KHL 2016/17 - Day 26

Seven games grace the schedule today. We begin with...

Traktor Chelyabinsk hosting Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Niklas Svedberg and Vasily Demchenko guard the cages. Chelyabinsk led off in the first period with an Alexander Pankov goal, fueled by Alexander Shinin. Ufa tied it on a power play goal by Denis Kulyash, powered by Andreas Engqvist and Linus Omark. Traktor took the lead back with a Kirill Koltsov goal, passed from Maxim Yakutsenya and Nikolai Belov. Chelyabinsk added on with a Yakutsenya goal, via Dmitry Pestunov and Shinin. Traktor extended the lead as Pankov scored again, thanks to Alexander Chernikov. Salavat Yulaev pulled back in the third period with an Igor Makarov goal, guided in by Dmitry Vorobyov and Evgeny Bodrov. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Pankov, Yakutsenya, and Shinin.

West to Podolsk, where Vityaz welcomes the Sochi Leopards. Konstantin Barulin and Harri Sateri protect the nets. Podolsk opened with a Mario Kempe goal in the first period, helped along by Alexei Kopeikin. Vityaz added on with another Kempe goal, courtesy of Miro Aaltonen and Kopeikin. Podolsk extended the lead as Maxim Afinogenov scored, thanks to Igor Golovkov and Alexei Makeyev. Vityaz padded the lead with a Golovkov power play goal, powered by Roman Horak. Sochi got on the board with an Eric O'Dell goal, with a lone assist by Ilya Krikunov. The Leopards got closer with a Ben Maxwell goal, fueled by Ilya Gorokhov and Renat Mamashev. Sochi pulled closer in the third period with a Krikunov goal, with a lone helper from O'Dell. This was as close as they got, falling 4-3. The three stars went to Kempe, Golovkov, and Kopeikin, while O'Dell and Krikunov get the honorable mentions.

Out in Belarus, Dinamo Minsk brings in Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Andrei Kareyev and Ben Scrivens are the goalies. Novokuznetsk started in the first period with an Ignat Zemchenko power play goal, powered by Alexander Komaristy and Kirill Lebedev. Minsk tied it on a Rob Klinkhammer power play goal, assisted by Matt Ellison and Nick Bailen. Metallurg took the lead back in the third period with an Evgeny Viksna goal, fueled by Andrei Pervyshin and Kirill Semyonov on the power play. Dinamo retied it on a power play goal from Bailen, helped along by Klinkhammer and Evgeny Kovyrshin. Minsk took the lead back with a power play goal by Sergei Kostitsyn, with a lone assist by Marc-Andre Gragnani. Dinamo iced it at 4-2 with an Alexander Materukhin power play goal into an empty net, going in unassisted. The three stars were Bailen, Klinkhammer, and Kostitsyn.

Into Slovakia, where Bratislava hosts Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Barry Brust are in the blue paint. Bratislava struck first in the first period with a Mislav Rosandic goal, coming off of Kyle Chipchura and Tomas Kubalik. Slovan added on with a Marek Viedensky shorthanded goal, set up by Jakub Valsky. Zagreb got on the board in the second period on a Jiri Smejkal goal, assisted by Nathan Perkovich and Tomas Mertl. Medvescak tied it on a third period Alexandre Bolduc goal, passed from Ilya Arkalov and Blake Parlett. Slovan took the game 3-2 in the shootout with Viedensky, Jeff Taffe, and Ziga Jeglic's tallies, while Zagreb saw goals from Samson Mahbod and Colby Genoway. The three stars were Viedensky, Rosandic, and Taylor (28 for 30 in saves).

Into Finland, where Jokerit Helsinki welcomes Avangard Omsk. Dominik Furch and Riku Helenius are the masked men. Omsk began in the first period with an Alexander Kucheryavenko goal, passed from Valentin Pyanov. Helsinki tied it on a Joey Hishon goal, fueled by Arturs Kulda and Tommi Huhtala. Avangard took the lead back in the second period with a Dmitry Maltsev goal, coming off of Danil Faizullin and Kucheryavenko. Jokerit retied it on a Mika Niemi goal, helped along by Pekka Jormakka and Michael Keranen. Omsk replied with a Pyanov goal, via Derek Roy and Jonas Ahnelov. Helsinki tied it on a Huhtala goal, with a lone assist from Peter Regin. Avangard won in the shootout with unanswered tallies from Ilya Zubov and Maxim Pestushko. The three stars of the 4-3 game were Pyanov, Kucheryavenko, and Huhtala.

Back to Russia, where Spartak Moscow brings in Dynamo Moscow for a cross-town battle. Alexander Yeryomenko and Markus Svensson are between the pipes. Spartak was first to score in the first period with a Matthew Gilroy power play goal, powered by Alexei Bondarev. Spartak added on with a Viktor Bobrov goal, assisted by Alexander Vasilyev and Gilroy. Dynamo got on the board with a Maxim Karpov goal, helped along by Ilya Nikulin and Alexander Rybakov. Dynamo tied it with a Semyon Kokuyov goal in the final minute of the third period, guided in by Ansel Galimov and Mat Robinson. Dynamo won 3-2 in the shootout with a lone tally by Klim Kostin. The three stars were handed to Gilroy, Kokuyov, and Karpov.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Sibir Novosibirsk. Alexander Salak and Jakub Sedlacek receive the starting nods in goal. Novosibirsk drew first blood in the first period with a Sergei Shumakov goal, via Adam Polasek. Riga tied it with a Guntis Galvins goal, coming off of Vitalijs Pavlovs and Mikelis Redlihs. Dinamo took the lead with a power play goal by Galvins, powered by Lauris Darzins and Oskars Cibulskis. Riga added on with a Tim Sestito power play goal, with helpers from Darzins and Miks Indrasis. Sibir got one back with a Konstantin Okulov goal, going in unassisted. Novosibirsk tied it in the second period as Damir Zhafyarov scored, with the help of Joonas Kemppainen and Yury Sergiyenko. Sibir took the lead on a power play goal by Vladislav Naumov, courtesy of Maxim Shalunov and Polasek. This made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Polasek, Galvins, and Darzins.

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KHL 2016/17 - Day 25

Four games on today, beginning with...

Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg hosting CSKA Moscow. Viktor Fasth and Igor Ustinsky protect the nets. Moscow began in the first period with an Alexander Popov goal, helped along by Bud Holloway and Igor Ozhiganov. CSKA added on with a Bogdan Kiselevich goal, passed from Jan Mursak. Moscow extended the lead in the second period with a shorthanded goal from Popov, set up by Kiselevich. Yekaterinburg got on the board with a Niclas Andersen goal, assisted by Alexander Torchenyuk and Dmitry Monya. Avtomobilist pulled closer as Alexei Vasilevsky scored, thanks to Evgeny Chesalin. CSKA replied with a third period power play goal by Dmitry Kugryshev, powered by Kiselevich. The final stood at 4-2, with the three stars going to Popov, Kiselevich, and Kugryshev.

Next up in Kazakhstan, Barys Astana welcomes SKA St. Petersburg. Igor Shestyorkin and Vitaly Kolesnik are in the blue paint. Astana led off in the first period with a Roman Starchenko power play goal, powered by Evgeny Rymarev and Konstantin Pushkaryov. St. Petersburg tied it on a Vyacheslav Voynov power play goal, with a lone assist from Ilya Kovalchuk. Barys took the lead back with a Kevin Dallman power play goal, courtesy of Brandon Bochenski and Nigel Dawes. Astana added on with a Cam Barker goal, via Bochenski and Dawes. SKA got one back with a Jarno Koskiranta goal, passed from Steve Moses and Yegor Rykov. St. Petersburg tied it in the third period with a Sergei Plotnikov goal, helped along by Voynov and Nikita Gusev on the power play. SKA took the lead on an Alexander Barabanov goal, coming off of Moses. St. Petersburg extended the lead as Gusev scored an unassisted goal. The three stars in the 5-3 SKA win were Voynov, Gusev, and Moses, while Bochenski and Dawes get the honorable mentions.

