Tag: NC Courage

The Deep Dive: 5 Things Every NWSL Fan Should Do This Season

Posted on by RJ Allen

Congratulations, women’s soccer fans! We made it! The season has officially begun and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. No longer will we have to go through NWSL withdrawals. No longer will we have to mark down the days on our calendars. No longer will we have to wonder if the schedule will be released. Because it’s here, and there are so many things to look forward to this season. So let’s take a deep dive, and explore five ways we all can make the most out of this season:

  1. Watch With The Enemy

This season I challenge everyone to go to an away game for the team that you root for. There is something cathartic about going into the lion’s den and holding your own. It builds character as a fan. You have to hold your own, keep your chin up, and still rep your colors regardless of where you are and who is surrounding you. The players appreciate it, and so will you. Now, I know this is not always financially or geographically possible for a lot of fans, so the next best alternative is to watch from home with a supporter of the other team. It’s not equivalent, but will give you some of the same feeling.

  1. Buy Some Swag

One of the best ways to support your team, and the NWSL, while also getting pumped for this upcoming season, is to buy some new team gear. There are some phenomenal new products out there. Whether it is the latest Seattle Reign jersey, or the fresh Sky Blue FC snapback, there is something out there for every fan. It also automatically helps you pick out your weekend outfits for the next seven months. Win/Win.

  1. Invite A Friend

You know what’s great? Watching soccer with a buddy. You know what can be even better? Watching soccer with a friend who isn’t already a fan. That friend will also end up having a kick-ass time being part of the experience. They might come away a die-hard Chicago Red Stars fan and get you fly across the country next season for a game (I may or may not be speaking from experience). In any case, not only does it help grow the women’s soccer fan community, but it also makes you appreciate the game just a little bit more—that non-fan friend will point something out that you’ve taken for granted for years. Don’t be a fan snob. Accept the newbie. Love the newbie. Cherish the newbie.

  1. Watch A Game With No Stakes

So often we get wrapped up in only watching our favorite team play, or we watch another match to see how it could potentially impact our team’s standing. All that is fine, and generally leads to exciting, edge-of-your-seat moments. But watching a match that you have absolutely no stake in can really bring you back in touch what it is that you love about the game itself—not who you love in it. This leads to more intelligent debates between fans, newfound appreciation for lesser-known players, and a more intense focus on techniques and skill sets. All of that might actually be useful when it comes back around to evaluating your own team and their chances against these opponents in the future. But even if there’s no utility, you can just have some fun with the game itself.

  1. Shout It Out

Here in America, not everyone is a soccer fan. I get it. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be a loud, vivacious, attractive nuisance of a minority, right? So shout it out. Let the world hear about your love of the game and your team. Talk to people about how much you appreciate Jess Fishlock’s attack, or how great the Utah Royals are going to be this year. My new boss has never watched a soccer match in his life, but after only two months of having me as an employee he sure-as-shit knows who Sam Kerr is. Why? Because I make sure that everyone knows about it when I get excited for this game. Word of mouth is how we help to keep this league and this sport growing—by showing it to the world loudly, and with purpose.

There are plenty of ways that you can go all out this NWSL season. These are just five. But no matter what, make sure you tune in, watch, and share. It’s too good not to.

The North Carolina Courage: The Junkyard Dogs are Back

Posted on by RJ Allen

Last year’s shield winners and NWSL championship runners-up, the North Carolina Courage open the season at home against the Portland Thorns on March 24th. Rarely the underdog, the Courage will embrace a Junkyard Dog mentality from whistle to whistle all season long. Voted by the league general managers and NWSL media association to finish at the top of the table, look for the Courage to show up. 

Head Coach: Paul Riley

2017 record: 16-7-1, first in the league

Projected Starting XI: Considering she started the majority of the games in 2017 following an injury to Sabrina D’Angelo, Katelyn Rowland will likely start in goal. However, the fact that D’Angelo is still with the Courage and fighting for that starting spot means they may take turns at the keeper position until the strongest battle-tested keeper emerges. Look for alternating starts early.

