Tag: Shea Groom

Route Two Soccer: Houston and Reign FC fight out a fascinating 1-1 draw

Posted on by RJ Allen

Houston and the Reign met this weekend for an enthralling and exciting game, which saw a lot of fast-paced play, some impressive performances on both sides, and more than a few mistakes. For a game that was a joy to watch, the key moments unfortunately often had more to do with errors than with execution. The key drama came at the end, with a penalty earned, and saved, in literally the final minute of the game. But for this article, I want to focus less on the goals and controversies and more on how the teams set themselves up. In each case, there are fascinating lessons to learn about how these two strong teams will play in 2019.

Houston set up very similar to their approach from 2018, in a 4-3-3, with three central midfielders trying to occupy the middle, two wingers trying to cover some significant defensive responsibilities while also getting forward to spread the opposition’s defensive line, and with play often going through Rachel Daly at the tip of the spear.

However, as the first half began to unfold, there was also some crucial differences. First, Houston pressed more aggressively here than they ever had the previous year. For a Reign team hoping to settle into the game by building out slowly, it was a nightmare, with orange shirts constantly interfering and disrupting play.

Second, new additions Sophie Schmidt and Christine Nairn provided precisely the kind of bite and positional awareness that Houston was desperately missing in their previous campaign. Schmidt in particular shined in this game, constantly clogging up passing channels, stepping forward to disrupt play and intercept passes, and making measured forward runs when the situation called for it. Her performance was a perfect example of how installing a solid gyroscope in the holding role can stabilize the entire team’s structure. And while Nairn was slightly less involved, her presence was also crucial. She had a knack for always seeming to be in the right place, receiving short passes and immediately turning to push the ball forward into space.

The result was a Houston team that still played much the same as in previous years–a direct style, focused on quick attacking passes, trying to create space for the wingers to move at speed–but which also managed to control possession, ending up well ahead of the Reign in both passing attempts and completions. For a team that regularly looked helpless trying to keep the ball last year, this is a significant change.

In the first half, this combination was lethal and the Dash were rampant. They closed down the Reign possession high up the pitch, forcing awkward passes, and generally making it impossible for them to play. This is precisely what led to the opening goal. Though the proximate cause was Theresa Nielsen dilly-dallying in her own box and getting stripped of possession by Nichelle Prince, the setup was a high press that forced the ball back into that position in the first place.

However, things did not go quite as well in the second half, which is a good indication of the risks of this new, more aggressive Houston approach. Whereas last year, after the Dash took a lead, they could rely on dropping deep and setting a low block to frustrate the opposition, this team didn’t seem as willing to commit to defending deep. But they also couldn’t maintain the same levels of high pressure. As a result, the Reign found their way back into the game, finding more room to work with, and probing for gaps in between the Houston lines.

That provides a clear indication of where the Dash will need to focus their attention going forward. Watching them use the whole pitch this weekend was a great sign that they see themselves as capable of taking the game to the opposition. The big question is whether they will be able to successfully adapt their tactics from game to game as opponents and conditions change. New head coach James Clarkson certainly defined this as a project going forward, saying “we have to be able to adapt our tactics, our formation, and the way we play. We’ll look at each opponent separately and develop a game plan.”

For a Houston team that played much the same last year no matter who or when they played, that will be a real change.

For the Reign, this was very much a game of two halves. But even more than that, it was a game of two halves in the first half alone. They came out in a 4-2-3-1, with Allie Long and Morgan Andrews in the double pivot, and with Shea Groom as the number 10. This is a setup with a lot of potential. Long is an excellent player in that #6 role, especially when she is paired with another holding player, since it gives her license to step forward when useful. It also puts Groom into her best role, giving her the ability to move in between the lines and to move with the ball at her feet.

However, the Reign struggled mightily to get ahold of the game, and before they really had a chance to even show how this approach would work, Jasmyne Spencer had to come off for a knee injury, forcing a reallocation of players. Elise Kellond-Knight entered, taking one of the holding roles, while Long moved forward and Groom moved out right. Unfortunately for the Reign, none seemed all that comfortable for the rest of the first half. Long has obviously played the #10 role many times before, but she is not really a playmaker. Groom, similarly, has played on the right wing for most of her career, but was isolated for this period, struggling to put herself into positions to receive the ball. Kellond-Knight simply did not look up to the pace of the game. She did very little in possession, nor was she able to exert a calming influence in defense.

To the extent that they found success in the opening half, it came almost entirely from the work of Darian Jenkins and Celia Jiménez Delgado down the left flank. Every attempt to build through the middle faltered, as Andrews and Kellond-Knight were harried in possession.

The Reign also faced real difficulties in defense. This was mostly not down to tactics, but more a matter of execution. In particular, Theresa Nielsen in the right back position seemed well off the pace, and was repeatedly beat by Nichelle Prince, most notably for the goal. It didn’t help that she was given relatively little support from the right wingers–with Spencer doing almost no tracking back, through Groom did put in more of a defensive shift. The center backs were also exposed several times. Rachel Daly is a lot to handle, but they let her wriggle free more than they would have liked. And the situation wasn’t helped when the Reign were forced into a second injury substitution in the 40th minute, with Megan Oyster coming off.

However, after the halftime break, they came out looking far more settled, and were able to exert far more influence on the game. There were no major structural changes, but there was one interesting wrinkle that seemed to make a difference. While Groom continued to play on the right, she regularly pinched in, and also pressed forward. In the deeper role, she added an additional body to the central midfield, giving the Reign extra numbers and helping them stabilize there. In the more advanced positions, she almost functioned like a second striker, allowing them to operate as a sort of lopsided 4-4-2, with Groom back in that playmaking space that the initial setup was supposed to grant her.

4-2-3-1 transitioning into a lopsided 4-4-2

With this change, the Reign found far more success with the ball, and were finally able to get Jodie Taylor regularly involved. It created a number of good chances, like this one here, which shows the potential of players who can move into these key central players with no clear markers to corral them. In those gaps, Groom began to play a more significant role, receiving the ball with space to dribble and playmake. And as Houston struggled to challenge her, it also created more room for Long to do what she does best: float away from her markers, receive the ball, and quickly push play forward. That potential is illustrated in this move:

Groom receiving the ball in a central position
Working with space to quickly progress the ball forward
Putting Taylor through on goal

Of course, there are also dangers to this approach. With Groom pinched in, the Reign often left huge exposed spaces on the right wing. To compensate, Long put in a good shift, often drifting wider to fill that space when needed, and Nielsen got more into the swing of the game. But the Reign were also lucky that Houston did little to capitalize on the opportunities.