Back in Russia, Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk brings in Severstal Cherepovets. Jakub Kovar and Vladislav Fokin man the nets. Cherepovets got going in the second period with a Pavel Chernov goal, assisted by Vojtech Polak and Adam Masuhr. Khanty-Mansiysk tied it in the third period with a Konstantin Panov goal, courtesy of Sergei Gusev and Arseny Khatsei. The tie went to a shootout, where Khatsei had the only tally for a 2-1 Ugra win. The three stars belonged to Khatsei, Fokin (24 for 25 in saves), and Kovar (25 for 26 in saves).

Finally, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hosts Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Ilya Proskuryakov and Alexander Sudnitsin tend the twines. Yaroslavl dented the scoreboard in the second period with a Maxime Talbot power play goal, powered by Brandon Kozun and Staffan Kronwall. Nizhny Novgorod tied it on a Sam Lofquist goal in the third period, made possible by Carter Ashton and John Norman. Torpedo won in overtime by a 2-1 score with a Fredrik Pettersson power play goal, via Vladimir Galuzin and Kirill Rasskazov. The three stars went to Pettersson, Lofquist, and Proskuryakov (29 for 30 in saves).

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KHL 2016/17 - Day 24

Six games on the schedule today, beginning with...

Amur Khabarovsk hosting Kunlun Red Star Beijing. Andrei Makarov and Juha Metsola are in goal. Beijing started with a first period goal by Eetu Poysti, assisted by Sean Collins. Khabarovsk tied it on a Tomas Zohorna goal in the second period, helped along by Teemu Ramstedt. Amur took the lead on an Alexei Byvaltsev goal, guided in by Zohorna. Khabarovsk added on in the third period with an Artyom Zub goal, fueled by Vyacheslav Litovchenko and Kirill Kapustin. The game ended 3-1, with the three stars going to Zohorna, Metsola (33 for 34 in saves), and Byvaltsev.

Way to the west, Traktor Chelyabinsk welcomes Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Vasily Koshechkin and Vasily Demchenko tend the twines. Magnitogorsk opened in the first period with a Sergei Mozyakin goal, coming off of Wojtek Wolski and Chris Lee. Metallurg added on with a Lee goal, passed from Wolski. Chelyabinsk got on the board with an Artyom Sevankayev goal, helped along by Alexei Kruchinin. Traktor tied it in the second period with another Sevankayev goal, via Vladimir Denisov and Paul Szczechura. Magnitogorsk took the lead back with a Mozyakin goal, courtesy of Jan Kovar and Viktor Antipin. Chelyabinsk tied it on an unassisted Nikolai Belov goal. Traktor took the lead with an Alexander Chernikov goal, with a lone assist by Artyom Penkovsky. Chelyabinsk extended the lead as Yury Petrov scored a power play goal with the help of Szczechura and Kruchinin. This stood for a 5-3 win, with the three stars given to Sevankayev, Mozyakin, and Lee, while Szczechura, Kruchinin, and Wolski get the honorable mentions.

Next up, Ak Bars Kazan brings in Avangard Omsk. Dominik Furch and Emil Garipov protect the nets. Kazan dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Justin Azevedo goal, assisted by Artyom Lukoyanov. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the three stars being Azevedo, Garipov (33 save shutout), and Furch (29 for 30 in saves).

Out in Belarus, Dinamo Minsk hosts Dinamo Riga. Jakub Sedlacek and Ben Scrivens are in the blue paint. Minsk got going in the second period with an Evgeny Kovyrshin goal, guided in by Charles Linglet and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Riga tied it on a Lauris Darzins goal, fueled by Ralfs Freibergs and Miks Indrasis. Minsk won 2-1 in overtime with a Matt Ellison power play goal, powered by Sergei Kostitsyn and Gragnani. The three stars were Ellison, Gragnani, and Kovyrshin.

Back in Russia, Dynamo Moscow welcomes the Sochi Leopards. Konstantin Barulin and Alexander Yeryomenko guard the cages. Moscow drew first blood in the first period with a Martins Karsums goal, coming off of Yegor Dugin and Maxim Karpov. Sochi tied it on an Andrei Kostitsyn power play goal, powered by Ilya Gorokhov and Eric O'Dell in the third period. The Leopards took the lead with an O'Dell goal, via Renat Mamashev. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars given to O'Dell, Barulin (24 for 25 in saves), and Kostitsyn.

Finally, Vityaz Podolsk brings in Spartak Moscow. Markus Svensson and Harri Sateri are the masked men. Podolsk struck first in the first period with a Maxim Afinogenov goal, via Alexei Semenov and Alexei Makeyev. Moscow tied it on a Viktor Bobrov goal, passed from Vyacheslav Leshchenko and Nikita Li. Vityaz took the lead back with a Miro Aaltonen goal, helped along by Alexei Kopeikin in the second period on the power play. Podolsk added on with a Makeyev goal, courtesy of Jakub Jerabek. Spartak answered with an Alexei Bondarev goal, made possible by Matthew Gilroy and Konstantin Glazachev. Vityaz replied on another Aaltonen goal, with helpers from Kopeikin and Semenov. Podolsk iced it at 5-2 with a Nikita Vyglazov goal, with a lone assist from Evgeny Katichev. The three stars were Aaltonen, Makeyev, and Semenov, while Kopeikin gets an honorable mention.

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KHL 2016/17 - Day 23

Just four games on today, beginning with...

Salavat Yulaev Ufa hosting Admiral Vladivostok. Nikita Serebryakov and Niklas Svedberg played goal. Ufa started in the first period with an Andreas Engqvist goal, passed from Konstantin Korneyev and Linus Omark. Salavat Yulaev added on with an Omark power play goal, powered by Denis Kulyash in the second period. Ufa extended the lead as Evgeny Bodrov scored, thanks to Enver Lisin and Alexander Loginov. Salavat Yulaev padded the lead with a Lisin goal, with a lone assist by Maxim Goncharov on the power play. Vladivostok got on the board with a third period Dmitry Lugin power play goal, helped along by Vladimir Tkachyov and Robert Sabolic. Admiral pulled closer on a Sergei Barbashev goal, made possible by Alexander Gorshkov and Oskars Bartulis. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars going to Lisin, Omark, and Bodrov.

Along to Yekaterinburg, where Avtomobilist welcomes Barys Astana. Henrik Karlsson and Igor Ustinsky man the nets. Yekaterinburg began in the first period with an unassisted Petr Koukal power play goal. Avtomobilist added on in the second period with a Nikolai Timashov goal, passed from Alexei Simakov and Denis Mingaleyev. Astana got on the board in the third period with a Brandon Bochenski goal, assisted by Ivan Kuchin. Barys tied it on an Ilya Lobanov goal, via Maxim Khudyakov and Nursultan Belgibayev. In the shootout, goals from Dmitry Monya and Koukal gave Avtomobilist the 3-2 win over Nigel Dawes and Barys. The three stars were Koukal, Timashov, and Karlsson (50 for 52 in saves).