Losing Taylor Smith in the trade to Washington was a tough blow to the Courage’s defensive chemistry. However, the acquisition of Allysha Chapman and Julie King from Boston is likely to fill that defensive space with experience. Paul Riley started a four-woman backline for nearly all of 2017, so look to see USWNT defender Abby Dahlkemper and New Zealand international, Abby Erceg hold it down in the center back positions. Per usual, Jaelene Hinkle will likely start out wide on either side.

The midfield is where the Courage earn their Junkyard Dogs nickname. Battling for possession with the best of them, you’ll find future USWNT captain Sam Mewis alongside seasoned veteran McCall Zerboni. Adding to the midfield on the attack, I predict Brazilian number ten Debinha to get the opening-day starting nod, while Kristen Hamilton will return from an injury sustained in the 2017 NWSL championship to avenge the loss to Portland.

Finally, as Riley likes to start a powerful pair up top, Lynn Williams will surely show off her speed in a starting role, and Crystal Dunn, acquired in the aforementioned trade with Washington, will bring her 2015 NWSL Golden Boot power from Chelsea to Cary, where she and Williams will develop the kind of chemistry necessary to make the USWNT successful in the 2019 Women’s World Cup.

Player you should know: Sam Mewis. Mewis was only one of two USWNT players to start every single national team match in 2017. Keep your eye on her for her competitive drive and ability to take quality shots on goal. Following the loss to Portland in the NWSL final, an on-camera interview with Mewis showed her determination and desire to get back on the field. Keep an eye on her fire this season.

Under the radar: If you’re not yet familiar with midfielder McCall Zerboni, allow me to make an introduction. In 2017, Zerboni started 25 games and scored three goals. Her voice on the field is audible throughout WakeMed Soccer Park at any given moment, showing her leadership at every turn. Her NWSL play did not go unnoticed, as she was voted to the league’s Best XI and earned her very first USWNT call up on October 22, where she got her first cap in front of a hometown crowd.

Biggest offseason acquisition: Without a doubt, this is Crystal Dunn. While it hurt to lose Taylor Smith and 2017 Rookie of the Year Ashley Hatch, Dunn will bring a consistent spark to the team that was missed on offense last year.

Biggest rival: Portland. The 2017 NWSL Championship was a knock-down, drag-out, physical fight akin to some pay-per-view fights, but without the financial reward. The Courage suffered a string of unnecessary injuries due to the heightened physicality in that game (here’s looking at you, Tobin Heath) and the pain of the loss will not soon be forgotten. Lucky for the league, this rivalry sets the stage for the first Lifetime Game of the Week of the 2018 season.  

Most memorable moment from 2017: Denise O’Sullivan’s goal in the final moments of the semifinal game vs. Chicago.

Why they’re the team to watch in 2018: There’s something enticing about a team that claims to be the underdog when they rarely are. In North Carolina, the fan base for NWSL soccer is growing, and a team comprised of talented, passionate players is one to watch, for sure.

Predicted finish: First.

Success depends on: The health of the players.

Fun prediction: Crystal Dunn, Carli Lloyd, and Sam Kerr battle it out for the 2018 NWSL Golden Boot.

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 11

Posted on by RJ Allen

Week 11 brought us a double scoop of NWSL action with most teams playing a midweek match on top of all the action from the weekend. There were highlight reel goals, penalty kicks awarded, and referee controversy. That was just the beginning, so let’s buckle in as we offer up our top takeaways of the week.

Alex Morgan Returns But Too Late? – Luis Hernandez

It was the moment most Orlando Pride fans had been waiting for, the return of Alex Morgan from her stint in France. Entering the match against Chicago in the 65th minute, the home crowd roared to life hoping to see the returning hero score in her debut. However, two minutes after she entered the match Christen Press put away what would be the game winner from the spot.

The disjointed Orlando side couldn’t come away with anything on Saturday, once again dropping three points at home. In the presser after the match, Morgan stated, “But, maybe when Chi came in, I didn’t know what we were playing, who was playing what position. Because Camila was the 10 and then I wasn’t sure where she was and I wasn’t sure where Chi was so there was a little bit of confusion. I wish the communication was better. I think we can work on that a lot more.” You can’t fault Tom Sermanni for playing Morgan as soon as she was able, without better incorporating her into the rhythm her teammates have started to create, especially in a week with multiple matches. Needed fresh legs and wanting to see what her fitness level, Sermanni put her in, hoping she could boost the offense.