Going forward, it will be interesting to see whether this was a mere one-off experiment, or whether the Reign decide to employ Groom in this sort of creative winger role more regularly. It’s certainly a role that the Reign have some familiarity with – as Megan Rapinoe has increasingly played in precisely this sort of creative winger role. At the moment, they seem to lack the personnel to make it truly effective. Having to use Long in the #10 left them with two holding players that looked overmatched for much of the game. But once Jess Fishlock returns, which would free Long to play her best position as a ball-controlling #6, this could be a potentially devastating setup.

With the World Cup coming, the Reign will be losing their key creative spark, Megan Rapinoe. This game went some way to demonstrating that they could well survive that absence. Groom on the right could play much the same creative role, and Jenkins showed clearly that she is more than capable of producing a dominant attacking performance as well. If Long – whose ability to dictate play and keep possession is absolutely critical – goes to France, that may be far more difficult to sustain. But if not, the Reign could be one of the few teams to survive those months relatively unscathed.

Route Two Soccer – Sky Blue Lose to Houston: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Posted on by RJ Allen

Sky Blue knew this would be a difficult year, but they didn’t know it would start out this rough. After four games, they’ve managed only one solitary point. And while there’s still plenty of time to reverse course, it’s worth taking a moment to assess precisely how things have gone wrong.

This weekend’s game against Houston provides a nice focal point for that conversation, because it illustrates both the potential in this team as well as the glaring weaknesses. Let’s start with the good parts, before turning to the problems.

The Good: a young but very talented attack

First, there is a ton of talent in the Sky Blue attack. Katie Johnson made headlines by scoring two goals against Houston, and there’s every reason to think she could develop into a top-level forward. There’s still some rough pieces of her game, but she’s got a classic striker’s instinct for finding the half-step of space and the knack for finishing once the opportunities open up. She’ll likely never be the sort of player who can carry an offense alone, but with a good supporting cast, she should thrive.

Fortunately, Sky Blue have a good supporting cast. Shea Groom is perpetually underrated, and often misdiagnosed as a pure striker, when in fact her primary talents are moving at speed with the ball at her feet, and incisive passing to cut open defenses. In a different era, she’d make a hell of a winger, but with the modern move away from classic 4-4-2s, she’s still a great wide attacker. Then there’s Janine Beckie, whose performances for Canada make her talent abundantly clear. She’s blessed with brilliant field vision and can pick out a through-ball with the very best. She never really found her rhythm with Houston, but a change of scenery might be what it takes to unlock that ability. Results from the first month haven’t been great, but she’s a player worth betting on. Sky Blue also picked up Savannah McCaskill from the Boston dispersal draft, giving them a player good enough to earn several national team caps before her first professional game. Her introduction to the league hasn’t been wholly successful—she’s spent a lot of time chasing the game, and hasn’t always handled the speed at which possession gets closed down—but McCaskill is the real deal.

That makes four top-notch attacking players, all with plenty of room to improve (at 25, Groom is the oldest of the group). This core will struggle here and there but should be a strong point for the team in the long run.

What’s more, there’s also an excellent group of supporting players behind this group—featuring Adriana Leon, McKenzie Meehan, Jen Hoy, and Madison Tiernan. That’s a wealth of attacking talent. Almost too much, since you can only play so many of them at a time. A point which will guide our considerations in the next sections…

The Bad: the backline

Sky Blue’s defense was a worry going into the season, and nothing we’ve seen so far suggests that the problems have been resolved. Going into the Houston match, they’d conceded three goals in three games—not a terrible record by any means—but never looked particularly sharp. Against Houston, though, the frailty was truly exposed. Remember, before this game, Houston had managed one solitary goal in 450 minutes. Against Sky Blue, they scored three and easily could have had more.

None of the back five were blameless. Kailen Sheridan had a dreadful game in goal (a theme for the week), while the centerbacks struggled to deal with the pace and physicality of Rachel Daly. The fullbacks, meanwhile, barely played like fullbacks at all. Mandy Freeman virtually never entered the Houston half, and while Christina Gibbons did get forward a bit more, it was severely constrained. She also had a lot of trouble containing Kealia Ohai’s quick attacks.

Still, while none of these five had a good game, it’s also true that they were given very little to work with. Defense is a team game, after all, and the backline didn’t get much help, creating the conditions for the breakdowns that then ensued. If we want to assign blame, then, we also need to look further upfield.

The Ugly: a weak and confused midfield

When she’s on her game, Carli Lloyd is still one of the world’s best players. The big question is just how often she can be on, and whether a team can afford to rely on her for all the other games. Four games into her homecoming, results are somewhat inconclusive, but not especially promising. Certainly, the midfield hasn’t looked good, though it’s not clear precisely where the blame lies.

Sarah Killion spent several years as one of the league’s most underrated players, but she looked a bit lost last year and has failed to rediscover her form this season. At her best, she was great at recycling play and starting attacks from a deep position. But we’ve seen very little of that this year. In a similar vein, Raquel Rodriguez has failed to do much to develop on her promising rookie campaign in 2016. She often drifts out of games for extended periods, and when she does find her way back in, she often pushes too hard and turns the ball over quickly. Defensively, she is almost a complete non-entity, doing very little of the necessary work to occupy space and inhibit opposition transitions.

The point of detailing these flaws in Killion and Rodriguez is not to call them out, but only to note that Lloyd herself suffers from many of these same limitations. When the three are combined, it seems to be a recipe for an aimless midfield which poses vanishingly little threat to the opposition attack, and which struggles to do much with the ball in attack. In particular, this trio is desperately lacking a deep-lying fulcrum who can dictate play on both sides of the ball.