Next up, Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk brings in Metallurg Novokuznetsk. Andrei Kareyev and Vladislav Fokin are in the blue paint. Khanty-Mansiysk got going in the second period on an Alexander Ugolnikov goal, passed from Pavel Medvedev and Denis Gorbunov. This was the only goal in the game, and the three stars of the Ugra win were Ugolnikov, Fokin (21 save shutout), and Kareyev (21 for 22 in saves).

Finally, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk hosts Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Anton Krasotkin is mismatched with Ivan Lisutin in goal. Yaroslavl struck first in the first period with a shorthanded Petri Kontiola goal, set up by Vladislav Gavrikov and Maxime Talbot. Nizhnekamsk tied it in the third period with an Alexander Kitarov goal, fueled by Nikita Dvurechensky. Neftekhimik took the lead on a Dmitry Makarov goal, made possible by Sergei Konkov and Denis Kuzmin. This made it 2-1, the final, with the three stars going to Makarov, Kitarov, and Lisutin (35 for 36 in saves).

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KHL 2016/17 - Day 22

Five games dot the schedule today, beginning in...

Novosibirsk, with Sibir hosting Slovan Bratislava. Barry Brust and Alexander Salak draw the starts in goal. Novosibirsk started in the first period with a Joonas Kemppainen goal, with a lone assist by Konstantin Okulov. Bratislava tied it on a Tomas Zigo goal, fueled by Tomas Kubalik. Sibir retook the lead on a Maxim Shalunov goal, going in unassisted. Slovan retied it with another Zigo goal, made possible by Patrik Bacik. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Okulov's two goals topped one from Ziga Jeglic for a 3-2 Sibir win. The three stars were Okulov, Zigo, and Shalunov.

To the west, Avangard Omsk welcomes Medvescak Zagreb. Danny Taylor and Dominik Furch are the masked men. Omsk began in the first period with an Alexander Perezhogin goal, via Derek Roy. Zagreb tied it on an Edwin Hedberg goal, passed from Alexandre Bolduc. Avangard took the lead back with a second period goal from Roy, going in unassisted. Omsk added on with an Ilya Mikheyev goal, assisted by Erik Gustafsson and Denis Parshin in the third period. Avangard extended the lead as Alexei Glukhov scored, thanks to Andrei Kuteikin and Valentin Pyanov. This produced the 4-1 win, with the three stars given to Roy, Furch (26 for 27 in saves), and Mikheyev.

Next up, Metallurg Magnitogorsk hosts Dinamo Minsk. Ben Scrivens and Vasily Koshechkin protect the nets. Minsk led off in the first period with an Alexander Pavlovich goal, assisted by Evgeny Lisovets. Dinamo added on with a second period goal from Alexander Materukhin, passed from Matt Ellison and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Magnitogorsk got on the board with a power play goal by Wojtek Wolski, powered by Sergei Mozyakin and Jan Kovar. Minsk replied on an Andrei Stepanov goal, guided in by Gragnani and Sergei Kostitsyn. Metallurg chipped back with a Denis Kazionov goal, coming off of Sergei Tereshchenko. Magnitogorsk tied it with a Mozyakin goal, helped along by Chris Lee and Kovar. Metallurg took the lead with a Tereshchenko goal, with helpers from Viktor Antipin and Dmitry Kazionov. Magnitogorsk extended the lead as Vladislav Kaletnik scored, with the help of Denis Platonov and Oskar Osala. Dinamo got one back with an Evgeny Kovyrshin goal, with a lone helper from Ilya Shinkevich. The final stood at 5-4, with the three stars being Mozyakin, Tereshchenko, and Gragnani, while Kovar gets an honorable mention.

Out to St. Petersburg, where SKA brings in Severstal Cherepovets. Roman Smiryagin and Igor Shestyorkin are the little known goalies. St. Petersburg opened in the first period with an Ilya Kovalchuk goal, assisted by Viktor Tikhonov and Sergei Plotnikov. SKA added on with a Roman Rukavishnikov goal, via Nikita Gusev. St. Petersburg extended the lead in the second period as Alexander Barabanov scored, thanks to Andrei Zubarev and Sergei Shirokov. SKA padded the lead with a Vyacheslav Voynov power play goal, powered by Gusev and Plotnikov in the third period. The final stood at 4-0, with the three stars belonging to Shestyorkin (26 save shutout), Gusev, and Plotnikov.

Finally, Dinamo Riga hosts Jokerit Helsinki. Riku Helenius and Jakub Sedlacek are in the blue paint. Riga got going in the second period with a Lauris Darzins goal, assisted by Tim Sestito. Helsinki tied it in the third period with a Topi Jaakola goal, passed from Sakari Salminen. Jokerit took the lead with an Oliver Lauridsen goal, coming off of Jesper Jensen and Petteri Wirtanen. Helsinki added on with a Mika Niemi goal, made possible by Pekka Jormakka. This produced the 3-1 final, with the three stars going to Helenius (24 for 25 in saves), Lauridsen, and Niemi.

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KHL 2016/17 - Day 21

It's another day of six games, beginning with...

Traktor Chelyabinsk hosting Dinamo Minsk. Ben Scrivens and Vasily Demchenko guard the cages. Chelyabinsk got going in the second period on a Paul Szczechura goal, assisted by Maxim Yakutsenya. Minsk tied it on an Evgeny Lisovets goal, passed from Artyom Volkov and Alexander Materukhin. Traktor took the lead back in the third period on another Szczechura goal, courtesy of Alexei Kruchinin. Dinamo tied it again with a Nikita Komarov goal, guided in by Evgeny Kovyrshin and Materukhin. Minsk took the lead on a Rob Klinkhammer goal, made possible by Alexander Kulakov and Kovyrshin. This stood for a 3-2 win, with the three stars going to Szczechura, Kovyrshin, and Materukhin.

Along to Togliatti, with Lada welcoming Vityaz Podolsk. Harri Sateri and Ilya Ezhov are the veterans in goal. Togliatti opened in the first period with an Alexander Bumagin goal, passed from Gleb Koryagin. Lada added on with a Semyon Valuisky goal in the second period, coming off of Yefim Gurkin. Togliatti extended the lead as Georgy Belousov scored, thanks to Anton Shenfeld. This produced the 3-0 final, with the three stars handed to Bumagin, Valuisky, and Belousov.

Next up, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk brings in Amur Khabarovsk. Juha Metsola and Ville Kolppanen are the masked men. Nizhnekamsk started in the first period with a Richard Gynge power play goal, powered by Igor Polygalov and Evgeny Ryasensky. Khabarovsk tied it on a Vitaly Atyushov goal, courtesy of Vyacheslav Litovchenko and Danil Romantsev in the third period. The tie went to a shootout, where Sergei Konkov's pair of goals and one more from Gynge lifted Neftekhimik to a 2-1 win over Teemu Ramstedt and Vladislav Ushenin of Amur. The three stars were Gynge, Konkov, and Kolppanen (43 for 44 in saves).

South to Sochi, where the Leopards host Kunlun Red Star Beijing. Andrei Makarov and Konstantin Barulin are in the blue paint. Sochi led off in the first period with an Alexander Delnov goal, assisted by Pavel Padakin and Mikhail Mamkin. Beijing tied it on a power play goal by Chad Rau, powered by Max Warn and Miika Lahti. The Leopards retook the lead on an Ilya Krikunov power play goal in the second period, with assists from Andrei Kostitsyn and Oscar Fantenberg. Sochi added on with an Ivan Zakharchuk goal, with a lone assist by Ruslan Pedan. This stood for a 3-1 win, with the three stars going to Barulin (33 for 34 in saves), Krikunov, and Zakharchuk.

