When you give possessions away to a really good team with great attacking players, they have a tendency to potentially make you pay, and that’s what they did today. But like I said, I’m proud of the group for how they fought back.”

A weather delay paused the match at nil-nil just 22 minutes into play, but resumed a little over an hour later. Trinity Rodman opened scoring for the Spirit in the 42nd minute, but the Courage’s Brittany Ratcliffe would equalize just three minutes later on a beauty of a ball in from midfielder Denise O’Sullivan. Not to be outdone, the Spirit pulled ahead again when Tara McKeown scored off an assist from Kelley O’Hara.

The first half ended with the Spirit up 2-1, but the Courage would see to it that they’d get the jump on the second half. Diana Ordoñez, fresh from CONCACAF W Championship play for Mexico, netted her fourth goal of the season to equalize once again. Though Trinity Rodman once again capitalized on a chance for the Spirit to pull ahead, Diana Ordoñez was fouled inside the box and awarded her first career penalty attempt. Successful on the conversion, Ordoñez slammed the door shut on scoring for the night, ending the match with three goals for each team.

Ordoñez’s brace was the first of her career, and her PK attempt and goal were also the first of her career. Ordoñez also leads all rookies with five goals this regular season.

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