To illustrate the point, observe the first half against Houston, where Sky Blue deployed these three players in a midfield trio, to vanishingly little effect. In practice, this played more like a 4-1-4-1, with Killion as the lone holding player—and the only one contributing anything defensively. Rodriguez and Lloyd, meanwhile, could have been tissue paper for all the difficulty they posed for Houston’s attack. Rodriguez, in particular, spent most of her time on the pitch trailing behind runners who she had let slip past.

As a result, while Houston never had much in the way of sustained possession, they didn’t need it. As soon as they gained the ball, they moved forward at lightning pace, blasting right through the midfield, forcing Sky Blue’s backline to defend on the run. With Rodriguez and Lloyd both providing porous points of entry through the center of the pitch, Houston took firm advantage of the easy access to acres of space.

After the half, Groom came on for Rodriguez, which brought some improvement. This allowed McCaskill to shift into the midfield trio, bringing a better work rate and muscle, while Groom slotted in on the left and brought her trademark aggression and dynamic movement. It was certainly an improvement, without necessarily resolving the underlying issues.

What is to be done?

There are no simple solutions here. The fundamental problem for Sky Blue is an unbalanced roster, with too few defensive players and very little in the way of cover. Moreover, any team built around Carli Lloyd is going to run into problems in the midfield. For all her talents (and they are many), the slow grinding work of defensive structure is a persistent weakness. If Lloyd is one of only three midfielders, you are going to have to compensate heavily with the other slots. Think about North Carolina here, who can afford to use a player like Debinha in the attacking midfield role because they have McCall Zerboni, Denise O’Sullivan, and Sam Mewis available to cover for her. Without players like those to paper over the cracks, or without a change of system, Sky Blue is going to be perpetually overrun in the midfield.

So what should they do? One simple move would be to tweak the formation. As noted above, their 4-3-3 really played more like a 4-1-4-1, with Killion as the lone body in the huge expanse of space between their two banks of four. This went pretty disastrously. They could instead drop a second midfielder back and play a 4-2-3-1, giving Killion some support. The problem with this solution is: who do you put in that second holding role? Rodriguez simply can’t do the job, so do you bring back McCaskill and lose her contributions in the front line? If not her, then who else is even available?

There is one clear answer here: Christina Gibbons. We saw last year that Gibbons is excellent in a holding midfield role. Her incisive passing does a lot more damage there, and her ability to defensively track play is also well-suited to the job of shielding a backline. Moreover, that job also limits the damage of her relative weakness as a single isolated defender. As we saw this weekend against Ohai, Gibbons isn’t particularly good at single-handedly containing an energetic forward. She’s far better suited to playing a complementary role as one half of a double pivot, where her great soccer IQ can truly shine.

Of course, there are risks to moving Gibbons off the backline. As already noted, Sky Blue’s defensive depth is quite limited, and there are no obvious candidates to slot in at fullback if Gibbons vacates the role. Kayla Mills might still be a long-term solution, but fitness issues have kept her from playing a meaningful role during most of her tenure with the club. Erica Skroski is probably a better fullback than center back, and could certainly slot over. But then who fill that job in the middle?

I can see two possible solutions, which share a lot of common DNA. The first is to shift to a 3-5-2 setup. Freeman, Stott, and Skroski are all well-suited to the job, and with two holding mids, the math of attackers vs. defenders stays effectively the same. The primary difference is where pressure gets exercised. At the moment, Sky Blue is investing a lot in protecting their flanks but exposing far too much space right down the middle. A back three would significantly strengthen the spine, and close down those quick counter attacks that ripped them apart this weekend. But it does so at the cost of opening up wide channels.

The second solution is a bit more radical, but one that I think deserves serious attention. And that is: convert Shea Groom to a right back. I’ve floated this idea speculatively before, in reference to the US national team, but it makes a ton of sense for Sky Blue right now. As I noted at the start, Groom is versatile enough to play as a traditional striker, but is better deployed as a winger or inside forward, where her ability to move in space is given a chance to flourish. As fullback, those opportunities would abound. She has the pace and energy to cover the job. And while no transition is ever seamless, her tenacity on the defensive end suggests that she might take reasonably well to the change.

Sky Blue got a huge amount of mileage last year out of Kelley O’Hara playing a hybrid fullback/winger role. It might be time to see whether Groom can play a similar role this year. Given the lack of balance in this team, some great attackers are inevitably going to be left on the bench. It might be risky, but there’s a strong argument for shifting the team to get another good player on the pitch, and shore up a weakness in the process.

Route Two Soccer – A Good Trade for Sky Blue

Posted on by RJ Allen

In the first big NWSL blockbuster deal of the offseason, Sky Blue traded away one of their key players. It will be hard to imagine the New Jersey side without Kelley O’Hara, who has been a bulwark of the team’s structure, formation, and identity since the founding of the league. However, while it’s obviously never a good thing to lose a world-class player, this was a good deal for Sky Blue, which should help them compete not just in 2017, but for years to come.

The key difficulty with replacing a player like O’Hara is her versatility and adaptability. From her hybrid wingback position last year, she covered almost the entire right flank, offering pace and precision in the attack, wide possession in the midfield, and defensive coverage at the back. There is probably no single player in the league who can fill all those responsibilities. However, this deal does a very good job of covering that gap with two players, and in doing so provides critical depth.

Shea Groom is very good and should be even better at Sky Blue

Shea Groom is already among the league’s best players, a fact which has gone slightly unrecognized due to FCKC’s broader struggles, and her role as a supporting forward rather than a pure goal-scorer. But look at the work she did playing behind Sydney Leroux, and then imagine that same inventiveness, aggression, and movement being leveraged by the world’s best player. Groom was already a very good player, but the chance to play off Sam Kerr for an entire year could be what it takes to launch her up to the next level. Her game is based on inventive movement into space, insightful passing, and sheer relentless aggression. Those qualities will fit perfectly into the Sky Blue attack. With Kerr as the focal point, Groom will be free to pull strings from behind and then burst into unlocked spaces.

This is something that Sky Blue desperately missed in 2017, with O’Hara offering some support, and players like Maya Hayes often making critical contributions as well. But O’Hara’s defensive responsibilities kept her too deep to sustain useful wide possession on a regular basis, and the other forward options were too inconsistent. Groom should fill that space, and free up everyone else to focus more on their own positional responsibilities as well.

