Four games on for the last full week prior to the Tournament of Nations. We begin on Friday with...
Utah Royals FC hosting the North Carolina Courage. Katelyn Rowland and Nicole Barnhart protect the nets. The game ended 0-0, with no disciplinary action at all. The woman of the match was Barnhart (four-save clean sheet), with other strong performances for Utah coming from Becca Moros, Rachel Corsie, Katie Bowen, and Desiree Scott. For the Courage, the best players were Abby Erceg, Kaleigh Kurtz, Heather O'Reilly, and Denise O'Sullivan.
On Saturday, the Orlando Pride welcome the Seattle Reign FC. Lydia Williams faces former teammate Haley Kopmeyer in goal. Orlando began in the twenty-first minute with a Toni Pressley goal on recycled service. Seattle tied it in the seventieth minute with a Jodie Taylor goal, made possible by Nahomi Kawasumi. The Reign's Lauren Barnes took a yellow card for a foul in stoppage time. The game ended 1-1, with the woman of the match being Taylor. Also strong for the Reign were Kawasumi, Jess Fishlock, Theresa Nielsen, Megan Oyster, and Barnes. For the Pride, their best were Kopmeyer (six for seven in saves), Marta, Dani Weatherholt, Pressley, and Ali Krieger.
Up in New Jersey, Sky Blue FC brings in the Portland Thorns FC. Britt Eckerstrom and Caroline Casey are the backups in goal. Portland led off in the fourth minute with a Hayley Raso goal, via Christine Sinclair. The Thorns added on in the seventh minute with an Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic goal. Sky Blue got on the board with a twenty-seventh minute goal by Imani Dorsey, passed from Savannah McCaskill. Portland's Sinclair received a yellow card for an eightieth minute foul. The Thorns held on for a 2-1 win, with the woman of the match being Raso, while honorable mentions go to Crnogorcevic, Meghan Klingenberg, Ellie Carpenter, and Eckerstrom (four for five in saves). Sky Blue's best were Erica Skroski, Dorsey, Shea Groom, and McCaskill.
Finally, after a postponement yesterday, the Washington Spirit host the Houston Dash on Sunday morning. Jane Campbell and Aubrey Bledsoe are the keepers. Houston struck first in the third minute with a Rachel Daly goal, assisted by Sofia Huerta. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the woman of the match being Campbell for her nine-save clean sheet. Also strong for the Dash were Daly, Huerta, and Clare Polkinghorne, while the Spirit's best were Tori Huster, Caprice Dydasco, Taylor Smith, Estefania Banini, and Ashley Hatch. Due to the NWSL's lack of preparedness, this is a best guess at performances based on Twitter analysis from fans and journalists.
NWSL Team of the Week
GK Jane Campbell
RB Theresa Nielsen
CB Abby Erceg
CB Megan Oyster
LB Becca Moros
DM Toni Pressley
AM Imani Dorsey
AM Shea Groom
AM Nahomi Kawasumi
FW Hayley Raso
FW Rachel Daly
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