Sunday, July 16, 2017

NWSL 2017 - Week 14

We're back with a full week of games, all on Saturday. First up...

The Portland Thorns FC host the North Carolina Courage. Katelyn Rowland and Adrianna Franch play in goal. North Carolina saw a yellow card for Taylor Smith's fifty-eighth minute foul. Portland had a yellow card for a foul by Hayley Raso in the sixty-second minute. Raso made amends in the seventieth minute, getting the Thorns going with her goal, assisted by Meghan Klingenberg. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the woman of the match being Raso, while the Thorns also got good games from Klingenberg, Lindsey Horan, and Ashleigh Sykes. The Courage's best performances came from Smith, Abby Erceg, and McCall Zerboni.

In New Jersey, Sky Blue FC welcomes the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and Kailen Sheridan protect the nets. In the second minute, Sky Blue's Nikki Stanton took a yellow card for her foul. Chicago opened in the fourth minute with a Sofia Huerta goal, passed from Christen Press. The Red Stars added on in the twenty-sixth minute with a Press goal, set up by Vanessa DiBernardo. Sky Blue got on the board with a Maya Hayes goal, after Naeher made the initial save. In the thirty-eighth minute, Sky Blue's Sam Kerr received a yellow card for a foul. In the seventy-fourth minute, Sky Blue's Erica Skroski took a yellow card for her foul. In the seventy-ninth minute, Sky Blue's Kelley O'Hara received a yellow card for a foul. Sky Blue tied it in the ninetieth minute with a Kerr goal, fueled by Sarah Killion. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, with the woman of the match being Press, while Huerta, Arin Gilliland, and Alyssa Mautz also played well for the Red Stars. Sky Blue's best were Kerr, O'Hara, Hayes, and Daphne Corboz.

Down in Florida, the Orlando Pride host FC Kansas City. Nicole Barnhart and Aubrey Bledsoe are the goalies. Orlando started in the twenty-second minute with an Alanna Kennedy goal, coming off of Marta. The Pride added on with a thirty-eighth minute Alex Morgan penalty kick goal, after drawing the opportunity against Kansas City's Katie Bowen on a prior free kick. In the forty-fifth minute, Orlando's Dani Weatherholt took a yellow card for a foul. Kansas City got on the board in the sixty-fifth minute with a Maegan Kelly goal, helped along by Bowen. The Pride fired back with a seventieth minute goal by Toni Pressley from distance, courtesy of Camila. Orlando extended the lead in the seventy-fifth minute as Kristen Edmonds stole the ball from Kansas City keeper Barnhart and deposited the ball in a vacated net for the goal. In the eighty-eighth minute, Christina Gibbons of Kansas City picked up a yellow card for a foul. The final stood at 4-1, with the woman of the match being Pressley. Also strong for the Pride were Bledsoe, Camila, Kennedy, and Marta. Kansas City's best were Becca Moros, Brittany Ratcliffe, and Kelly.

West to Houston, where the Dash bring in the Washington Spirit. Stephanie Labbe and Jane Campbell guard the woodwork. Houston led off in the twenty-fifth minute with a Poliana goal, made possible by Janine Beckie after a short corner from Andressinha. The Dash added on in the fifty-third minute with an Andressinha goal, passed from Rachel Daly. Houston's Janine Van Wyk took a yellow card for a fifty-ninth minute foul. Washington got on the board in the seventy-fifth minute with an Estelle Johnson goal, via Havana Solaun. The game ended 2-1, with the woman of the match being Campbell (eight for nine in saves), while other Dash stars were Poliana, Andressinha, Beckie, and Daly. The Spirit's best were Johnson, Estefania Banini, and Solaun.

Finally, the Seattle Reign FC host the Boston Breakers. Abby Smith and Haley Kopmeyer are in the six-yard boxes. Seattle began in the thirty-second minute with a Nahomi Kawasumi goal. Boston tied it in the forty-third minute on an Adriana Leon goal, made possible by Christen Westphal. The score held at 1-1 to the end, with the woman of the match being Kawasumi. Also good for the Reign were Lauren Barnes and Lindsay Elston, while the Breakers' best were Westphal, Angela Salem, and Leon.

NWSL Best XI of the Week
GK Jane Campbell
RB Poliana
CB Toni Pressley
CB Lauren Barnes
LB Becca Moros
DM Alanna Kennedy
AM Marta
AM Janine Beckie
RF Nahomi Kawasumi
CF Christen Press
LF Hayley Raso

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