That is an important, underlooked feature of this deal. Obviously, Sky Blue’s problem in 2017 wasn’t in the attack (they were among the league leaders in goal scored), but rather the defense. However, those things are connected. Their attack was strong, but often extremely chaotic. They scored by throwing numbers forward, trying to get the ball to Kerr, and hoping for the best. Bringing in a player like Groom – who offers inventiveness, skill in possession, and the potential to form a unified strike force with Kerr – could enable a far more coherent team structure. If so, it will significantly bolster the defense, rendering them less susceptible to being ripped apart in transition.

Christina Gibbons will make a big difference

Bringing in Christina Gibbons should also help on that front. She offers the sort of smooth possession and creative passing from deep positions that Sky Blue was desperately missing last year. Her skill on the ball, and her off-the-charts passing IQ, could be critical to a smoother game.

The big question with Gibbons is her best position. She started last season at left back, before moving to the central midfield halfway through the season. The transition was generally successfully, if not a perfect fit. The problem is that she simply isn’t as fast or as physical as you’d like from a modern attacking fullback, while also not (yet) showing the positional acumen you’d like in a central midfielder. Those are not huge liabilities, and even without being a perfect fit in either role she remains an extremely good player. But if she is able to settle into one role, and learn to compensate more effectively for her modest limitations, she could be a truly excellent player.

If the team is willing to think a little outside the box, there are a lot of options here. For example, while Sky Blue is already possessed of some solid midfield depth, a 3-5-2 setup might be able to leverage their strengths and manage some of their weaknesses. Adding a third body to the backline could stabilize the defense, and give Gibbons a bit more freedom to play a more expansive role upfield, without needing to use her exclusively in the already-clogged central midfield positions. This is just one idea. Surely, there are plenty of other options.

The other piece of the deal – the swap in draft picks – is not likely to have major immediate consequences, but does give Sky Blue some additional options. Their biggest needs are: 1) a pure defensive midfielder, 2) depth in defense, and 3) wingers. Unfortunately, the pickings in those areas are somewhat slim. But with two consecutive picks, they may now be able to spend one on filling those gaps, while using the other on a better player, even if she doesn’t necessarily fit a particular need.

Losing O’Hara is tough, but this deal is a good one

In the end, Sky Blue have done a superb job managing the loss of a club talisman. O’Hara provided on all three lines, and no single player could have replaced her. But the combination of Groom and Gibbons gives them a reasonably close approximation of O’Hara’s contributions, while also adding significantly to the club’s depth. Last year, they often felt like the Sam and Kelley show, with everyone else just trying to the boat from sinking. Under those conditions, trading out one world-class player for two good-to-great players makes a lot of sense. Particularly when those two players are young, and have enormous breakout potential.

Any trade which gives up a player as good as Kelley O’Hara will be tough to swallow. And by itself, this is probably only a lateral move for 2017. It doesn’t fix the core problem of the defense, and it actually magnifies the problem of relative inexperience in the team. Still, by adding several players of great quality, it does a lot to improve the team’s chances in the long term. And if one or both of Groom and Gibbons take that next step forward, we might just look back on this as a key moment in Sky Blue’s transition from a solid mid-table team to a title contender.

That doesn’t make it a bad trade for Utah, especially given Laura Harvey’s noted skill at using the international market to bolster her team. And there is still plenty of time for other big moves (with the rumored return of Caitlin Foord very much in the mix) to complicate the picture. But this is certainly a strong start to the Reddy era at Sky Blue.

Unsung Hero of the Week: LaBonta Playing With Confidence

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”alignnone” width=”300″][/media-credit]

In this weekly series, I will be highlighting a player from the weekend who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win, lose or draw. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week I’ve chosen FC Kansas City midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta.

The 24-year-old playmaker seems to have found a home with the Blues. After a solid college career at Stanford, she was drafted 37th overall by Sky Blue in the 2015 College Draft. After making six appearances for the New Jersey Club, the California native was let go, only to be signed by FCKC in 2016. Now in her second season in the Midwest, LaBonta has earned a starting position with head coach Vlatko Andonovski utilizing her at forward, holding mid and now at attacking mid. LaBonta has played and started in 13 games this season, quietly improving while at the same time finding her confidence.

Kansas City 2-2 Boston:

Right off the bat, LaBonta worked her way onto my radar in the sixth minute. Commanding the middle of the field, she took the space racing towards the Boston box and slid a perfectly weighted ball to Shea Groom. Groom, in turn, got a toe-poke in but the ball went just wide of the goal. I love the energy LaBonta started the game with, showing on this particular play that she can make those kinds of passes in tight spaces.

One minute later, LaBonta and Groom connected once again, a partnership that would be on display all night. In the final third, Labonta dropped a ball over the top of the Breakers defense, in a spot that only her teammate could get to. Groom’s attempt went wide for the second time, but the two players were already setting a tempo for the game, which is important for any team to do, especially when on the road. The tiny and talented midfielder’s passing is an area of her game that is a joy to watch, and her vision has been a key part of her continuing development.

In the 17th minute, LaBonta fought for the ball, daring the backline of Boston to step in, make a decision, and take a risk. She won possession against Julie King just 20 yards from the Breakers goal, and somehow managed to provide service from a wide position. Her effort found Brittany Taylor, whose shot, unfortunately, went wide. At this point, Kansas City was getting all the right opportunities but not finishing the way they need to. Still, LaBonta was on fire, and the fight against King and service into Taylor was a nice example of LaBonta’s aggressiveness and ability to pressure an opponent and win the ball anywhere on the field.

That pressure paid off for Kansas City just a few minutes later, when Christina Gibbons found Maegan Kelly, who tapped the ball in for the go-ahead goal in the 20th minute.

LaBonta would push the ball forward in the 24th minute, taking space once again in the middle of the park, this time drawing two Boston defenders with her. She sprayed a pass out wide to Taylor who sent it to the back post looking for Kelly. For the fourth time in under 25 minutes, the Kansas City shot went wide. It was positive to see the attack clicking but at the same time, not finding the back of the net was giving viewers some serious deja vu.

Boston would respond in an empathic way thanks to New Zealand international Rosie White, who scored a brace in a span of 4 minutes (26’, 30’) to take the lead.