Back north, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod welcomes Admiral Vladivostok. Ivan Nalimov and Ilya Proskuryakov are between the pipes. Nizhny Novgorod began in the first period with a Maxim Potapov power play goal, powered by Kirill Rasskazov. Vladivostok tied it on a Robert Sabolic goal, guided in by Vladimir Tkachyov and Jonathon Blum on the power play. Torpedo took the lead back with a Carter Ashton goal, fueled by Nikolai Zherdev. Admiral tied it again with another Sabolic goal, with a lone assist from Tkachyov. The tie lasted to a shootout, where Rasskazov was topped by Tkachyov and Andrei Sigaryov for a 3-2 Admiral win. The three stars belonged to Sabolic, Tkachyov, and Rasskazov.

Finally, Ak Bars Kazan brings in Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Alexei Murygin and Emil Garipov tend the twines. Yaroslavl struck first in the first period with an Andrei Loktionov goal, assisted by Yegor Averin. Lokomotiv added on with a Petri Kontiola goal in the third period, made possible by Brandon Kozun and Rushan Rafikov. The final stayed at 2-0, with the three stars going to Murygin (27 save shutout), Loktionov, and Kontiola.

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NWSL Week 19

It's the second to last batch of games for the season, and the conclusion of the hardest part of the season. There's still plenty to be determined, but none of it in Saturday's lone game, featuring...

The Orlando Pride hosting Sky Blue in one of three return matches from Wednesday. Caroline Casey and Ashlyn Harris protect the nets. Here's the game. Lisa de Vanna of Orlando had the first cross of the game, after Alex Morgan and Sarah Hagen got it deep in Sky Blue territory. Casey handled the cross without trouble. de Vanna did work to get in the box and pass around Sky Blue's Christie Rampone in the fifth minute, setting Jasmyne Spencer up for a high shot. In the seventh minute, Kaylyn Kyle went long for Spencer, whose cross deflected off of Rampone to give the Pride a corner kick. Kristen Edmonds served it in for Orlando, going for Monica, but Erica Skroski cleared it away for Sky Blue. de Vanna had a cross that fell to Dani Weatherholt, and her header was just long for Morgan, as Casey grabbed it up. Weatherholt and Morgan connected in the ninth minute, but Morgan lost control under pressure from Kristin Grubka of Sky Blue. Hagen tried to turn a de Vanna pass onto Morgan in the tenth minute, but the through ball was too strong. Sky Blue went long from Raquel Rodriguez to Maya Hayes in the eleventh minute, and her cross was blocked by Monica. Sky Blue's corner kick came from Kelley O'Hara, finding Rodriguez, but Spencer stole it away. In the twelfth minute, a Sam Kerr pass for Natasha Kai caught the Sky Blue forward offside. Rampone broke up a de Vanna pass for Spencer. Erin Simon of Sky Blue won a foul call against Josee Belanger, giving Sky Blue a good free kick in the fifteenth minute. O'Hara served it for Hayes, but Weatherholt headed it away for Orlando. Kyle fouled Kerr in the sixteenth minute, with Killion taking the free kick that went straight to Pride keeper Harris. Hayes and O'Hara had seventeenth minute crosses, but neither found a Sky Blue teammate and Orlando managed to clear. Edmonds took a twentieth minute free kick that Hagen headed down to de Vanna, who fired it on goal, where Casey saved it for Sky Blue. O'Hara made a nifty header to get around Kyle, but her pass was pounded out by Cami Levin of the Pride in the twenty-third minute. In the twenty-fourth minute, Morgan flicked a ball to Hagen, but Casey covered it first. Monica intercepted a free kick from Killion to O'Hara up the middle in the twenty-eighth minute as play has lulled recently. Kerr rifled a shot wide left in the twenty-eighth minute as Sky Blue regrouped their attack. Rampone headed a Morgan cross out for an Orlando corner kick in the thirty-first minute. Edmonds teed it up, going for Monica, who headed it over the goal. Kyle blocked a cross from Hayes in the thirty-second minute. Kerr looped a thirty-third minute cross out of bounds for Sky Blue. Hayes got behind the defense in the thirty-fourth minute, but her cross was cleared by Levin. It fell to Kai, and then Kerr passed it to O'Hara, who sent it wide right. Belanger went down hurt on the play, and had to come off, with Toni Pressley subbed in to replace her. Levin won a corner kick in the thirty-ninth minute for Orlando. Edmonds took it for Monica again, but Kai cleared it as far as Pressley, good enough to relieve the pressure for Sky Blue. Killion's forty-second minute free kick for Sky Blue went to Monica, who headed it out to Hayes, and her shot was caught by Harris. On the Orlando counterattack, Morgan drew a central free kick outside of the penalty area. Edmonds took it and buried it in the forty-third minute, going top right corner to make it 1-0 Pride. Kerr had a cross in the forty-fourth minute, which Kyle poked away. Kyle sent a long ball for Hagen in the forty-fifth minute, which Casey handled for Sky Blue. Pressley took a stoppage time free kick for Morgan, which came up a little short and Sky Blue carried it out. The game went into halftime at 1-0. The top Sky Blue players have been GK Casey, CB Rampone, DM Killion, LW Kerr, RW Hayes, and LF Kai, while the Pride's best efforts have come from outside back Levin, CBs Kyle and Monica, DMs Edmonds and Weatherholt, LW de Vanna, LF Morgan, and RF Hagen. Kerr, O'Hara, and Rodriguez made a sequence of passes in the forty-seventh minute, but couldn't produce a shot against the compact Pride defense. Kai had a shot around Kyle that Harris bobbled before grabbing. Kerr went through three players and then between two more in the forty-eighth minute, going one-on-one and beating Harris to tie it at 1 for Sky Blue after an impressive individual effort. Grubka of Sky Blue took a yellow card for a fiftieth minute foul on Hagen just outside the box. Orlando's free kick came from Pressley, going well over the target. Spencer and Morgan worked give-and-go for a fifty-third minute cross that Casey had no trouble guarding against for Sky Blue. Sky Blue made a huge counterattack in quick order, with Hayes getting behind Levin and Kyle. Harris saved the first shot but Hayes poked it free and scored to make it 2-1 for Sky Blue. Kai and Kyle had a one-on-one situation, but Kai lost the ball and then fouled Kyle to waste the fifty-fourth minute chance for Sky Blue. Killion sent a fifty-seventh minute long ball for Kerr, who made her way into the box but got too wide and shot wide left. Rampone out ran Hagen on a fifty-ninth minute long ball from Morgan. Killion had a free kick in the sixty-second minute, which Kai flicked straight at Harris. Rodriguez cleared a ball in the sixty-sixth minute after Edmonds went long for Morgan, but Hagen couldn't settle it. Pressley put a sixty-eighth minute free kick from deep on goal, saved by Casey. Simon of Sky Blue had a sixty-ninth minute cross right at Harris. In the seventieth minute, Pressley took a yellow card for a foul on Hayes. O'Hara had a good cross in the seventy-sixth minute, which Kerr headed onto goal and Harris punched out for a Sky Blue corner kick. O'Hara found Kerr again on the set piece, but she sent it wide left. Skroski cleared a seventy-ninth minute Edmonds free kick. Monica had a shot after Spencer got tripped by Killion in the eighty-first minute, but the shot was too high. Edmonds took an eighty-third minute free kick that Pressley headed wide left. Grubka headed a Levin cross away in the eighty-fourth minute as Sky Blue takes a defensive stance. Edmonds took an eighty-seventh minute shot wide right as the Pride continue to possess well. Monica sent a ball forward in the eighty-eighth minute that Spencer and Morgan both whiffed on, allowing the Sky Blue defense to clear. Coco Goodson of Sky Blue cleared a Levin cross out for a corner kick. Edmonds served it in, but Casey punched it, and Rampone got hit as she kept Spencer away from it in the ninetieth minute. Morgan had the cross after a lot of Orlando passes, finding Laura Alleway, whose header went a bit high over goal in stoppage time. O'Hara won a corner kick off of Pressley as Sky Blue looks to kill the clock. Kyle's long ball bounced over Hagen and into the hands of Casey. Kyle tried again, but Goodson's header ended the game with a 2-1 Sky Blue win. The Outsider Sports Woman of the Match was Kerr for her spectacular goal to turn the tide in favor of Sky Blue.

