LOUISVILLE, Ky. — When the whistle blew at halftime of the 2021 NWSL Championship, the Washington Spirit knew that, after everything they’d been through this season, now was not the time to panic. Then they went out and completed their final magical comeback of the year, defeating the Chicago Red Stars 2-1 to win the first title in franchise history.

“I think we just finally got back to doing what we are good at, which is playing,” said Spirit outside back Kelley O’Hara, who headed in the game-winning goal in extra time. “Moving them, breaking them down, finding the spaces, using our weapons and just playing.”

Much of the Spirit’s season was defined by off-field controversy. They’ve had a coach fired for verbal abuse, owners fighting over controlling percentages and two forfeits dictated by the league’s COVID-19 rules. Those forfeits weighed heavily on the players. O’Hara called how the league handled those games “suspect in some areas,” and the team came together to win in spite of, as Andi Sullivan put it the day before, “those who want to make it harder for us.”

That adversity informed how the team played on the field. The group that won the NWSL championship somehow became underrated in their tactical awareness and problem-solving ability. On Saturday, their knack for solving puzzles helped them overcome a gutsy performance from the Red Stars to claim the ultimate prize.

Adaptability was the theme of the Spirit’s season. Before Kris Ward took over as interim head coach, the team played with a hyper focus on how much they had the ball; under Ward, they emphasized what exactly to do with the ball. The defense has been steady, and the young attacking core helped them win important games to close out the regular season. Chicago midfielder Morgan Gautrat had said it was going to take something special to win the game, and it took Washington time to unlock a Red Stars defense that had proven impenetrable in recent weeks.

For the first 45 minutes, the Red Stars had the game right where they wanted it. They were able to dictate a slow tempo, disrupt passing lanes and take Washington’s most dynamic players out of the match. Chicago’s war of attrition against injuries was tested again Saturday; Vanessa DiBernardo went down in the 13th minute while dealing with a hamstring injury, and Mallory Pugh exited the game at halftime after a crunching tackle from O’Hara.

Chicago dealt with the most obvious on-field adversity, but the Spirit still found themselves down at halftime 1-0. Somehow the Red Stars took advantage of the time after Pugh left the field in stoppage time, with Arin Wright sending a beautiful ball in to the back post for Rachel Hill to ricochet in. For a moment, it seemed like the upset might be on and the Red Stars might be able to stifle another team into submission at the end of a very long season.

But the Spirit, as they’ve done all year, made another adjustment.

“The first half, we were pretty static,” Trinity Rodman said after the match. “There was not a lot of movement at the top, and initially that’s why we couldn’t swing the ball because there was no movement. But I think definitely second half, with everyone moving off the ball, their defenders having to make a decision of, ‘Do I stay? Do I go?’ I think that was the biggest thing.”

To place Washington’s off-field adversity in the same conversation as their on-field dominance undercuts what the team has been able to accomplish when the distractions slip away. Ward led the Spirit to an undefeated end to the season, and the defense of O’Hara, Tegan McGrady, Sam Staab and Emily Sonnett solidified their positioning in a purposeful way. The off-field stories have been both a distraction and a focusing tool. So, at halftime on Saturday, the Spirit players knew they had the experience to find a way to win without abandoning the principles that got them to the final.

The turnaround started with a few Washington players. After Chicago had successfully matched numbers to take away the threat of Ashley Sanchez, Golden Boot winner Ashley Hatch started to sit back to give Washington a numerical advantage in the midfield. Rodman overcame her first-half frustrations to work her way into the game and Chicago’s defenders’ heads, exploiting the space on the wings and waking up the Spirit’s offense with a crack off the post in the 61st minute.

The penalty Tara Mckeown won in the 66th minute was bad luck for the Red Stars, but it was also the natural consequence of the pressure Washington had been putting on Chicago since the half began. As fatigue was setting in for the Red Stars, the Spirit ramped up their intensity, looking for the final pass or shot that would get them the equalizer. As it turned out, getting into dangerous areas was the most effective game plan.

If the Red Stars had held on for even 10 minutes past the 67th-minute mark, they might have been able to frustrate Washington enough to steal a 1-0 win, despite their flagging numbers. The Red Stars have been successful this season when they’ve frustrated their opponents enough that they can’t successfully execute. The equalizer, off of a penalty kick from Andi Sulilvan, gave the Spirit proof of their own comeback.

The final game-winning dagger came early in extra time, when the Red Stars were down even more starters. That left Rodman with the time to place her cross, finding a streaking O’Hara who rose over Makenzy Doniak to head the ball past Cassie Miller and put Washington ahead.

Picture-perfect first goal of the season from @kelleymohara 🔥#WASvCHI | @CBS | #NWSL21 pic.twitter.com/89ohWFr9Dl

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 20, 2021

Chicago won their duels in the first half of the game, pushing Spirit players off the ball to open up space. But in the second half, Washington eased into the game and flipped the duels on their head. Such was the build-up to O’Hara’s massive game-winner, with the outside back boxing Doniak out physically to put the ball into the back of the net. The Spirit made an adjustment in tactics and effort, and it made all the difference on Saturday afternoon.