But despite Boston’s quick scoring, the first half was so encouraging for Kansas City, with LaBonta leading the way on the offensive side of things. She facilitated, created opportunities, pressured the backline, and really set the tone for the game.

One of LaBonta’s last contributions was in the 65th minute (she was subbed out in the 70th minute). All night we saw her make magic in the middle but on this play she found space on the wing and took a chance on stretching the Breakers backline one more time. LaBonta received a floating ball from Groom and pushed it deep towards the corner flag but Amanda Frisbie recovered in time to take it away and give Boston possession.

In her 70 minutes, LaBonta was the best player for Kansas City. Her quality really showed on the night, and she did her part in so many ways. It’s clear that she has put in the work in the off-season to get to this level of play and to maintain it as well through. LaBonta has become an important player for the Blues and I have a feeling she will have much more to offer as time goes on.

The Blues did manage to find the equalizer in the 81st minute thanks to Erika Tymrak, whose effort secured a point in Boston. The Breakers sit in eighth place with 15 points while Kansas City are currently in 10th with 14 points.

Nevertheless, She Played: What It Means to ‘Play Like a Girl’

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s 2017.

Sports is still a major part of our American culture, and more and more women are playing them. 

So why does it seem like there’s still a double-standard when it comes to female athletes and aggressive play? When a woman appears to play aggressively on the field, they’re called dirty, or classless, or told they shouldn’t be playing in the first place. But on the other side, the world of men’s sports relies on its aggressive play, it thrives on its villains and it encourages that kind of play in just about every major sport and especially in the NFL and NBA.

In the National Women’s Soccer League, we have players who, in the five years that this league has existed, have become the ones who are known for an aggressive style of play. Those include Jessica Fishlock, Carli Lloyd, Merritt Mathis, Kelley O’Hara, and Shea Groom. Now I’m not saying these athletes are perfect–they have all made some questionable plays–I’m simply saying the spotlight is certainly on them every time they step on the pitch for their respective teams.

When athletes taunt their opposition, I don’t think that’s a dirty thing to do, but that does depend on how far they are willing to go. Every time I hear about taunting I’m always reminded of a certain NBA legend who made a choking sign in 1994 at Madison Square Garden. For those who may not know, Reggie Miller was taunting the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. In that case, I loved what Miller did. He clearly knew how to get the attention of the opposing fans. That’s just how other sports operate, sure some may not agree with it, but it’s literally a part of sports and it’s not going anywhere.

One player who always has the “Is she too aggressive” spotlight shining on her is WNBA star Diana Taurasi. Taurasi recently became the all-time leader in points, but is also a player who has always been aggressive and that’s her style, that’s what makes her so great. She is known for getting a technical every now and then or having calls go against her. But Taurasi hasn’t changed her game because of it, not in the 13 years she has played in the league. And no one should expect her to.

Another WNBA player just as popular as Taurasi is Australian legend Lauren Jackson. She was best known for her trash talk and assassin-like play and is perhaps most remembered for her encounter with another WNBA great, Lisa Leslie, in the 2000 Olympic games. Jackson accidentally pulled some of Leslie’s hair out and that fueled a rivalry for years to come. Jackson was a dominant and physical presence her entire career, both on the offensive side and defensive side.

In the NWSL, taunting and physicality of play doesn’t seem to sit well with some fans. In other sports, it’s seen as just a part of the game, it’s not usually deemed unacceptable. Just a couple weeks ago, Sky Blue defender Kelley O’Hara was called classless for her play against Portland. She made an aggressive but clean tackle on Hayley Raso, and then, believing Raso was making more of the contact than was necessary, yelled at her to get up. I watched that moment more than once, and I didn’t find anything that crossed the line or that done with malicious intent. She was aggressive, calculating, and trying to help her team win. But there was no ounce of dirty play–yet that’s exactly what she was labeled afterward from the opposing fans.

I’ve seen countless plays in women’s sports where, after a play has been made for the ball, it will automatically be labeled a negative action. Now, sure, sometimes this is just a fan being a fan and they don’t want their team to lose or whatever the case may be. But for the most part, it demonstrates a blatant disrespect towardsthe female athlete, to say it’s a negative thing to be aggressive. And that’s not cool, not in the past, not now and not in the future.

And that’s not cool. It wasn’t in the past, but we can’t change what was said then. It’s not cool now, but we have the opportunity to correct the way we talk about women in sports right here and right now. And it won’t be cool in the future, either, and we damn well better start appreciating our female athletes for their physicality as well as everything else by then). 

One prime example of people overreacting to players demonstrating any sort of aggression or “unladylike” behavior from this very NWSL season is the “swearing game” that took place in April between the Chicago Red Stars and the Portland Thorns. Midfielder Stephanie McCaffrey was a little bit heated after a play and was caught swearing at the referee. In her exact words: “Are you fucking insane?!”

In her exact words: “Are you fucking insane?!”

Yeah, clearly she crossed the line. OR WAIT. No, she did what a lot of women (not to mention men!) do in sporting events … she said a “bad word.” (Cue the longest eye roll ever, am I right?)

McCaffrey got comments from all angles of social media, so much so that she decided to write a very on point, hilarious and well-written post on her blog Sporting Chic about it. In her post, she assures readers that she understands swearing at the referee is selfish and that it is disrespectful. But by no means was this her backing down. McCaffrey pulls examples from men’s soccer, how literally every EPL match you can catch a player swearing at the referee. And when this happens, it’s taken in a humorous or matter-of-fact way and no one makes a big deal of it. It’s absolutely ludicrous that we even have to make a comparison or take a stand on this issue because swearing is not exclusive to one gender last time I checked.

McCaffrey went on to say that swearing needs to stop being a taboo in women’s sports. At this point in her article, I was clapping and saying out loud “HELL YES.”

What is so unbelievably annoying is the fact that this is a thing. Getting blasted for swearing? In an intense game? Here’s the obvious catch, guys: she’s a woman so clearly her mouth shouldn’t be allowed to say those words, let alone be caught on camera doing it. (But what about the children!) Yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and call bullshit on that thought right there (and I know I’m not the only one) and stop this ridiculous way of thinking in society.