Certainly, the Pride will be able to work it out and improve. However, it’s the defensive errors which have caused them to drop 13 points so far this year, and each of the top four teams have more than a one-match cushion on Orlando. A trip to the playoffs may soon be out of reach.

Mid-Season Discipline (Is that Another Yellow Card?) – Luis Hernandez

As we reach the halfway point of the season, we tend to start taking a count of how it’s going, who’s leading the pack, how many cards have been issued, that sort of thing. This week actually brought out a high number of yellow cards; there were two matches that saw four yellows thrown on the weekend and one astonishing six yellow card match in the midweek between Portland and Kansas City. Looking at the numbers, the NWSL stats site tells us that 132 yellow cards have been shown so far this season, and on top of that, five red cards. This is out of the 60 matches so far this year. That’s an average of 2.2 yellow cards per match. To put it in perspective, the 2016 season had 174 yellow cards (1.74 yellows/match) with five red cards in the 100 matches. Heck, this was the first season, I even heard of the NWSL disciplinary committee.

It’s hard to find a reason for the steep increase. Has there been a shift in the style of play? Has the league or PRO changed the points of emphasis without putting out a public statement? Has the Lifetime partnership caused this somehow? I don’t believe we’ll figure out the why, but it’s worth keeping in mind as the second half of the season, and the league has no “good behavior” incentive like Major League Soccer.

MVPinoe – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Halfway through the season, it’s time to start talking seriously about this year’s MVP.

With nine goals (four scored in the past week alone), including three successful PKs, and one assist, I don’t think anyone has to look further than the Seattle Reign’s five-season veteran Megan Rapinoe. She’s on-track to take home the Golden Boot this year, and with it, MVP, because the two always seem to go hand-in-hand. (That, I think, is a discussion for another day, however.) But whether Rapinoe ultimately wins the Golden Boot or not (at three goals ahead of the pack, surpassing her would be a challenge but not impossible) if anyone else takes home MVP this year it would be an injustice.

The reason? You really don’t need to look further than her numbers so far this season. Numbers which include far more than just her nine goals.

Rapinoe has been carrying Seattle on her back this year, determined to get back into the playoffs after missing them by a hair last season. Leading the league in goals, but with just one assist, when Seattle hasn’t been able to find the net on their own, Rapinoe has been chasing down every possible chance, creating opportunities when seemingly none exist, and basically, to mix my sports metaphors for a moment, crashing into the boards time and time again. Of her 40 shots so far this year (2nd in the standings), 22 (3rd) have been on goal, giving her a SOG percentage of 55%. If this were baseball, her batting average wouldn’t just be considered good, it’d be considered one of the best in the sport. Christen Press currently has the same SOG percentage, but four fewer goals to her name this season.

With 58 corner kicks, she’s second in the league so far this season, with only Abby Dahlkemper ahead of her, which means that those nine goals don’t come from set-piece opportunities, but the run-of-play. From Rapinoe moving the ball down-field or maneuvering into the right place at the right time to receive a cross and send it home. But maybe the most important stat to consider in her case for 2017 MVP are her PKs. Three of her nine goals this year have come from PKs. Why are PKs to important? Because they’re the “extra-point” or “free throw” of soccer. They’re guaranteed scoring opportunities, and missing them is unacceptable. It happens, yes. And, yes, there’s the added element of the GK, who might jump in the right direction and make a save, but for an experienced, professional soccer player to miss a PK–send it far left or right of the goal, over the crossbar, etc.–is unacceptable. A PK is a just about the easiest chance to score a player can get, and a team needs to be able to rely on their player’s ability to earn that point. Because at the end of the 90’, the game might literally come down to whether they were able to capitalize in that moment or not.

Megan Rapinoe this year has had three opportunities to score a PK for her team.

She has completed each and every one.

When you’re that clutch, you deserve to take home that “Most Valuable Player” trophy at the end of the year.