The Red Stars have to wonder what might have been if they could have fielded a full healthy roster, but what the Spirit accomplished in 2021 is one of the more miraculous sports stories of the year.

“I’m really proud of this team — people have no idea what we’ve all gone through,” O’Hara said. “And the resiliency and the perseverance of every single player on this team is pretty incredible. It’s something that I haven’t seen on any NWSL team that I’ve been on. So it’s the best feeling ever to be ending on a win, and being champions.”

Claire Watkins is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering soccer and the NWSL. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

On today's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins wades through a few big women’s sports headlines before sitting down with Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase.

Watkins chats with Nakase about leading a brand-new WNBA franchise, including building a roster from scratch and the front office team's goals and tactics in navigating Golden State's expansion draft.

Finally, Nakase discusses how she’d like her team to play, plus the fundamentals that she thinks will create a lasting locker room culture of winning as the Valkyries embark on their inaugural 2025 season.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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Behind a huge performance from sophomore Hannah Hidalgo, No. 8 Notre Dame handed No. 2 UConn their season’s first loss, defeating their third Top-5 team 79-68 on Thursday.

Even with injuries limiting Notre Dame’s depth, it was all gas, no brakes for the Irish, who spent nearly all of the game’s 40 minutes in the lead.

The Irish defense held the Huskies to an abysmal 18.8% three-point shooting rate, with UConn making just three out of 16 attempts from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Notre Dame did the opposite, sinking 55% of their 18 three-point attempts.

UConn superstar Paige Bueckers led the Huskies with 25 points in a game where guard Azzi Fudd, who’s nursing a minor knee injury, was sorely missed. While freshman forward Sarah Strong added 14 points despite getting into early foul trouble, UConn’s roster simply couldn’t put together enough clutch plays to overcome the Irish.

“Going forward, we need more contributions from more people [other than Bueckers],” assessed UConn head coach Geno Auriemma following the loss. “If you're playing at Connecticut, you have to be the kind of kid who can make an impact in a game like this."

Notre Dame has now taken three games in a row from UConn, something the Irish haven’t done since 2012-13. 

"This is a major win for us," Notre Dame head coach Niele Ivey said after the game. "Obviously, it's just one win, but I'm really grateful for this group and really proud of our effort and the way that we showed up today with such toughness and discipline."

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Red-hot Hidalgo fuels Notre Dame win

Star guard Hidalgo played menace to the visiting Huskies on Thursday, putting together a near-triple-double with 29 points, 20 rebounds, and eight assists, plus draining a career-high six three-pointers. In total, the preseason All-American played a role in 48 of Notre Dame’s 79 points.

"Hidalgo is the head of the snake," UConn’s Bueckers said about her opponent. "She does a lot of great things offensively, defensively. She's a pest. I think the best thing that she does is her energy and her attitude and the way she leads that team with that and the fire that she brings."

Forward Liatu King added a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double of her own to the Irish’s total, with guard Olivia Miles also sinking 16 points.

The backcourt duo of Miles and Hidalgo continues to lift Notre Dame into this season’s top echelon, with Auriemma, the winningest NCAA basketball coach in history, commenting "I don't know if there's a better combination of guards than those two with how many different things they can hurt you with."

"Those guys are attacking you for the entire 40 minutes. And I don't know that I've seen anybody up close yet that can do that."

Ultimately, the Irish look as formidable as ever. Despite an uncharacteristic two-loss skid, Notre Dame boasts wins over then-No. 3 USC, then-No. 4 Texas, and now No. 2 UConn, becoming just the third team with a trio of Top-5 wins before January in 25 years.

"I'm hoping that the lesson [is], when we play with heart, we play with discipline, we play focused, we can be just as elite as everybody else in the country," remarked Ivey.

How to watch Sunday’s Top-25 NCAA basketball

Though both UConn and Notre Dame will face decidedly overmatched opponents in Georgetown and Eastern Michigan, respectively, there are two Top-25 tilts on deck.

First on Sunday, WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s alma mater, No. 21 Iowa, will visit an undefeated No. 17 Michigan State side off to their best start in program history. The Big Ten foes will tip off at 12 PM ET, with live coverage on BTN.

Then at 2 PM ET, undefeated No. 25 Georgia Tech will take on one-loss No. 14 UNC, airing on ACCN.

In between lies an intriguing bout between No. 22 NC State and Louisville, two teams who have suffered a slew of losses to ranked squads. The Wolfpack, who fell to No. 3 South Carolina, No. 4 LSU, and No. 12 TCU, will be hungry to keep their Top-25 spot. On the other hand, Louisville, who registered losses to No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 UConn, No. 10 Oklahoma, and No. 16 Kentucky, will be eager to bounce back into the AP poll after being ousted on Monday.