McCaffrey was showing passion with a big side of ferocious intensity. And none of that is wrong. In fact, let’s celebrate it! She let her competitive fire be shown in a different way, and that’s important to understand. To put it in McCaffrey’s words, we need to “get excited about the fact that NWSL and Lifetime TV are helping to normalize the fact that playing like a girl can get rough and ugly and that’s fucking awesome.”

Another player who grabs a lot of attention around the NWSL is Jess Fishlock, a Seattle Reign midfielder who hails from Wales. In a recent sit down chat with her Reign teammate and goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer, Fishlock talked about her aggressive style of play:

“I am very bold, and just do what needs to be done to win the game. I think that’s a thing that’s kind of lost within the women’s game, you see it in the men’s game all the time. You know that’s a professional foul, they take a booking and that’s a great play, well done. In the women’s game, it’s I can’t believe she did that, that’s so un-lady like. […] It’s very much a part of the game, my game, it has been very disliked by many because it’s not deemed as the lady-like play, right? You like it, you don’t like it, it doesn’t really affect me that much to be honest.”

Fishlock hits it right on the head, some people believe that women should not be playing aggressively. And this is extremely frustrating, not only as a former college athlete but as an avid supporter of women’s sports. This needs to stop, for those who label every single “aggressive” play as dirty needs to understand it’s very much included in the women’s game. It’s very much a part of every game, in fact.

But it’s become clear that women athletes are not afforded the same respect as men when it comes to sports (ok, let’s be real, when it comes to about 98% of things in life, but that’s a whole different story). Women are still struggling to gain the recognition they deserve for going that extra mile, for making that game-changing tackle, for getting physical to win the ball, for simply being an athlete.

It’s time for that to change, appreciate the effort these athletes are putting in, the work it takes just to be an athlete in the professional realm is incredibly difficult and to understand that women’s sports will continue to be fierce and the players will continue to play their part. Get used to it, women are athletes too.

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 12

Posted on by RJ Allen

Well, faithful followers, it has been quite the week in WoSo, hasn’t it? From the nail-biting 12-minute score-a-thon from Sam Kerr to Carli Lloyd’s “You think that’s a red card, I’ll show you a red card” last minute send-off on Saturday night, our heart rates are still not quite back to normal.

But, the excitement only fuels our fingers, folks! We’ve got six takeaways from this weekend to share with y’all.

The Legacy of Tony DiCicco – Luis Hernandez

As the Boston Breakers hosted the Chicago Red Stars, the club also paid homage to Tony DiCicco, the team’s former coach from 2009 to 2011 in Women’s Professional Soccer, the pro league prior to NWSL. The passing of DiCicco touched off a series of in memoriam moments in the women’s soccer community as many remembered how he led the 1999 Women’s National Team to victory in the World Cup. But Coach DiCicco’s impact to the sport and WoSo family was more than this achievement. Honoring him at the national and club levels not only honors his memory, but also introduces and educates new fans of women’s soccer.

The history of women’s soccer is rich and goes back a lot further than casual fans realize. As people retell the legacy of Tony Dicicco and are exposed to his impact at the club level, I hope it also fosters an appreciation for the role he played in the larger tradition in the sport as well. His life touched the lives of so many players, and they in turned touched and inspired so many of today’s players and fans.  His legacy will truly endure.

His legacy will truly endure.

 

Exciting Draws is More than Just Parity – Luis Hernandez

Three of the five matches this past weekend ended in a draw, but they were anything other than a dull watch. Starting last Friday, the Breakers, perhaps inspired by the previously mentioned DiCicco memorial, managed to hang on for dear life at home to preserve the nil-nil draw against Chicago with Sammy Jo Prudhomme starting in goal. The tension grew the whole match, as Matt Beard’s side fought off the Red Stars peppering the Boston defense with ten shots on goal. The Breakers defense bent at times, but it did not break, and it rode out the waves of Chicago attack. This was not a case of parity in the league, just the resilient effort of a team refusing to lose for one night.

Meanwhile, on Saturday the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit drew 2-2 in another entertaining showdown. Both sides felt hard done by the referee, and even though that storyline risked overshadowing the final result, it seems like the points being shared by both sides was the right outcome. Watching Marta playing this season has been a joy and her impact–and leadership out of the other Orlando players–has taken the Pride to better results than last season. And it seems like the Spirit have rebounded from the negativity of the offseason, adding Mallory Pugh and bringing back Estefania Banini to the fold. Once Washington’s attack gels, the rest of the league may have to watch out. Plus, Pugh’s development is exactly the result U.S. Soccer hoped for when backing the league. Just throw each team’s record out the window, it’s going to be entertainment at its finest.

Finally, the week ended in a dramatic style with Houston versus Portland. Dramatic might actually be an understatement. Houston scored early as Janine Beckie, the Canadian International, finally got on the score sheet, the Thorns equalized with a skillful free kick from Lindsey Horan. Throw in the straight red card to Carli Lloyd and the post-game conflict between Allie Long and Meghan Klingenberg, and this match was definitely worth the price of admission. Watching both teams clawing for a result makes every match must watch television. These results are good for the league.

 

Red is the New Blues – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Halfway into the season, and FCKC leads the league in red cards. They’ve accumulated three of the seven reds shown by refs; no other team has received more than one. That’s three red cards in just twelve games.  Across their four preceding seasons, FCKC has only ever had two players ejected with a red: Lauren Sesselmann in 2013 for pulling Lisa De Vanna down by her jersey in the box, and Shea Groom in 2016 for picking up two yellows in a game against the Thorns.

So, why are they so red-heavy this season?

You can argue back and forth all you want about whether the cards were deserved or not, whether the refs are shit or not, but the fact is, KC has racked them up this year. Because they are frustrated. Because they are better than 8th place.

This was supposed to be a comeback season for the two-time league champions. Instead, they lost Amy Rodriguez in the opening match, they’ve struggled to win whether at home or away, and once again, playoff chances are seeming further and farther out of reach. The team’s frustration–and Groom’s in particular, after a season that’s kind of used her as a punching bag so far–is coming out in their play.

Sure, it’s not an excuse, but you can kind of understand it.