Houston Dash Undefeated in Kansas City – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

No, really. I’m not joking.

The team that has been on or near the bottom for its three seasons in the NWSL has never lost to the two-time (back to back) NWSL Championship winners, FCKC on the road in Kansas City.

Of the four times the Houston Dash have taken on FCKC at Swope Soccer Stadium (or the Durwood Stadium FCKC played at in 2014), they have never failed to come away with at least a draw, and as of last night, have won (2-1) twice.  Surreal, no?

In 2014, Houston left Kansas City with a 2-2 draw–only their seventh game ever. Lauren Holiday (we miss you) opened the scoring in the 2’ but the young Dash team responded with a goal from Jordan Jackson in the 20’. The first-half ended 2-1 after Erika Tymrak scored in the 36’, but after a halftime break, Tiffany McCarty evened the score in the 78’. And the Houston team took home their first draw in team history. They would end the season in 9th (last) place, but at that moment, 1-5-1 into the season and coming off a four-game losing streak, a draw against the eventual NWSL champions had to feel like the promise of good things to come.

2015 saw another draw between the two teams, 1-1, but the scoreline hides the fact that FCKC didn’t manage to score at all that game. In fact, if not for an own goal from Toni Pressley in the 55’, Carli Lloyd’s goal in the 45’ would have given the Houston Dash the win. The Dash finished 5th that season, and by the time of the away game in Kansas City, they had been doing fairly well, with a 3-4-4 record in the season when they took the field that night. But that night they could have had a win against the 2014 Champions, the same team that would go on to beat Seattle for the second year in a row in the final.

The Dash took home their first road win against FCKC in 2016, just their fourth game of the season. Playing without Amy Rodriguez (pregnancy), Lauren Holiday (retirement), and newcomer Sydney Leroux (pregnancy), FCKC’s season got off to a rough start, and they came into the match against the Dash with two losses and a draw under their belt already. When Houston opened the scoring in the 56’ with a goal from Irish international Denise O’Sullivan, and Chioma Ubogagu gave them a second just 15 minutes later, Kansas City had already lost the game. Despite their valiant efforts, and a late goal from Yael Averbuch in the 87’, they couldn’t pull out a draw against the Dash, who would end up finishing just one position ahead of them at 7th in the final 2016 standings.

And then last night, the Dash pulled out what, at least according to history, isn’t such an improbable win after all, despite the belief of many (including myself). Granted, they were assisted by a second-half yellow card accumulation that sent one of FCKC’s most creative players, Lo’eau LaBonta to the locker room, but the Houston Dash came out determined to turn their season around. Though Kansas City seemed to have the advantage at first, especially after a stoppage time goal from Shea Groom in the first half, a 55’ goal from Rachel Daly and then a 64’ goal from Nichelle Prince as FCKC were struggling to recover themselves after LaBonta’s ejection gave the Dash the win and kept this odd streak alive.

Go Dash, I guess?

Mid-Week Off Comes Back to Hurt Spirit and Courage – Jordan Small

While eight teams spent their Wednesday night playing their second game in four days or less, the North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit were sitting at home. Both teams had the night off and were able to prepare for the weekend matchups that awaited them. However, come Saturday, those two teams found them on the wrong side of the scoresheet.

North Carolina hosted Sky Blue on Saturday afternoon and were featured as July’s first Lifetime Game of the Week. By the 80th minute, neither team had scored, but one team looked to be gassed and ready for the match to be over. The other was racing down the field looking for a goal and the three points. Believe it or not, Sky Blue was the one with more life towards the end of the game. The team that had played three games in six days, two of which were on the road, won on a goal from Sam Kerr in the 84th minute.

Then you have the Washington Spirit. After beating the Portland Thorns at home last Saturday, the Spirit made the short trip up to Boston to take on the Breakers. The Spirit dominated the first half but were unable to finish their chances. Boston pounced on the opportunity in the 72nd minute when Midge Purce put away a goal off of lazy defending from Washington.

Both teams that had off during the week lost on the weekend. Is this just a coincidence? It might be, but to think that having too much time to think about your next opponent isn’t all that crazy to believe. It also could just be that those two teams were outplayed.

