Monday, September 25, 2017

NWSL 2017: Week 23

We're back for the second-to-last week of NWSL action in the regular season. We begin in...

Orlando, as the Pride host the Portland Thorns FC to lead off a three-game Saturday. Adrianna Franch and Ashlyn Harris protect the nets. Portland's Allie Long took a yellow card for an eighteenth minute foul. In the sixty-ninth minute, Kristen Edmonds of Orlando had a yellow card for a foul. The final stood at 0-0, with the woman of the match being Thorns center back Emily Menges. Franch (two-save clean sheet) and Hayley Raso also played well for Portland, while the Pride's best were Monica, Alanna Kennedy, and Alex Morgan.

Up north, the Washington Spirit welcome the Boston Breakers. Abby Smith and Didi Haracic are the goalies. Boston got going in the forty-seventh minute with a Natasha Dowie goal, passed from Adriana Leon and Angela Salem. In the fifty-fourth minute, Leon's heavy touch bounced off of Kassey Kallman of Washington and into the net behind Haracic to add to the Breakers' lead. In the fifty-fifth minute, Boston extended the lead as Brooke Elby sent a cross that deflected off of Kallman and the crossbar, where Leon then tapped it in. In the sixty-eighth minute, Amanda Frisbie of the Breakers took a yellow card for a foul. In the seventy-seventh minute, Rosie White of Boston received a yellow card for her foul. The final held at 3-0, with Leon as the woman of the match. The Breakers also saw good performances from Dowie, Elby, Allysha Chapman, and Megan Oyster. Washington's best were Alyssa Kleiner, Meggie Dougherty Howard, and Mallory Pugh.

Down in Texas, the Houston Dash host the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and Jane Campbell draw the starts in goal. Chicago opened in the twelfth minute with a Jen Hoy goal on a rebound from her initial shot that Campbell had saved. The Red Stars added on in the twentieth minute with a Casey Short goal, after Campbell mishandled a corner kick by Vanessa DiBernardo. Houston got on the board with a twenty-fourth minute penalty kick goal by Amber Brooks. Chicago replied with a penalty kick goal by Christen Press after Brooks was charged with a handball in first half stoppage time. In the seventy-fifth minute, Andressinha took a yellow card for a foul for the Dash. In the eighty-fifth minute, Houston pulled a goal back as Rachel Daly scored, with the assist from Kristie Mewis. In the eighty-ninth minute, Yuki Nagasato received a straight red card for her foul against Daly. The game ended 3-2, with the woman of the match being Short. Also starring for the Red Stars were DiBernardo, Press, and Hoy, while the Dash's best were Janine Van Wyk, Mewis, and Daly.

On Sunday, Sky Blue FC bring in the North Carolina Courage. Katelyn Rowland and Caroline Casey are the keepers. North Carolina began in the twenty-seventh minute with an Ashley Hatch goal, via Kristen Hamilton's headed pass. In the sixty-fifth minute, Nikki Stanton of Sky Blue had a yellow card for a foul. Sky Blue tied it on a seventy-fifth minute Raquel Rodriguez goal after Sam Kerr's shot attempt drew Rowland out of position. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with the woman of the match being Casey for her six-for-seven saves performance. Also strong for Sky Blue were Mandy Freeman, Erica Skroski, and Stanton, while the Courage's best were Jaelene Hinkle, McCall Zerboni, Hatch, and Lynn Williams.

Finally, in Seattle, the Reign FC host FC Kansas City. Nicole Barnhart and Lydia Williams protect the nets. Kansas City started in the twenty-third minute with a Shea Groom goal, via Sydney Leroux. Seattle saw a yellow card for a Megan Rapinoe foul in the sixty-ninth minute. The final was 1-0, with the woman of the match being Groom. Also strong for Kansas City were Becky Sauerbrunn, Desiree Scott, and Leroux, while the Reign's best were Rebekah Stott, Rumi Utsugi, and Rachel Corsie.

NWSL Team of the Week
GK Caroline Casey
RB Rebekah Stott
CB Becky Sauerbrunn
CB Emily Menges
LB Casey Short
DM Brooke Elby
AM Shea Groom
AM Kristie Mewis
FW Adriana Leon
FW Ashley Hatch
FW Natasha Dowie

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