If they want to make a play for the post-season, though, it’ll have to be fast. Time is quickly running out. And, they’ll need to tighten up their play and keep their frustration a little better in check on the field.

Because let’s be honest, we all know that FCKC is better than 8th place. They have the talent, they have the experience. But what they might be lacking at the moment is the mentality.

They need to not let their circumstances get the better of them.

 

The Puzzling Portland Thorns – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

You ever build a puzzle and you’ve got two pieces you are sure will fit together? Right color, right pattern, the shape of the tabs and the blanks look like they’ll join together just right … but when you put them together, there’s just something off? Like one of the lines doesn’t quite match, or the join isn’t snug or doesn’t actually fit.

Watching the Thorns this weekend, that’s all I could think about.

This puzzle doesn’t quite gel.

Sure, they’ve got all the pieces you’d think were necessary to be on the top of the standings–multiple world class international players, the height of professional soccer facilities for women in the US, a huge fan base both home and away. And yet right now, they’re sitting in fifth place. They won the Shield last year but lost to the 4th place team (who, true, did go on to win the final).

Honestly, what’s up with Portland?

It’s an example of having all the money to buy the best players, but not really understanding how a team works. How teamwork works. A team full of elites might look good on paper, but in practice, it rarely works out. Because for every Mal Pugh, you need a Tori Huster. For every Rose Lavelle, you need a Julie King.

What I mean is, you need balance. You need melody and you need harmony–flash and drive. And what we’ve been seeing from the Thorns this year suggests that they’re not harmonizing well, at all.

You don’t have to look any further than the game against Houston to see that this team?

It’s not a team right now.

Plenty of people have said that the injuries in the team’s deep bench are where the problem is, but look, I don’t know that if Tobin Heath comes onto the field next week they’re suddenly going to turn themselves around. I don’t know that she’s the steady and calm leader that somehow balances everything else out on the field and off.

All I know is that this?

https://twitter.com/jacobcristobal/status/883903486026366976

Is a big part of why they’re in 5th place right now.

Sam Kerr Proves Why She is the MVP – Jordan Small

Once again, Sam Kerr put on a show in New Jersey. In the final 12 minutes of the game, Kerr scored a hat trick to bring Sky Blue back from the brink of death to beat FCKC 3-2. Now Kerr did have some help along the way, but without her, this team would not be where they are today.

With her hat trick, Kerr took over the Golden Boot race and now leads the pack over Megan Rapinoe and Marta. In the early portion of this season, Kerr was not herself. After a trip back to Australia for an awards ceremony, Kerr came back with a vengeance. Without Kerr, the attack for Sky Blue would be hurting. Very few have the impact on their team that Sam Kerr has.

 

The Pugh-Banini-Ordega Trio is Just Getting Started – Jordan Small

This week against Orlando, Estefania Banini, Francisca Ordega, and Mallory Pugh all started together for the first time. They connected to score the first goal for Washington on a passing sequence that went from Banini to Ordega and then to Pugh for the score. The combination of speed, foot skills, and vision will be one to keep an eye on.

So much of what was missing early on in the season for Washington was that spark to take the pressure off of young Mallory Pugh. After getting a game and a half under their belts, the attack will continue to build and will put defenses across the league on notice. With a four-game road trip coming up, the Spirit will need a strong stretch from these three to pick up some points.

 

Will the Stars Align for FCKC in 2017?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Heading into the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League’s fifth season, I think we can assure any FC Kansas City fans out there that they will have plenty to be excited about this season. For starters, two key playmakers will be returning to the offensive side while two important pieces on the defense will also be back in Blue. On the other hand, some of the departures from Vlatko Andonovski’s side could also have an impact on the club down the stretch.

Departures:

Heather O’Reilly (M) – Perhaps one of the most consistent players to ever grace a pitch has gone overseas in the off-season to play out her life-long dream of experiencing European soccer. She has suited up for Arsenal Ladies and has made public any plans on whether she’ll be returning to FCKC at this time. Simply known as HAO to fans and media alike, O’Reilly gave 1000% every game, running down the flanks and providing service to her teammates. O’Reilly was truly a fan-favorite, always up for a post-game chat, smiling for fans who eagerly awaited just a glimpse of her up close. The gap filled won’t ever be completely filled, but for FCKC’s hope to get back into the post-season this year, they will need to figure out a way to compensate for her absence.

Amanda Frisbie (D) – Having only played two games in 2016 before being let go, the absence of Frisbie shouldn’t have a major impact on the defense or the team as a whole. She was waived and signed to Stjarnan Women for nine games before returning to the NWSL, signing with Boston for the 2017 season as a discovery player.

Caroline Kastor (F) – Kastor had been with KC since 2015, playing in eight games that season and made 15 appearances in 2016. She wasn’t a player that would necessarily stand out or make the big plays, but she put in the work and helped earn KC’s first championship in 2015 by doing her small part. Earlier this year in March, the Wichita, Kansas native announced her retirement from the NWSL and professional soccer.

Tiffany McCarty (F) – Since turning pro in 2013, the speedy forward has been with the Washington Spirit, Houston Dash, Nadeshiko (Japan) and in 2016 played 15 games for FCKC. The 26-year-old has since signed with Medkila, a club in the Toppserien league for Norway. Much like Frisbie, her absence will have little impact overall.

Frances Silva (F) – The tiny Venezuelan played for FCKC from 2014-2016, playing 33 times and scoring two goals. In 2015 Silva led the league in assists per minute played, averaging an assist every 145 minutes. Silva was fun to watch in open spaces and will be missed for her ability to distribute and create. In November of last year, Silva announced her retirement from professional soccer to pursue other interests. She currently is the Social Media Specialist for FoxSoccer.

 

Additions:

Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez (F) – Two of the quickest players in the game have returned after each missing last season due to pregnancy. Syd and A-Rod each will be relied upon to be the offensive firepower that was heavily missing in 2016. Leroux has moved around a bit, playing for Boston in 2013, Seattle in 2014, and moved to Western New York in 2015. She was brought to KC in a deal that involved two other teams–Houston and WNYF.  Leroux got dealt to KC with Tiffany McCarty while WNYF acquired Jess McDonald in exchange for a 2016 and 2017 International roster spot and a 2017 second-round pick.  She signed with FCKC in January of 2016 and has the potential to fulfill the scoring needs of FCKC. Leroux has scored 18 goals in her NWSL career and when combined with A-Rod’s impressive goal-scoring ability, these two could pack a serious one-two punch.