For Sunday, we begin with FC Kansas City welcoming the Chicago Red Stars. Alyssa Naeher and Nicole Barnhart tend the nets. The game is at this link. Chicago earned an early corner kick on the far side, with Vanessa DiBernardo serving it in for the far post, but it curled out of bounds. Brittany Taylor earned a third minute corner kick for Kansas City, off of the Red Stars' Casey Short. Julie Johnston of Chicago cleared Heather O'Reilly's service. Sofia Huerta and Arin Gilliland of Chicago helped to shut down the Blues' Alex Arlitt before a crossing opportunity. The Blues earned a corner kick, which O'Reilly took short for Tiffany McCarty, going along to Caroline Kastor, and Taylor had a deflected chance out wide by Red Stars keeper Naeher. O'Reilly's second effort didn't produce a shot. Gilliland went down with an injury, and Sarah Gorden came on in relief of her. Johnston blocked an O'Reilly shot in the tenth minute after a Taylor pass. Short had a pass across goal that Becky Sauerbrunn blocked. This caused chaos in the box, and Walls had another chance blocked. Finally, Huerta headed it wide in the eleventh minute. Christen Press of Chicago put a ball into the box that Barnhart grabbed on one hop. Shea Groom of Kansas City deflected a cross off of the Red Stars' Katie Naughton in the thirteenth minute. O'Reilly took the corner kick to the top of the box, where Kastor laid it off for a long shot from Desiree Scott, who sent it over the bar for the Blues. DiBernardo had a shot blocked by Mandy Laddish after Sauerbrunn flicked up a cross from Stephanie McCaffrey of Chicago. Short's low sixteenth minute cross was picked up by Barnhart before Press got there. Chicago got a twentieth minute corner kick, taken by DiBernardo over all players. In the twenty-first minute, Sauerbrunn cleared a forward ball away from McCaffrey. Yael Averbuch of Kansas City blocked a shot from DiBernardo in the twenty-third minute. DiBernardo did a free kick that led to a corner kick, which she took and sent out of bounds. McCaffrey was subbed out due to Sauerbrunn's tackle causing an injury, and Alyssa Mautz came on for the Red Stars. DiBernardo tried to find Cara Walls in the twenty-seventh minute, but it went too long. Short found Huerta in the box, but Scott cleared it away for the Blues in the twenty-ninth minute. Averbuch had to block a Mautz cross on a break for the Red Stars including Walls and Press. Sauerbrunn then cleared a DiBernardo cross as Chicago starts to assert themselves a bit. Laddish and Scott cleared a thirty-first minute free kick from DiBernardo. Short stole a ball away from Kastor on the Kansas City counterattack. Huerta had a cross through traffic in the thirty-third minute, which Barnhart saw and grabbed. Averbuch and Taylor combined to break up a pair of Red Stars attacks between Short and Mautz. Taylor won a foul going against Short and Danielle Colaprico, giving the Blues a good free kick chance. O'Reilly took this one, which deflected in the box, but Walls cleared it for the Red Stars. Eventually, O'Reilly got a shot after a weak headed clearance, and she shot it over the bar. DiBernardo had a shot go off of Scott in the fortieth minute. Walls headed a DiBernardo free kick in the forty-first minute, but Laddish and Sauerbrunn combined to clear for the Blues. DiBernardo had another free kick go over everyone. Arlitt blocked a couple of crossing chances from the Red Stars in the forty-third minute. Scott intercepted a Walls pass as the Blues look to get out of the half without any trouble. McCarty managed a shot through traffic in stoppage time, but she sent it over the goal as Johnston cut the angle. The game went into halftime at 0-0. The Red Stars top performances belong to CB Johnston, LB Short, DM DiBernardo, RW Huerta, LW Walls, and LF Press. For the Blues, the best efforts have come from GK Barnhart, CB Sauerbrunn, RB Taylor, DM Scott, ACM O'Reilly, and LW McCarty. O'Reilly had a forty-sixth minute free kick go too long and into the hands of Naeher. Gorden's cross was too high for Mautz in the forty-ninth minute as the Red Stars have mostly come out as strong as they left. Taylor's cross got away from Groom and was cleared by Johnston in the fiftieth minute. Colaprico blocked a Groom shot, and then Arlitt's cross went straight to Naeher. Huerta tried a through ball for Walls, but it was heavy and Barnhart had it. Johnston knocked Kastor down just outside the box, but no free kick was given in the fifty-fourth minute. Lo'eau LaBonta came on for the Blues to replace Kastor. Taylor made a run forward in the fifty-sixth minute, which DiBernardo defended effectively. O'Reilly cut into the box and then left a pass for Groom, who dummied along to McCarty, and her shot for Kansas City went wide right and high. Johnston and Short cleared a McCarty cross in the fifty-ninth minute. Averbuch blocked out a Walls shooting attempt, surrendering a corner kick to the Red Stars. DiBernardo served it in, but Groom knocked it away. Naughton poked a ball away from Groom in the sixty-fourth minute to halt a Blues attack. Naughton also blocked an O'Reilly shot in the sixty-fifth minute. Arlitt won a corner kick shortly after. O'Reilly put it in, but Naeher was first to it. O'Reilly's long ball went over Kansas City sub Fran Silva, and Naeher covered it. Colaprico finally cleared a seventy-second minute Blues attack featuring heavily with O'Reilly and Groom. Johnston broke up Silva's run into the box and the Red Stars ultimately cleared in the seventy-sixth minute after a threatening cross from Taylor nearly led to a good chance. Laddish set up LaBonta for a shot that went wide left in the seventy-seventh minute. O'Reilly won a corner kick off of Short in the eightieth minute. O'Reilly put it in for Silva, but Naeher grabbed it away. O'Reilly had a cross settled by Groom, and then Laddish and Silva had touches before LaBonta shot wide right. Bowen had a cross for Groom, which Naughton shielded her away from to allow Naeher to pick it up in the eighty-third minute. In the eighty-fifth minute, Groom had a shot blocked by Johnston. The Blues appear more interested in going for the win. O'Reilly's eighty-seventh minute deflected off of Short and straight at Naeher. Groom crossed to Bowen in the eighty-ninth minute, but Johnston blocked it, and Laddish had her second try shot blocked as well. LaBonta cracked a ninetieth minute shot on goal that Naeher saved. O'Reilly sent a cross into the box in stoppage time, falling to Groom, who never got a shot against Short. Silva put in a cross after Taylor worked the end line, and Naeher caught it, ending the game at 0-0. The Red Stars clinched their playoff spot on the back of the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match, GK Naeher, who survived a barrage of chances in the second half to maintain the critical draw. Impressing in the second half were the subs for the Blues, Silva and LaBonta.