The Power of the Backup Goalkeeper – Jordan Small

Three goalkeepers who didn’t come into the season expecting to see much game time have ended up with significant minutes in recent weeks due to injuries to their teams’ starters. For Katelyn Rowland of the North Carolina Courage and Aubrey Bledsoe of the Orlando Pride, these have become long term assignments over the past several weeks. In Boston, Sammy Jo Prudhomme is just three games into her starting career.

Rowland and Bledsoe have won over half of their games since taking over. All three have picked up at least one shutout in their time as the number one. This is the first time for all three as the starter for a significant period of time and they have not disappointed. Each is making the case to be the starter for the foreseeable future which will make it fun down the stretch. Who doesn’t love a little competition?

Those are the takeaways that stood out to us. Did you take something else away from this extra long week of matches? Let us know your thoughts, and come back next week for more takeaways.

Promoting Pride in Courage Country

Posted on by RJ Allen

During the NWSL offseason, when the announcement was made that the Western New York Flash were moving their entire operation to Cary, North Carolina, my wife and I were elated.

Like many, we jumped cannonball-style into women’s soccer mania during the 2015 Women’s World Cup and there was no looking back. That summer we attended our first NWSL game as part of a trip to D.C. A year later, we strategically decided D.C. would be a common sense “half-way” point between North Carolina and Buffalo (where we would be married later in the week), so we could catch our second game.

This time, the Spirit hosted the Orlando Pride, in their first match following the massacre at Pulse. I was struck by the strength and unity of the women’s soccer community during that game, and literally felt the furious fusion between the LGBTQ community and Women’s Soccer. The game that provides a safe space for each of us to enjoy healthy competition also opens its arms to welcome fans from all backgrounds – after all, it welcomed us.

The day of the official NC Courage announcement, season tickets went on sale. Since we live that grad student + graphic designer lifestyle, we opted for budget-friendly seats across from the benches, but right up front so we could witness the up-close and personal athleticism of nearly every national team player over the course of a complete season (side note: injuries have plagued this game plan), while getting to know the members of our very own North Carolina Courage. So far, it’s been a great experience.

After a third of the season, we’re starting to recognize familiar faces in our section. We’re also close enough to other fans to gather from their conversations who they’re excited to see and who they’d rather not see. In these moments we have learned that most fans are just like us – grateful for the opportunity to support an NWSL team locally, and for the type of atmosphere that women’s soccer cultivates. As I mentioned already, this is one that is noticeably welcoming to every type of person, with particular attention paid to the LGBTQ community.

In the final months of the offseason, there was a lot of chatter in women’s soccer world about the revival of a professional women’s soccer team in North Carolina, and how the club would function under House Bill 2, especially since the NCAA had removed all collegiate tournament games from the state and the NBA pulled the All-Star game from Charlotte. To be fair, those sporting events are stand-alone and more easily relocated than a more-or-less permanent franchise. After all, the Carolina Hurricanes hadn’t moved out of the state, nor would anyone expect them to. They have, however, hosted Pride nights – something I have been giddy to experience with the Courage.

Early in the season, the social media hype for the Courage was heightened. So much so that they got in a bit over their heads when their first gif tweet at the other NWSL teams declared “We are the champions” and garnered unexpected reactions like “No,” or “actually… the Flash?”

They eventually found their groove, though, and within that groove were the early and frequent promotions for North Carolina Football Club Pride Week events and the mid-June Pride game to be played against the Boston Breakers. Even better, a percentage of ticket sales for the Pride games are being donated to Equality NC, an organization that fights for equal rights and has stood at the forefront of the fight against HB2. Even today, they are still fighting against the inherent anti-trans discrimination written into HB 142, a law that supposedly “repealed” HB2. So as a season ticket holder, and a member of a social media team for a women’s soccer site, imagine my confusion when suddenly the voices holding the power of promotion for Pride night got quiet.

By now, it’s no secret that the speculation as to why one of the Courage’s defenders chose not to attend national team friendlies in Scandanavia got red hot a few weeks ago. For me, this whole ordeal was doubly frustrating. I knew about the history of this player, and I didn’t like it, yet I was attempting to come to terms with it. And then this happened.

