USL LEAGUE TWO: Defending champ North Carolina Courage U23 outlasts Annapolis Blues in shootout to keep repeat dreams alive
- Dan Stickradt
- Jul 9
- 2 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The North Carolina Courage U23 is getting closer and closer.
That is closer to defending its national championship from 2024 in the USL W League postseason.
The unbeaten North Carolina Courage U23 eventually ousted the Annapolis Blues FC on their home field Sunday night, topping the side 1-0 in a game that reached a shootout at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in the Eastern Conference finals.
North Carolina prevailed 4-3 on penalties from the spot to advance to this weekend’s Final Four.
After missing their first penalty shot, the Courage (12-0-2) scored four straight capped by Rylee Keely’s game-clincher in the shootout. The Annapolis Blues FC missed two shots, one which was saved and the other was sent over the crossbar.
Lauren Zitt made a save in the shootout and held the Blues scoreless through 90-plus minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime before reaching the shootout. It marked Zitt’s second straight postseason clean sheet and her team’s eight overall shutout.
The North Carolina Courage U23 are just two wins away from winning another championship and one win away from reaching its third straight national finals match. The club defeated the North Carolina Storm 3-2 in last year’s national championship, while in 2023 the Courage lost to Indy Eleven in the finals (2-1).
The Courage now own a 34-9 scoring edge overall this season spanning 14 games and have not conceded a goal in the postseason. The side has not conceded a goal since the second-to-last game of the regular season in a 3-3 draw with the Carolina Ascent.
The Annapolis Blues finish the year with a fine 10-1-1 overall record and it took them a shootout loss to end their season. The Blues finish the campaign with a 36-6 scoring edge over 12 games.
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