Blow the Whistle

Life After Manaka

The NC Courage beat Seattle Reign 3-1 on July 4th, making it four wins in a row, the first four-game winning streak since 2023. Trevor and Katie break down the win and catch up on a busy month of roster news. This week we also welcome Courage Chief Business Officer Ralph Vuono to the podcast for a conversation about fan engagement, theme nights, attendance growth, and the club's vision for the future. IN THIS EPISODE COURAGE NEWS Manaka Matsukubo is traded to Chelsea in the Women's Super League. Erica Parkinson is incoming but won't be available until around July 14th, check out Bill Nottingham's in-depth look at her at https://splat.cc/posts/erica-meg/ [https://splat.cc/posts/erica-meg/]. Shinomi Koyama's contract is extended. Natalie Jacobs is progressing well in her recovery. Cortnee Vine parts ways with the club. And the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup. LOOKING BACK: NC COURAGE VS SEATTLE REIGN Four wins in a row and life after Manaka. The Courage came out sluggish in the heat but found their footing in the second half to put up a convincing 3-1 scoreline. We break down the midfield adjustments, Dani Weatherholt's quietly excellent defensive performance, and why the depth of this roster is starting to feel like a real competitive advantage. LOOKING AHEAD: WASHINGTON SPIRIT Washington is one of the most formidable teams in the league with Trinity Rodman and Lacey Santos leading a dangerous forward line. We break down what makes them so hard to contain, why this match feels like the biggest test of the Courage's season so far, and what Crystal Dunn's Ring of Honor night means for the atmosphere at WakeMed. INTERVIEW: RALPH VUONO, CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER Ralph sits down with Trevor and Katie to talk about how he ended up at the Courage. Spoiler: he thought the team was based in Charlotte. He shares his bold vision for where women's soccer is headed. AROUND THE LEAGUE Emma Sears reportedly signals she is ready to leave Racing Louisville and multiple teams have expressed interest. Sam Kerr signs with Gotham. Ally Sentnor moves to Angel City. Plus a busy transfer window as players move between the NWSL and WSL. ABOUT THE LION’S PITCH PODCAST Welcome to The Lion’s Pitch, your go-to podcast for everything North Carolina Courage. Every week, Trevor and Katie break down the latest matches, preview upcoming opponents, discuss NC Courage news, and take a look around the NWSL. Plus, we’ll bring you bonus episodes with interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and some fun surprises along the way. New episode drops every Thursday. SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and find us online at lionspitch.com [https://www.lionspitch.com/], follow us on Bluesky @lionspitch.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/lionspitch.bsky.social], or on Instagram @thelionspitch [https://www.instagram.com/thelionspitch] * Hosted by Trevor Knoblich [https://bsky.app/profile/featuringtrevor.bsky.social] and Katie Cleary [https://bsky.app/profile/kt1986.bsky.social] * Produced by Mary Pruter [https://bsky.app/profile/marypruter.bsky.social] * Edited by Danielle Russell [https://bsky.app/profile/likethe309.bsky.social] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Blow the Whistle

The NC Courage close out the first half of the season with a nervy 2-1 win at Angel City, making it three wins in a row for the first time in season since 2024. Trevor and Katie break down two beautiful team goals, celebrate some big international call-ups, and look way ahead to Seattle after the June break. IN THIS EPISODE LOOKING BACK: NC COURAGE VS ANGEL CITY FC Two beautiful goals from Evelyn Ijeh and Manaka Matsukubo, both built on brilliant work from Ashley Sanchez, who arguably deserved the player of the match award herself. We break down Angel City's right-side strategy, Dani Weatherholt's quietly outstanding defensive performance, and Kailen Sheridan's late heroics that sealed the three points. STANDOUT STATS Angel City ended the match with 37 touches in the box compared to the Courage's 17, and took 59% possession in the second half. We dig into what those numbers mean. LOOKING AHEAD: SEATTLE REIGN After a four-week break the Courage return home to face Seattle on July 4th. Seattle is hard to pin down because of a stingy defense and inconsistent front line. We break down what to expect and why this match will be one of the best tests of the Courage's progress this season. COURAGE NEWS Riley Jackson, Evelyn Ijeh, Kailen Sheridan, Manaka Matsukubo and Carly Wickenheiser are called up to their respective senior national teams. Lauren Thompson is called up to the England U-20s. Sydney Schmidt tore her ACL in training and is placed on the SEI list. Plus, catch Cameron Brooks on the Women's Soccer Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/the-womens-soccer-podcast/2852306/ AROUND THE LEAGUE No team is secure at the top of the table with the Courage just seven points behind the number one spot with a game (or in some instances, two) in hand. Anything can still happen in the second half of the season. ABOUT THE LION’S PITCH PODCAST Welcome to The Lion’s Pitch, your go-to podcast for everything North Carolina Courage. Every week, Trevor and Katie break down the latest matches, preview upcoming opponents, discuss NC Courage news, and take a look around the NWSL. Plus, we’ll bring you bonus episodes with interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and some fun surprises along the way. New episode drops every Thursday. SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and find us online at lionspitch.com [https://www.lionspitch.com/], follow us on Bluesky @lionspitch.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/lionspitch.bsky.social], or on Instagram @thelionspitch [https://www.instagram.com/thelionspitch] * Hosted by Trevor Knoblich [https://bsky.app/profile/featuringtrevor.bsky.social] and Katie Cleary [https://bsky.app/profile/kt1986.bsky.social] * Produced by Mary Pruter [https://bsky.app/profile/marypruter.bsky.social] * Edited by Danielle Russell [https://bsky.app/profile/likethe309.bsky.social] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Not Last Year's Courage