I was frustrated because this player is on MY team, and MY team is in North Carolina, where a week before, we hosted a Family and Faith night. It’s true, we’re located in a part of the country where Christianity is held in high regard, and that’s great. If I had to guess, there is a demand in this area for a game that celebrates faith. However, I do not have to guess that there is a demand for a game that celebrates pride. This could easily turn into an argument about privileged groups and safe spaces, but that’s currently being played out in every arena imaginable at the moment. What became frustrating after this incident, was the silence from the Courage regarding their Pride night.

Nearly every other NWSL team used the international break to advertise their Pride game with daily tweets. Some teams changed their social media profile pictures to rainbow logos. I kept up with every other team’s updates, and started to question whether the Courage were going to advertise the Pride aspect of the June 17th game at all. It got worse when the Courage began advertising the game as an opportunity to get food from food trucks before the game, while leaving out any mention of LGBTQ+ Pride.

Food trucks. Yes. I LOVE a good street taco. Who doesn’t?

But do you know what I love more? A stadium filled with rainbow flags in the heart of North Carolina.

A day and a space to be loud and proud while we watch Debinha wow ten-year-olds eating soft pretzels. Is that too much to ask?

Finally, last Tuesday, my social media sleuthing reached its pinnacle when the Courage posted what must have been coordinated and scheduled Facebook and Twitter posts with the caption “stay tuned …” and a photo of Sam Mewis’ rainbow number USWNT jersey. Could it be? Was my team actually going to embrace this Pride game? Before I could comment with an emphatic “Ooooohhhh!!!” the posts were deleted. That’s right. Completely gone. At that moment, I was convinced that we would be celebrating food truck pride during Pride month.

In the days that followed, my wife designed some stellar rainbow Courage graphics and put them all over social media in an effort to spread the word. We were pleasantly surprised when one of the tweets was given attention by the Courage’s general manager, an assistant coach, Equality NC, and Playing for Pride, a coalition of professional players who raise money for the Human Rights Campaign. This attention felt like a little victory, like Pride night hadn’t been forgotten. Thankfully, Thursday night served as the Pride kickoff at a local bar, where Taylor Smith and Abby Dahlkemper acted as guest bartenders, and the Pride aspect of the game was finally given some attention.

Game day arrived, and I was ready. We set up a mean tailgate right outside the stadium where I could be seen wearing my equality t-shirt, dancing to Kelly Clarkson, Janet Jackson, and the Spice Girls behind my Kia Soul, proudly displaying our brand new rainbow flag.

During our tailgate, we met up with the former leader of one of the prominent supporters groups for the Carolina Railhawks (now NCFC, the men’s NASL team under the North Carolina Football Club umbrella). We discussed the promotion of the Pride game (and lack thereof), and he offered some insight that I appreciated. He expressed that in the past, they tried to push the organization to have different themed nights and that there simply was not the manpower or money to make it happen. He was pleasantly surprised that the organization was even hosting a Pride night, and held the opinion that he was grateful for the progress. I noted during this conversation that I was grateful for the progress too, but now that we have the NWSL in town, the demographic has shifted to include a swath of fans who deserve and expect a Pride night.

Prior to the gates opening, more than half of the Courage roster joined hands for a photo in Equality shirts, a photo that was posted to Twitter as a show of love, support, and solidarity.

Later, upon entering the stadium, we noticed a large number of people wearing the rainbow pride scarves designed for the occasion, and a few rainbow flags were draped over sideline fences. At the conclusion of the national anthem, the supporters section unraveled a giant rainbow tifo, which was subsequently posted on social media by the Courage. All-in-all, the game was a blast, pride was everywhere, and the Courage came away with a big win.

Reflecting on the events of the past two weeks, I am certain finding a balance between Pride promotion and keeping the peace among an increasingly polarized discourse was a PR nightmare. Because of this, fans had to take it upon themselves to make Sahlen’s Stadium the type of atmosphere they were hoping to get out of a Pride night. I’m grateful the game was a success, but I wish it would have been given a bigger push. With this year’s game in the books, now we have something to compare it to. Fingers crossed that next year, the series of events leading up to the Pride game allow for louder and prouder promotion.

