US women’s soccer team excited to play in Orlando – Florida Today
Saturday morning Ashlyn Harris was on the field at the Citrus Bowl, getting ready to play a “home” game with her U.S. Women’s National Team teammates.
The Satellite High graduate and goalkeeper will take the field with her teammates as the victory tour hits stop No. 6 Sunday afternoon when they play Brazil at 2:30 p.m.
“It’s such a great feeling to have my friends and my family here,” Harris said. “Just to get to come out and say thank you. Everybody keeps talking about Orlando City and how it has the best fans in the MLS and I want to see a big crowd.”
She got her first look during the team’s workout as fans screamed and cheered while they worked out. It is something the team appreciates.
“The support, we have felt the support from city to city during this victory tour and it has been gratifying,” Carli Lloyd said. “To see the support and we just have to keep it going. It took us a while to build National Team attendance and we have to do that in the NWSL as well.”
The recent announcement that Orlando will start a team in 2016 was a major topic Saturday and the players think it will be good for the game of soccer.
“I think it’s really great to see Orlando City now bringing on a women’s team, bringing on the Pride, because you see they’re a soccer city and you see that what this ownership group has been able to do just within the last year with this city,” forward Alex Morgan said. “I’m really happy to have a new team joining. Orlando is going to do it right, I know that for sure.”
And on the rumor that she will be joining the new team?
“Nothing is confirmed right now. So I can’t really speak on that. My agent is dealing with all of those negotiations,” Morgan said. “So I’m excited just to be able to play here (Sunday) and get a feel of what the crowd will be like next year supporting Orlando Pride.”
Harris is also excited to see the rise of soccer in Orlando.
“I have been a regular the last few games (for the Lions) and the atmosphere has been unbelievable,” Harris said. “Just seeing all the stickers for Orlando City on everyone’s car and the purple. It is a sea of purple and I love that. I feel so much pride being from around here.
“Watching the sport evolve has been pretty incredible.”
Harris and her teammates have been a big part of the sports growth and games like this one will help it grow even more.
“I think that Orlando has established itself as a soccer town, I think the support that the men’s team has had and Florida has always had good roots in soccer,” U.S. women’s national coach Jill Ellis said. “But now bringing pro teams to town elevates that. You have teams to watch, cheer and support now.”
The women’s team will face a Brazil team that is ranked No. 7 in the rankings and the two teams are coming off a 1-1 draw Wednesday night in Seattle.
“The players are excited to have a high level opponent to test them,” Ellis said. “This could potentially be the highest-ranked opponent that we will play before qualifying. You only really learn things about yourself when you are really tested.”