Next up, the Houston Dash host the Boston Breakers. Jami Kranich and Lydia Williams are in the six-yard boxes. Find the game here. Cari Roccaro of Houston kept a ball away from Natasha Dowie of Boston, but a second effort in the second minute saw Kyah Simon find Eunice Beckmann for a shit just wide. In the fifth minute, Andressa sent a ball forward for Carli Lloyd in a Dash attack, but it was too long, and the Breakers' keeper Kranich grabbed it. Andressa had a shot off of Boston's Kassey Kallman, and that earned a corner kick for Houston. Andressa served it in for Cami Privett, who headed it wide left in the sixth minute, going against Kallman for the ball. Kealia Ohai had a low cross in the seventh minute, but Kranich made the grab. Ohai had an eighth minute shot saved by Kranich, coming after the Breakers had miscommunication at the top of their box defensively. The Breakers' ninth minute free kick from Louise Schillgard went for Simon, but the Dash were able to eventually clear. Lloyd fired a shot on the Houston counterattack after Kylie Strom slowed her but could not stop the Houston midfielder. Dowie had a tenth minute shot for Boston going wide right. Brooke Elby contained Ohai on a long ball from Lloyd. Poliana set up Lloyd for an eleventh minute shot, which Kranich saved. Ohai sent another in, and Kranich was there once again. Lloyd passed to Janine Beckie in the twelfth minute for a shot, and Beckie sent it low and just wide left of goal. Ohai had a thirteenth minute shot graze the top of the net but too high to count. Lloyd found Morgan Brian in the fifteenth minute, but she couldn't settle it, and Elby took it away for Boston. Strom kept a Brian ball away from Andressa. Denise O'Sullivan found Ohai, but she took a heavy touch and the Breakers' Angela Salem cleared it away in the twentieth minute. Elby gave up a corner kick in the twenty-second minute. Andressa served it for O'Sullivan short, and the shot was blocked by Elby. Lloyd received the next short corner, going for Ohai, who got swarmed while shooting, as the Breakers cleared. Strom surrendered a corner kick to Lloyd and the Dash in the twenty-fourth minute. Andressa put this one in for Lloyd, who headed it over the bar. Lloyd and Ohai tried to give and go, but the twenty-fifth minute attack ended with clearance from Rachel Wood of Boston. Lloyd found Beckie in the twenty-sixth minute on a run, who navigated into the box unchallenged and put one into the far side behind Kranich to make it 1-0 Dash. Beckie pulled a nutmeg on the shot against Kranich. Beckie had a twenty-eighth minute cross go over Ohai and O'Sullivan, and cleared by Simon of the Breakers. Ohai had a thirtieth minute cross just a bit too long for Lloyd to get a foot on. Privett blocked a ball from Schillgard to Simon. Strom also had a cross in the thirty-first minute, going out of bounds. Andressa's thirty-third minute through ball was just picked out by Kranich before Poliana could get there for Houston. In the thirty-fifth minute, Lloyd and Beckie connected to get Kranich out of position, before Beckie's pass across the goal found Ohai, who had no trouble scoring on an empty net, making it 2-0 for the Dash. Simon had a thirty-seventh minute shot go high and off-target. Dowie fell in the box in the forty-first minute, but it was a clean play from Roccaro and the Dash cleared. The game has slowed since the second goal. Dowie had a forty-second minute shot from distance that forced Williams to palm it aside for a corner kick. Kristie Mewis took the Breakers set piece, and O'Sullivan and Andressa cleared it. Beckmann had a forty-fifth minute shot that Williams saved. Lloyd set up Beckie for a shot in stoppage time that went over the bar. Dowie replied with a wide left shot for Boston. Kallman cleared an Andressa cross to end the half. Houston leads 2-0 at the half. The Breakers' best players have been LB Elby, CB Kallman, LW Simon, and RF Dowie, while the Dash's top efforts have come from GK Williams, CB Privett, RW Andressa, ACM Lloyd, LW O'Sullivan, RF Beckie, and LF Ohai. Beckmann and Schillgard combined for a try, which Beckmann sent high over the bar. Dowie sent a forty-eighth minute shot high and wide as the Breakers come out strong. Poliana put a cross in for O'Sullivan, but Wood cleared it for Boston in the fiftieth minute. Ohai had a fifty-third minute run resulting in a heavy touch, and she lost control. Andressa received a yellow card in the fifty-fifth minute for her foul on Salem. Simon cleared a Lloyd cross in the fifty-eighth minute. Ohai set up Lloyd in the box for a shot in the sixtieth minute, cleared by Wood on the errant shot. In the sixty-second minute, Ohai passed to Lloyd again, and Kranich made the save on this shot. O'Sullivan got Lloyd behind the defense and around Williams, but Kallman cleaned up the low cross. Strom surrendered a corner kick by working against Poliana to poke it away. Andressa's sixty-third minute service went to Brian, who headed it toward goal, but Simon and Dowie cleared it. Elby and Salem cleared another Andressa cross. Brian went out hurt, and Amber Brooks subbed in to replace her. Beckie had a cross in to Lloyd in the sixty-eighth minute, but Lloyd was called offside to nullify the play. Ohai won a corner kick for the Dash off of Elby in the sixty-ninth minute. Andressa went for Ohai, who had a shot blocked by Dowie, and then Brooks' shot was blocked by Elby for another corner kick. Andressa took the seventieth minute set piece, which Kranich punched away. Strom blocked away an Ohai cross in the seventy-third minute. Katie Schoepfer of Boston made an instant impact with a cross in toward Mewis, who fell in the box against Poliana in the seventy-fifth minute. Mewis ripped a shot off the post in the seventy-sixth minute, which fell to Roccaro, and she struggled with it, allowing Boston's Elise Krieghoff to make the steal and score the goal to cut the score to 2-1. In the seventy-eighth minute, Andressa went wide for Ohai, who brought it back in and set Lloyd up for a rocket shot to the top right corner to make it 3-1 for Houston. Lloyd wasn't done, firing on goal in the seventy-ninth minute straight from the kickoff, but Kranich saved this low shot. Andressa went over the top for Ohai, who couldn't shoot in the eightieth minute, so she dropped to O'Sullivan, who sent it wide left. At the eighty minute mark, Wood fouled O'Sullivan in the box, giving the Dash a penalty kick. Lloyd stepped up and fired this one to the right side of the net to make it 4-1. Ohai set up Lloyd in the eighty-third minute, which Kranich just got a hand on. Stephanie Ochs sent it back in, and Lloyd headed it off-target. Andressa put an eighty-fifth minute cross in that caught Poliana just a bit offside. Krieghoff couldn't get on a ball from Simon, as Privett headed it into the hands of Williams. Roccaro cleared an eighty-seventh minute cross from Simon to give the Breakers a corner kick. Mewis took the corner kick, and Salem's deflected cross was grabbed by Williams. Lloyd had an eighty-eighth minute shot get deflected wide right for a Dash corner kick. Andressa took this one for Brooks, which Elby blocked and cleared after the shot attempt. Mewis took a free kick that Williams caught. Kranich made a big save on an Ohai shot, with the rebound falling to Lloyd, who shot wide left. Elby stole an Andressa pass for O'Sullivan. The game ended at 4-1, with Lloyd the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match. The Breakers saw good second half efforts from the sub Krieghoff and DM Salem.