Around the World of WoSo: Crummer to Seattle and Canberra takes Prem

Posted on by RJ Allen

Seattle Sign Crummer:

Laura Harvey has signed Australian Larissa Crummer, who is 21 years old and has emerged from a defender to talented forward since turning pro in 2013. Her previous club experiences were with Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar before signing on with Melbourne City in 2015.

Crummer’s profile went up significantly when she scored City’s first ever goal in the W-League in September of 2015. Crummer won the Golden boot for that season, scoring 11 goals, three ahead of former Reign great, Kim Little. The young forward also made her Matilda debut in the summer of 2015, appearing twice in the Women’s World Cup in Canada. Crummer will be a nice addition to the Seattle forward group that has vet Bev Yanez and two rookies in Katie Johnson and Arielle Ship.

Adelaide Shock Sydney:

Sixth place Adelaide United spoiled Sydney’s chance of finishing first and grabbing the premiership this past weekend. Two players who made sure of it were Adriana Jones and Sofia Huerta, who each scored to put Sydney away in a convincing 5-2 match. All season, these two have been almost unstoppable, with Jones tallying nine goals and two assists while Huerta grabbed eight goals with five assists.

With the win, Adelaide finish the regular season out of the top-four. But they should be proud of how they finished the season, absolutely energized and scoring 17 goals the last three games. Meanwhile, Sydney falls to third place but will be in the semifinals this upcoming weekend. While the Premiership isn’t up for grabs anymore, the Championship still is. They must re-focus and re-group if they want to beat Perth on Sunday.

Henry Loaned to PSG:

Portland Thorns midfielder Amandine Henry has announced her loan to French giant, Paris Saint-Germain this past weekend. In her brief time with Portland in 2016, Henry played in nine matches, grabbing one assist and helping the Thorns to the NWSL Shield.

Henry has plenty of familiarity with the Division 1 Feminine league, as she spent nine successful seasons there prior to coming to the NWSL. Now the 27 year-old moves on to PSG for six months, joining the likes of Shirley Cruz, Veronica Boquete, Marie-Laure Delie, Erika and Laura Georges. Last season PSG finished second to Lyon, who once again will be serious challengers for the title.

Canberra Wins Third Premiership:

Canberra United have secured its third Premier in program history. The best team in the regular season with seven wins, two draws, and three losses, they scored the most goals in 12 games, accumulating 33 goals in that span, with a 2.75 average per game. United also have the Golden Boot winner in Ashleigh Sykes, who scored 12 goals and added two assists along the way.

Ending the regular season with a 5-1 thrashing of Melbourne Victory pushed Canberra to first, while keeping Victory in last place and ending a disappointing season to say the least. United still have unfinished business as they meet Melbourne City for a semifinal match on Saturday.

Riley to NC:

The North Carolina Courage (formerly known as Western New York Flash) are the newest team in the NWSL, but they are also the defending champions. The coach that led them was Paul Riley, who previously coached the Portland Thorns (2013-2015) but only managed to make the playoffs once in those seasons. Riley led the Flash to a championship in 2016 which surprised many, so it’s no wonder the club wants him back.

The NC Courage are bringing back most of the roster from last year, including Sam Mewis, Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald, all who were major influences for WNYF winning the title. It may be a new club with a new location, but to have so much of the same personnel and now coach has to be exciting for the fans, old and new.

Dydasco Re-signs with Spirit:

The Washington Spirit finally have some good news to share with fans, as they have announced that Caprice Dydasco will be back for the 2017 season. Dydasco went down with a knee injury in the NWSL Championship game last October and has since been recovering and preparing to get back on the field as soon as possible.

The 23 year-old defender played in 14 games last season for the Spirit, starting 12 of those. Taken in the third round of the 2015 NWSL College Draft out of UCLA, Dydasco has shown improvements in each of the last 2 seasons. She has worked her way into the starting eleven, and with the crazy off-season Washington are having, Dydasco could be an important piece when she returns.