A-Rod has been with FCKC since 2014, playing in 37 games and scoring 26 times. She brings incredible energy and literally never stops running on the field. Rodriguez loves to pressure opposing defenses and has a knack for scoring goals when it really counts (most recently the 2015 NWSL Championship where she scored the game-winning goal). I expect both of these players to be the center of the offense and to score at least a handful of goals.

Becca Moros (D) – Moros returns to the Blues after spending one season down in Houston. She previously played for FCKC in 2015, anchoring part of that incredible defense that won the title that season. Moros will bring stability to the backline as well as veteran experience.

Christina Gibbons (M) – The rookie out of Duke was selected fifth overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. Gibbons played 88 games at Duke, netting 10 goals and 19 assists. I would love to see her earn serious minutes this season, she is a strong player and if she does well, could be in the Rookie of the Year conversation come August.

 

Not So Bright in 2016:

In 2014 and 2015, FCKC were unstoppable and shined the brightest out of all teams in the NWSL. 2016 was a bit dimmer. FCKC had a less-than-ideal start to the season, not earning the first win until May 28; well under the expectations after winning back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 they earned just seven wins, eight losses, and grabbed five draws. FCKC did finish the season strong, winning three games in September and taking a draw.

FCKC struggled offensively, managing just 18 goals – no one player reached double digits in goals. It’s no secret that Vlatko is a defensive minded coach, but they just simply didn’t execute enough on the other end. The midfield last season had trouble combining with the forwards and when you add the lack of finishing when they did finally connect, Kansas City just wasn’t sharp enough offensively. The Blues had seven different goal-scorers but three players contributed just one goal in 20 games. It was an extreme drop-off in production from the previous year where they had 13 different goal-scorers and had the second-most goals with 32.

 

The Veterans Return:

The only two-star team in the league has several players returning who will be consistent starters: Becky Sauerbrunn, Nicole Barnhart, Yael Averbuch, Shea Groom, Erika Tymrak, Mandy Laddish, and Desiree Scott. On the defensive side with Broon, Barnie, Katie Bowen, and Averbuch, I expect them to continue to be solid this season but they also need to find which combination of personnel will work best. Last season they didn’t have a consistent backline. They added in Averbuch but technically she is best in the midfield. She should be someone who is in the attacking third, not sitting on the backline every game. We can expect polished work from Barnie and Broon, two players who are still under-appreciated in my opinion but deserve serious praise for the work they’ve put in. Yael is always a threat on set-pieces and can help FCKC in the scoring department occasionally.

Adding in Moros will help with finding the right chemistry. I think the more Bowen plays on the outside, the more she could be a factor for the offense. She scored in pre-season action against Missouri at the end of March and looked ready to do some lifting on the offensive side of the ball. FCKC do have one of the older backlines, so we will see how that comes into play later on in the season. All of these core veteran players need to have a bounce-back year after finishing sixth and missing the playoffs last season.

In the midfield, they have a talented bunch with Tymrak, Scott, and Laddish. These three are all under 25 years-old and have been playing very well since arriving in KC in 2014. Each will also need to step up their play from last season.

Tymrak had a very quiet year, scoring just one goal in 15 appearances compared to scoring eight goals combined the two previous seasons. She has the talent to take on a defense and make things happen. If she can find a way to tap into her potential a little bit more, she could be one of the top scorers for the Blues.

Scott is known for her ability to win the ball and is a physical player. She is another player who I feel is a bit underrated for the work she puts in. Between these three players, just one goal was scored, which will be unacceptable this season if they want to get back to winning ways.

Laddish has contributed one goal in 18 appearances for Kansas City but her stat sheet doesn’t need to be filled up for fans to appreciate the hustle she puts in every time she is called upon. She has the potential to add a few more if she can receive the ball in the right spaces for her to pull the trigger. The partnership of the midfield will be one to keep an eye on early on, to see who is clicking.

 

Groom’s The Way:

If you’re a fan of FCKC, you should be happy that Shea Groom is back for 2017. Groom was the top scorer for the Blues last season with eight goals, a career-high for her. She led the way for an offense that clearly was not what it used to be. But after adding a few key pieces in Syd and A-Rod I think the offense could return to the compelling threat it was in 2015.

Overall, I have Vlatko and company finishing fifth in the table but with this roster, I also would not be surprised if they managed to squeak their way back into the playoffs somehow.

2017 FC Kansas City Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart, Cat Parkhill

DEFENDERS (7): Alex Arlitt, Yael Averbuch, Katie Bowen (INTL-NZ), Becca Moros, Brianne Reed, Becky Sauerbrunn (FED-USA), Brittany Taylor

MIDFIELDERS (6): Christina Gibbons, Lo’eau LaBonta, Mandy Laddish, Alexa Newfield, Desiree Scott (FED-CAN), Erika Tymrak

FORWARDS (3): Shea Groom, Sydney Leroux (FED-USA), Amy Rodriguez (FED-USA)

Ellis Names NWSL Heavy Roster for Switzerland Friendlies

Posted on by RJ Allen

Jill Ellis, head coach of the USWNT, has named her 24-person roster ahead of friendlies against Switzerland (October 19th at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, and October 23rd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota).

And out of the 24 women called up, 11 players have yet to earn a cap with the senior team:  Jane Campbell, Danielle Colaprico, Lynn Williams, Kealia Ohai, Shea Groom, Andi Sullivan, Ashley Hatch, Casey Short,  Arin Gilliland, Merritt Mathias and Abby Dahlkemper.

18 players will dress for matches, meaning that several of those eleven players will earn their first caps with these matches. 

Notably absent are Meghan Klingenberg (D), Ali Krieger (D), Julie Johnston (D), Megan Rapinoe (M), and Alex Morgan (F). 

A full roster can be seen below. 

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash), Arin Gilliland (Chicago Red Stars), Merritt Mathias (Seattle Reign), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Andi Sullivan (Stanford)

FORWARDS (6): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City), Ashley Hatch (BYU), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)