To the northwest, the Portland Thorns FC bring in the Western New York Flash. Sabrina D'Angelo and Michelle Betos protect the nets. Here's the link of the Fox Sports 1 broadcast of the game. In the third minute, Samathna Mewis of Western New York had a shot blocked by Portland's Emily Menges. Mewis flicked on a header from Jessica McDonald's throw-in that Emily Sonnett blocked, and then McDonald had a cross for Lynn Williams as the Flash had a huge stretch of attacking soccer. Betos made the save on Williams for the Thorns. In the sixth minute, Abby Dahlkemper of Western New York put a free kick in that Meghan Klingenberg cleared for the Thorns. McCall Zerboni had a second effort for the Flash that Betos covered up. Williams had a seventh minute shot over the bar. Makenzy Doniak sent a ball in for McDonald in the eighth minute, but Betos made the grab in time. Mewis had a tenth minute shot wide right for Western New York, on a counterattack after Nadim Nadim couldn't get a shot off from Katherine Reynolds' throw-in for the Thorns. The Flash's Elizabeth Eddy cleared away an Amandine Henry cross for Tobin Heath in the eleventh minute in Portland's most organized attack so far. Williams had a cross blocked by Klingenberg in the thirteenth minute, and then a weak shot that Betos handled. In the fifteenth minute, McDonald blocked a clearing attempt by Sonnett, and then crossed in for Williams, but Betos dove to catch it. In the sixteenth minute, Heath had a free kick that Henry sent wide right with her header for Portland. Klingenberg's eighteenth minute long ball caught Nadim offside to end a spell of Thorns possession. Zerboni won a corner kick for the Flash off of Zerboni. Dahlkemper took the set piece in the nineteenth minute for Williams, but Christine Sinclair cleared it away for Portland. Eddy and Zerboni each had crosses that got jumbled in the box, with Allie Long finally giving the Thorns control enough to clear it away in the twentieth minute. Zerboni and Williams both got shut down after an Eddy cross in the twenty-first minute, eventually earning the Flash a corner kick. Dahlkemper tried for McDonald on this one, but Lindsey Horan cleared for the Thorns. McDonald had a twenty-third minute cross that ended up on top of the net for Western New York. Eddy went for Williams on a twenty-fifth minute cross, followed by Hinkle for McDonald, which was shut down by the Thorns. Doniak sent a third ball in, but again no shot was produced. In the twenty-sixth minute, Horan sent a ball forward for Nadim, who couldn't quite track it down, but Hinkle and the Flash keeper D'Angelo combined to foul her to give the Thorns a penalty kick. Nadim took it and scored to make it 1-0, going to the left side of the goal with D'Angelo frozen. Hinkle also took a yellow card for her foul. Abby Erceg of Western New York fouled Long in the thirtieth minute, producing a good free kick just outside the box for Portland. Nadim took the set piece, but put it on top of the net just a bit off-target. Heath put in a thirty-third minute ball that bounced once and D'Angelo grabbed it with no Thorns hovering around. Henry intercepted a McDonald pass for Williams on the Flash counterattack. Menges blocked a thirty-fifth minute Zerboni cross intended for McDonald. Erceg had a header on a McDonald throw in the thirty-sixth minute, which Reynolds cleared for the Thorns. Portland made a quick counterattack in the thirty-seventh minute, with Nadim crossing the ball in. Eddy poked it out, but Sinclair pounced on it and shot it off the left post and in for a 2-0 Portland lead. It took Mewis giving up a throw-in in the thirty-ninth minute after Nadim embarrassed Hinkle and Alanna Kennedy on the wing. Nadim's forty-first minute pass for Heath caught her offside to end a Thorns possession. Henry's foul on Mewis gave the Flash a good free kick chance in the forty-third minute. Horan cleared Dahlkemper's free kick away. Sinclair's forty-fourth minute cross just went over Nadim's head. Heath took a low shot on the second effort for the Thorns, which D'Angelo saved. Menges blocked a Doniak cross in stoppage time. Doniak won a corner kick off of Klingenberg for Western New York. Dahlkemper took it centrally, and Betos caught it, ending the half with a 2-0 Thorns lead. Impressing for the Flash are the CB Dahlkemper, RB Eddy, DM Mewis, LW Zerboni, LF Williams, and RF McDonald. For the Thorns, the top efforts came from GK Betos, RB Reynolds, CB Sonnett, LB Klingenberg, DM Henry, RW Nadim, ACM Horan, and striker Sinclair. Long produced a shot in the forty-eighth minute after Heath cleaned up Reynolds' long cross, stringing passes together before the attempt. Mewis found Williams for a forty-ninth minute shot that went just wide left. Kennedy dropped Horan to the turf in the fiftieth minute, disrupting a Portland counterattack stemming from Henry stealing the ball from Erceg and finding Sinclair going forward. Horan made a forward pass to Sinclair in the fifty-second minute, but Dahlkemper stole it away. Henry put a ball in the box that Kennedy headed toward the net, and D'Angelo saved Western New York with a quick grab. Sinclair knocked a ball ahead for Heath in the fifty-fifth minute, forcing D'Angelo to come off her line and stop the Thorns attack. Henry put a fifty-sixth minute ball in the box for Long, but she was offside. Heath received a yellow card for a fifty-seventh minute foul on Eddy. Betos got a ball just ahead of Mewis in the fifty-eighth minute after the free kick. Nadim fired a fifty-ninth minute shot wide left after a switching pass from Long. Hayley Raso of Portland crossed a ball to Heath in the sixty-second minute, winning a corner kick when Eddy knocked it away. Heath served it in, but D'Angelo punched it far away from danger. Horan cleared a McDonald long throw in the sixty-third minute. In the sixty-fifth minute, Williams set up Flash sub Lianne Sanderson for a shot that went wide right and a bit high. Reynolds had a sixty-sixth minute cross into Sinclair, who went two touches and passed to Horan, who shot straight at D'Angelo as the Flash keeper made a huge save. Eddy, Mewis, and then Taylor Smith of Western New York combined for a shot attempt that went wide left. Menges intercepted an Eddy long ball for McDonald in the sixty-ninth minute. Sinclair saw her shot blocked by Erceg on the Thorns counterattack. Portland finally capitalized as Dagny Brynjarsdottir scored on the next foray forward, after passes from Sonnett, Long, Sinclair, and Heath strung the passes together to get back in the attacking third, making it 3-0 Thorns. Smith of the Flash earned a corner kick off of Klingenberg in the seventy-third minute. Dahlkemper went near post, which Long cleared. Eddy's second service was caught by Betos. D'Angelo beat Heath to the ball in the seventy-fourth minute as the Thorns look for more. Sonnett had to clear a seventy-fifth minute cross by Eddy. Henry cleared the next cross from Smith moments later. In the seventy-seventh minute, the Thorns defense finally fell as Eddy crossed to McDonald, who headed it in just under the bar to cut the score to 3-1. Long had a through ball for Dagny in the seventy-ninth minute, but D'Angelo covered it first. In the eightieth minute, Long's pass for Sonnett got intercepted by Williams, who went give-and-go with McDonald, and it was Williams burying the shot from a wide angle to get the Flash within one at a score of 3-2. Eddy had an eighty-second minute shot attempt, and then Sanderson's shot was blocked as well by Henry. Finally, Smith had a cross blocked out of bounds with Henry down in the box. Dagny cleared McDonald's eighty-third minute throw. Sanderson tried to get a ball for Williams in the eighty-fifth minute, but it ran a bit long. McDonald received a pass in the eighty-eighth minute and turned to shoot, but went high and wide left. Heath had an eighty-ninth minute free kick taken for Dagny, but she couldn't get turned in the box and lost it to the Flash. Heath won a corner kick in the ninetieth minute, taken short for Klingenberg as the Thorns attempt to kill the clock. They repeated the process in stoppage time. Heath finally crossed to Dagny, who couldn't quite direct the header on goal, and D'Angelo grabbed it to start the Western New York attack. Smith just kept one away from Raso after Dagny and Heath passes. Sonnett cleared away a Smith through ball. Long won a free kick on a run against Eddy. Late in the added time, Williams fired a shot that Betos had to palm away for a corner kick. Dahlkemper took the kick for D'Angelo, who had come up, but Betos caught it in front of her fellow keeper. The game ended 3-2 for the Thorns, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being Sinclair. Dagny made a good impact in the second half for the Thorns.