The NC Courage pick up a hard-fought 2-1 win at Racing Louisville, making it back-to-back victories, something we may not have been able to do last season. Trevor and Katie break down how we managed to hold on during the last half, look ahead to a tough road trip to Angel City, and celebrate some big news off the pitch. IN THIS EPISODE LOOKING BACK: NC COURAGE VS RACING LOUISVILLE Evelyn Ijeh continues to make a name for herself. She put up a goal early on, giving the Courage control, but Racing played a dominant second half, making for a nervy finish. Kailen Sheridan was composed all match, Ashley Sanchez's easy finish sealed the win and pushed her to seven goals on the season. We break down the goal sequences, the set-piece defending that still caused us high stress, and what the midfield shift to Shinomi, Manaka, and Jackson is doing for this team. STANDOUT STATS The Courage controlled 59% possession in the first half before Racing took control in the second. We dig into what that swing tells us and why walking away with three points despite giving up that much control is a sign of growth. LOOKING AHEAD: ANGEL CITY FC Angel City has lost three of their last five after a hot start, but a cross-country trip before the international break could be a trap game. We break down their tough back four, the midfield rotation questions, and why this is the best test the Courage have faced in a few weeks. COURAGE NEWS Crystal Dunn announced as this year's Ring of Honor inductee, joining Courage greats Sam Mewis and Jess McDonald. The ceremony is July 11th. The win against Louisville goes down as the Courage's 100th regular season win. And we have a really moving clip from Olivia Wingate you won't want to miss. AROUND THE LEAGUE Barcelona dominate Lyon in the Champions League final, which means Lindsey Horan is heading back to the NWSL and Denver. Plus red card suspensions, and early table surprises. ABOUT THE LION’S PITCH PODCAST Welcome to The Lion’s Pitch, your go-to podcast for everything North Carolina Courage. Every week, Trevor and Katie break down the latest matches, preview upcoming opponents, discuss NC Courage news, and take a look around the NWSL. Plus, we’ll bring you bonus episodes with interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and some fun surprises along the way. New episode drops every Thursday. SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and find us online at lionspitch.com [https://www.lionspitch.com/], follow us on Bluesky @lionspitch.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/lionspitch.bsky.social], or on Instagram @thelionspitch [https://www.instagram.com/thelionspitch] * Hosted by Trevor Knoblich [https://bsky.app/profile/featuringtrevor.bsky.social] and Katie Cleary [https://bsky.app/profile/kt1986.bsky.social] * Produced by Mary Pruter [https://bsky.app/profile/marypruter.bsky.social] * Edited by Danielle Russell [https://bsky.app/profile/likethe309.bsky.social] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Courage Show Up

