NWSL 2017: Week 10

All teams are in action this weekend, beginning with four games on Saturday. We begin in...

Orlando, as the Pride host the Houston Dash. Jane Campbell and Aubrey Bledsoe are the backups in goal. Houston had a yellow card for a forty-third minute foul by Janine Van Wyk. The Dash led off in first half stoppage time on a Carli Lloyd goal, set up by Poliana. Houston added on in the sixty-second minute with a Rachel Daly goal, also assisted by Poliana. The game ended at 2-0, with Poliana the woman of the match for her two assists. Also impressing for the Dash were Lloyd, Daly, and Janine Beckie, while the Pride's best were left-back Steph Catley, and midfielders Camila and Marta.

Up in Boston, the Breakers welcome the North Carolina Courage. Katelyn Rowland and Sammy Jo Prudhomme make the starts in goal. Boston had a yellow card for a sixteenth minute foul by Megan Oyster. North Carolina opened in the forty-fourth minute with an Ashley Hatch goal, via Samantha Mewis. Tiffany Weimer of the Breakers had a yellow card for an eighty-fourth minute foul. The game ended 1-0, with the woman of the match being Hatch. The Courage also got good games from center-back Abby Dahlkemper, defensive midfielder Mewis, and attacking midfielder Debinha, while the Breakers' best were center-back Christen Westphal, defensive midfielder Angela Salem, and forward Emilie Haavi.

In Maryland, the Washington Spirit host the Portland Thorns FC. Adrianna Franch and Stephanie Labbe protect the nets. Washington began in the nineteenth minute with a Francisca Ordega goal. This held up for a 1-0 win, and Ordega was the woman of the match, while Labbe and Tori Huster also played well for the Spirit. Leading the Thorns were defensive midfielder Allie Long, left winger Hayley Raso, and attacking midfielder Lindsey Horan.

Saturday ends in Seattle, where the Reign FC bring in FC Kansas City. Nicole Barnhart and Haley Kopmeyer are the gloved women. In the fourth minute, Seattle went down to ten women when Lauren Barnes took a straight red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity for Kansas City's Shea Groom. Kansas City started in the sixteenth minute with a Brittany Ratcliffe goal, via Alexa Newfield. Kansas City saw yellow cards for Newfield in the thirtieth minute and Groom in the thirty-fourth minute, both for fouls. The Reign tied it on a Nahomi Kawasumi goal in the fifty-eighth minute. This made it 1-1, the eventual final, with the woman of the match being Kawasumi for the shorthanded equalizer. Also impressing for the Reign were right-back Rebekah Stott, midfielder Lindsay Elston, and forward Megan Rapinoe. Kansas City saw good games from center-back Becky Sauerbrunn, attacking midfielder Newfield, and forwards Ratcliffe and Groom.

Finally, on Sunday, the Chicago Red Stars host Sky Blue FC. Kailen Sheridan and Alyssa Naeher are the keepers. Sky Blue struck first in the third minute with a Madison Tiernan goal, assisted by Taylor Lytle. Chicago tied it on a sixty-third minute goal by Vanessa DiBernardo. The Red Stars took the lead in the sixty-seventh minute with a Sofia Huerta goal, via Casey Short. This made it 2-1, the final, with the woman of the match being Huerta. Also good for the Red Stars were Sam Johnson and DiBernardo, while Sky Blue's best were Tiernan, McKenzie Meehan, and Lytle.

NWSL Team of the Week
GK Stephanie Labbe
RB Poliana
CB Becky Sauerbrunn
CB Sam Johnson
LB Steph Catley
DM Samantha Mewis
RW Sofia Huerta
LW Brittany Ratcliffe
RF Nahomi Kawasumi
CF Francisca Ordega
LF Ashley Hatch