Since this year’s NWSL will feature eight teams in the upcoming playoffs, the North Carolina Courage is currently riding comfortably as the NWSL’s fifth seed. However, the Courage’s form has been seesawing lately, casting shadows over its smooth qualification into the post-season rounds. But North Carolina goalie Casey Murphy has guaranteed that the Courage would strongly conclude this year’s NWSL.

In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Casey Murphy described that she and her NC Courage teammates have locked their eyes on the playoffs and are ready for the tough challenges that await them.

“So obviously nothing’s guaranteed, but we’re going to finish the season off strong, and obviously our eyes are set on playoffs. Any opponent in the postseason is going to be tough,” said Casey Murphy in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports.

The Courage, however, has gone winless in the last four of its five NWSL games. And that’s perhaps why Murphy and Co. are eager to focus on raising their standard.

“Everyone brings their best in the postseason, and I think for us, we really try and keep the focus on ourselves and what we can do to perform at the level we need to and at the standard we need to be at. As long as we keep the focus on our standard, I think we’ll have a very strong playoff push,” Murphy added.

Now, let’s evaluate Murphy’s NC Courage side’s prospects of going into the playoffs in the current NWSL season.

What next for Casey Murphy and Co. as the NWSL playoff looms over?

Like Casey Murphy said in the EssentiallySports exclusive, every other NWSL side is gearing up for the remaining handful of games to play before the playoffs in November. NC Courage is currently seven points clear of the eighth-seeded Racing Louisville. Only the top eight teams qualify for the playoffs.

Hence, it is highly unlikely that the team based in NC would fall lower than that, even if they were to lose all five games. But to remain solid in their position, the Courage will have to go the extra mile over the coming weeks. And Casey Murphy becomes crucial to the success they will have in the upcoming games.

Murphy and Co. face close rivals- Chicago Red Stars in their next NWSL game. The Red Stars are just behind the Courage, shy of three points. Chicago will up the ante to close this gap in the upcoming game. The Courage will conclude its pre-season by facing the ever-dominant Washington Spirit.

Meanwhile, Louisville, San Diego, and Wave FC will also push the button and keep challenging the Charlotte-based outfit.