Finally, the Seattle Reign FC host the Washington Spirit. Kelsey Wys and Haley Kopmeyer draw the starts in goal. The game is at this link. Seattle's Megan Rapinoe sent a third minute ball forward for Manon Melis behind the defense, which Wys saved as Whitney Church provided pressure for Washington. Most of the game early on has been a quick-changing battle in the midfield. Rumi Utsugi crossed a ball to Rapinoe, which nearly came to Melis, but the Reign forward lost control in the fifth minute. Estelle Johnson made a steal from Melis in the seventh minute. The Spirit's Caprice Dydasco blocked a Rapinoe shot after a long pass from the Reign's Kim Little in the tenth minute. Rapinoe had a shot after Little's pass in the twelfth minute, and Melis flicked it back for a second chance that went wide after an initial save by Wys. Yanez managed a thirteenth minute cross for Utsugi, who shot a bit high. Dydasco did a fifteenth minute free kick for Washington, which fell to Alyssa Kleiner. Jess Fishlock of Seattle cleared as far as the Spirit's Ali Krieger, who shot on goal and was saved by Kopmeyer for the Reign. Merritt Mathias of Seattle blocked a Kleiner cross out for a corner kick for the Spirit. Krieger took this one for Katie Stengel, and then got it back before Lauren Barnes blocked the cross out for a corner kick. Krieger went for longer this time before the ball went from Kendall Fletcher of Seattle centrally to Tori Huster of Washington, whose shot in the seventeenth minute was over the goal. Yanez had an eighteenth minute shot saved by Wys. The Reign's Keelin Winters set up Melis on the wing, and she crossed it in for Yanez, who was way off target with her shot. Stengel won a twentieth minute corner kick off of Fletcher. Krieger went for goal, which Kopmeyer palmed over the bar. Krieger took another one in the twenty-first minute for Johnson, who sent it wide and allowed Seattle to relieve the pressure. Dydasco cleared a dangerous ball from Melis for Rapinoe after Little's initial pass to the top of the box. Melis put a ball in front of Wys in the twenty-fifth minute, with Yanez pressing, but Church and Dydasco were able to stem off the danger from Seattle. Rapinoe switched fields for Melis, who dropped it back to Little, and her shot went high in the twenty-sixth minute. In the twenty-seventh minute, Fishlock found Rapinoe out wide, drawing Wys out of position and placing the ball well enough for Yanez to bury it ahead of the onrushing Johnson, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead. Yanez had a thirtieth minute shot saved Wys from a long distance. Mathias broke up a counterattack with Kleiner for the Spirit, and then cleared a return pass from Fletcher to get the Reign going forward again. Melis put in a thirty-third minute cross on a pass from Litrle, which Wys smothered. In the thirty-fourth minute, Melis gathered a ball and spread a pass out to Utsugi, but she was offside, so her goal was invalid. Barnes broke up a play with Line Sigvardsen Jensen and Huster of Washington in the middle, leading the Reign attack the other way. Johnson blocked a long Melis cross in the thirty-seventh minute. Fishlock had a drop to Melis in the thirty-ninth minute, but her pass to Rapinoe was too strong and high. In the forty-first minute, a Krieger free kick caused a massive chaos in the box right in front of Kopmeyer. Little cleared the first one, but Kleiner put a ball in that Kopmeyer saved, and then Francisca Ordega's return into the box caused five Reign and a couple of Spirit players to fight for the ball before it was cleared. Rapinoe had a cross too strong in the forty-fourth minute. Yanez had a point-blank shot saved by Wys and cleared by Church. Rapinoe put a cross in front of goal in the forty-fifth minute, but Yanez couldn't quite poke it. The game went into halftime at 1-0, with the best players for the Spirit being GK Wys, RB Krieger, LB Dydasco, DM Huster, and CF Stengel. The Reign's best players (long list warning) have been GK Kopmeyer, LB Utsugi, CBs Barnes and Fletcher, DM Fishlock, ACM Little, LF Rapinoe, CF Yanez, and RF Melis. Rapinoe put a cross in the forty-sixth minute that Huster cleared. Fletcher sent a shot over the bar on the second effort for Seattle. Barnes cleared a Krieger cross out in the forty-seventh minute. Christine Nairn, the Washington sub, took the corner kick, and Barnes knocked it out for another corner kick. Nairn switched sides to take this one, and Barnes cleared it away again. Johnson took a high shot on the clearance. Fishlock gave up a corner kick to Ordega in the forty-ninth minute. Nairn served it in, but Yanez cleared this one for the Reign. Melis put a cross in the fifty-second minute for Mathias, who had a shot that Wys knocked out for a corner kick for Seattle. Barnes took the set piece, with Yanez firing a shot after a deflection, but Huster blocked it from goal. Rapinoe ripped a fifty-fifth minute shot on goal for Wys to save. Johnson blocked Rapinoe's fifty-sixth minute cross after Utsugi's forward ball, giving Seattle a corner kick. Rapinoe mishit the shot after Barnes' initial service. Melis looped a fifty-seventh minute cross into Wys' hands. Melis got a shot from outside the box, after Rapinoe's cross was a bit long. Yanez tried a pass for Fishlock to the center of the box in the fifty-ninth minute. Fishlock later got fouled by Huster to create a good chance on a free kick for the Reign. Little took the set piece for goal, but Wys caught it for the save. Washington earned a sixty-second minute corner kick, which Nairn put in and Seattle blocked away. Krieger had a seventy-first minute cross that Kopmeyer caught. Little made a charge on Wys, making her drop the ball but after Little overran her in the seventy-third minute, all on a Nahomi Kawasumi pass for Seattle. Dydasco made an interception on a Rapinoe pass for Utsugi. Little won a corner kick off of Krieger in the seventy-seventh minute. Kawasumi served it in short, where the cross went out of bounds. Mathias won a corner kick off of Dydasco in the seventy-eighth minute. Barnes put this one in short, going to Kawasumi, whose cross found Winters, and she buried it to make it 2-0 for the Reign. Mathias sent in an eighty-first minute cross for Little, who headed it right at Wys. Johnson broke up Little's eighty-second minute pass for Yanez. Barnes blocked two shots from Spirit subs Cheyna Williams and Diana Matheson. Kawasumi saw a shot blocked by Dydasco on the eighty-fourth minute counterattack for the Reign. Krieger's eighty-ninth minute free kick was punched away by Kopmeyer. Ordega had a shot off the bar. Dydasco had another effort, as did Williams, and Kopmeyer finally killed the danger. In the ninetieth minute, Kawasumi had a cross that Utsugi shot wide left on the fly. Little couldn't quite get around Wys in stoppage time on a through ball from Kiersten Dallstream. Krieger went for Ordega, who won a corner kick for Washington. Nairn served it for Dydasco, but Mathias cleared it and Kawasumi finished the clearance. Johnson had a shot on the second effort that was saved off the line but Carson Pickett of the Reign. This ended the game at 2-0, with the Outsider Sports Woman of the Match being Winters.

Outsider Sports NWSL Best XI - Week 19

GK Alyssa Naeher
RB Elizabeth Eddy
CB Emily Sonnett
CB Lauren Barnes
LB Cami Levin
DCM Keelin Winters
RW Carli Lloyd
LW Sam Kerr
RF Janine Beckie
CF Christine Sinclair
LF Kealia Ohai