The NC Courage dominated with a 4-0 win over a struggling Chicago Stars. Trevor and Katie break down an exciting performance before welcoming midfielder Carly Wickenheiser as a special guest. Then we dive into our next road match against Racing Louisville. This week, we welcome Courage midfielder Carly Wickenheiser to the podcast. IN THIS EPISODE LOOKING BACK: NC COURAGE VS CHICAGO STARS Four goals. Four different scorers. Evelyn Ijeh gets her first Courage goal, Ashley Sanchez reaches a career-high six, Ally Schlegel scores her first goal for the Courage against her former club, and Manaka Matsukubo caps it off with a patient finish. We break down the left-side attack that caught Chicago off guard. STANDOUT STATS Four goals on 17 shots with 32 touches in Chicago's box. We dig into what Riley Jackson's 84% passing accuracy in the final third actually means and why it's such an encouraging sign for where this team is heading. INTERVIEW: CARLY WICKENHEISER We sit down with Courage midfielder Carly Wickenheiser to talk about her journey from youth soccer through seven years in Sweden and finally to the NWSL. She tells us what she sees coming for this team in the second half of the season and more. LOOKING AHEAD: RACING LOUISVILLE Louisville is sitting in 15th, but they're built to frustrate. We break down their person-to-person defending style and why this feels like a must-win before the June international break. COURAGE NEWS Ashley Sanchez continues to shine bright this season as NWSL Player of the Month and Sports Illustrated's NWSL MVP of the Month for April. We also discuss English phenom, Erica Parkinson, transfer reports, and what it might mean for the roster. AROUND THE LEAGUE Fairly slow week, the biggest news being Racing Louisville is reportedly looking to sell a partial stake in the club. ABOUT THE LION’S PITCH PODCAST Welcome to The Lion’s Pitch, your go-to podcast for everything North Carolina Courage. Every week, Trevor and Katie break down the latest matches, preview upcoming opponents, discuss NC Courage news, and take a look around the NWSL. Plus, we’ll bring you bonus episodes with interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and some fun surprises along the way. New episode drops every Thursday. SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and find us online at lionspitch.com [https://www.lionspitch.com/], follow us on Bluesky @lionspitch.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/lionspitch.bsky.social], or on Instagram @thelionspitch [https://www.instagram.com/thelionspitch] * Hosted by Trevor Knoblich [https://bsky.app/profile/featuringtrevor.bsky.social] and Katie Cleary [https://bsky.app/profile/kt1986.bsky.social] * Produced by Mary Pruter [https://bsky.app/profile/marypruter.bsky.social] * Edited by Danielle Russell [https://bsky.app/profile/likethe309.bsky.social] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Weathered the Weather

The NC Courage fall 1-0 to Orlando Pride in a fairly evenly matched game. Trevor and Katie break down a strong defensive performance despite the injuries in the back before looking ahead to a home match against the Chicago Stars with special guest Lesley Ryder from Gal Pal Sports. This week, we're joined by Lesley Ryder, independent journalist and co-founder of Gal Pal Sports. Follow Lesley on Bluesky at @lesleyryder.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/lesleyryder.bsky.social] and Gal Pal Sports at @galpalsports.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/galpalsports.bsky.social]. IN THIS EPISODE LOOKING BACK: NC COURAGE VS ORLANDO PRIDE Kailen Sheridan was outstanding, Natalia Staude had her best match in a Courage jersey so far, and Uno Shiragaki contained Barbara Banda for 87 minutes. We break down what went right, the midfield shift after Marta came on, and why this performance gives us real confidence heading into the stretch before the international break in June. STANDOUT STATS Both teams finished with nearly identical numbers, except for one that may be cause for concern. We dig into what it might say about the Courage's predictability on the ball. LOOKING AHEAD: CHICAGO STARS Lesley Ryder from Gal Pal Sports joins Trevor and Katie to break down a Chicago side decimated by injuries and searching for an identity. We discuss Brianna Pinto's return to WakeMed, what to watch in the midfield, and whether someone other than Ashley Sanchez or Manaka Matsukubo finds the back of the net COURAGE NEWS The NWSL extended Feli Rauch's suspension to two games, and we still have plenty of questions about why. Plus, it's Star Wars Night at WakeMed. Come for the match, stay for the Grogu bobblehead. AROUND THE LEAGUE The NWSL officially tables the European calendar discussion through 2030. We share our thoughts on why that's probably the right call. ABOUT THE LION’S PITCH PODCAST Welcome to The Lion’s Pitch, your go-to podcast for everything North Carolina Courage. Every week, Trevor and Katie break down the latest matches, preview upcoming opponents, discuss NC Courage news, and take a look around the NWSL. Plus, we’ll bring you bonus episodes with interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and some fun surprises along the way. New episode drops every Thursday. SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and find us online at lionspitch.com [https://www.lionspitch.com/], follow us on Bluesky @lionspitch.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/lionspitch.bsky.social], or on Instagram @thelionspitch [https://www.instagram.com/thelionspitch] * Hosted by Trevor Knoblich [https://bsky.app/profile/featuringtrevor.bsky.social] and Katie Cleary [https://bsky.app/profile/kt1986.bsky.social] * Produced by Mary Pruter [https://bsky.app/profile/marypruter.bsky.social] * Edited by Danielle Russell [https://bsky.app/profile/likethe309.bsky.social] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.