Groundhog Day

The NC Courage face back-to-back losses with a 3-0 loss to Bay FC, repeating some familiar and frustrating patterns. Trevor and Katie break down what went wrong and look ahead to a tough home match against the Utah Royals.

In This EpisodeLooking Back: NC Courage vs Bay FCTwo goals in three minutes, the same transition defending problems we've seen before, and a 3-0 loss. We break down the back line playing too high, the Erica Meg Parkinson debut that gave us something to feel good about, and what needs to change before Utah comes to town.

Standout StatsEach team took 14 shots, with 10 of the Courage's coming from inside the box — so the chances were there. We dig into what Riley Jackson's eight of nine duels won tells us and why Bay's keeper Jordan Silkowitz was the difference maker.

Looking Ahead: Utah RoyalsUtah has been one of the biggest surprises of the season, fighting for a top-five spot with distributed scoring across the roster and a midfield built to win possession battles. We break down the former Courage midfield Narumi Miura and Ana Tejada pairing, what Cloé Lacasse brings up front, and why Ashley Sanchez might be able to wreak some havoc down their right side.

Courage NewsNatalie Jacobs is still out, raising questions about center back depth. The club released a welcome video for Erica Meg Parkinson. And Trevor shares some exciting personal news.

Around the LeagueGotham FC pulls off a wild comeback against Seattle, scoring twice in stoppage time. Former Courage captain Denise O'Sullivan makes her debut in a Gotham kit. Lindsay Heaps returns to the league and starts for Denver.

About The Lion’s Pitch PodcastWelcome 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 & FollowSubscribe wherever you get your podcasts and find us online at lionspitch.com, follow us on Bluesky @lionspitch.bsky.social, or on Instagram @thelionspitch

Hosted by Trevor Knoblich and Katie ClearyProduced by Mary PruterEdited by Danielle Russell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.