NC State’s battle with Louisville will air live at 1 PM ET on ABC.

Just 16 teams remain in the 2024 NCAA volleyball tournament​ after last week's opening rounds, setting the stage for this weekend's four Regional showdowns.

Hosted by the No. 1 seeds (Pitt, Nebraska, Penn State, and Louisville), each four-team mini-tournament will send one squad to next Thursday's national semifinals in Louisville.

Regional action kicks off in the ACC

The Pitt and Louisville Regionals will start the Sweet Sixteen action on Thursday, when the Panthers host No. 7 Missouri, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 4 Oregon. Louisville helms the evening party, which includes No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Purdue, and No. 6 Florida.

With Pittsburgh already in full swing, the Wildcats added a third defeat of Missouri to their 2024 tally on Thursday, ousting the Tigers 3-1 and extending their win streak to 14 matches in the process.

About to take the court are two of the nation's best blocking teams, with the overall No. 1 seed Panthers aiming for a repeat of their season-opening sweep of the Ducks.

Thursday night's action starts when Stanford, whose nine NCAA titles dwarf all other Division I programs, takes on a tough Florida side who upset No. 3 Kansas in a gritty five-set thriller last Saturday.

Finally, while no team is immune to upsets at this level, Thursday's closer between Purdue and Louisville is especially vulnerable after the Cardinals barely survived Northern Iowa on Saturday.

The Big Ten begins hosting on Friday

Big Ten courts will serve as the stage for Friday's Regional semifinals, with Penn State hosting No. 2 Creighton, No. 3 Texas, and No. 5 Marquette before Nebraska welcomes No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 5 Dayton, and No. 6 Texas A&M to Cornhusker country.

Friday's opener pits two offensive powerhouses who've swept their way through the NCAA bracket against each other. The Bluejays, who are riding a 24-match win streak, will try to harness that momentum to end the back-to-back defending champs Longhorns' hopes of a three-peat.

Soon after, the Nittany Lions will again defend home court — a feat they've accomplished in every 2024 home match — in Friday's second tilt against the Golden Eagles.

Like Penn State, fellow Big Ten behemoth Wisconsin is likely to emerge victorious from their Regional semifinal, a rematch of the Badgers's September sweep of Texas A&M.

Capping the weekend's first matches is a battle of experience against this year's Cinderella squad. In their 40th Sweet Sixteen appearance, Nebraska's superstar-stacked roster will take on Regional debutants Dayton, who outlasted No. 4 Baylor in five gritty sets to earn the trip. The Flyers boast the fifth-best defense in the country, and they'll need every ounce of it to snap the Huskers' 43-match home win streak.

How to watch the 2024 NCAA volleyball Regionals

Thursday's action is in full swing, and No. 2 Creighton vs. No. 3 Texas will jumpstart Friday's slate at 1 PM ET before Saturday and Sunday each feature a pair of Regional finals.

The full schedule will stream live on ESPN+, with ESPN2 also airing all matches through Saturday.

Sunday's games received a broadcast bump, with the Nebraska Regional final airing at 3 PM ET on ABC and the Penn State-hosted finale taking the 8:30 PM ET slot on ESPN.

The 2027 Women's World Cup has officially claimed its calendar spot, with FIFA announcing Tuesday that the tournament's Brazil-hosted 10th edition — the first-ever in South America — will run from June 24th through July 25th.

"The FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 is already taking shape and we can’t wait for the opening match," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Looking to break 2023's record-setting attendance and viewership numbers, Infantino also noted, "This historic tournament will have a massive impact not only in South America, but around the whole world, taking the women's game to the next level in terms of participation and popularity."

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Prepping for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers

The international soccer governing body also allocated the competition's 32 available spots, with CONMEBOL's Brazil earning automatic entry as one of the three slots granted to the continental confederation.

UEFA leads the pool with 11 teams, followed by AFC with six, CAF and Concacaf with four each, and OFC's one.

The final three squads will be determined by a 10-team, two-round play-in tournament taking place in late 2026 and February 2027.

The road to Brazil kicks off in 2025

With details including host cities and venues still to come, the road to the 2027 World Cup is ramping up with qualifying matches looming just around the corner.

Next year's UEFA Nations League play will determine the 11 European teams bound for Brazil, including 2023 world champions Spain. Meanwhile, the path to a fifth star for the world No. 1 USWNT crest begins with Concacaf W Qualifiers in late 2025.

Similarly, 2025 qualifying matches for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup and 2026 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off World Cup entrances for teams in those federations. CONMEBOL will look to the 2025 Copa América tournament to determine the remaining two entrants that will compete alongside host Brazil, while OFC is likely to set their World Cup qualifying matches for next year.

Superstar exits pave the way for new World Cup stars

Both expected and surprise entrants will book their 2027 World Cup spots over the next two years, but the Brazil tournament's sidelines are already set to feature fresh faces after a flood of soccer greats called game in 2024.

The host nation will compete in their first World Cup since 1999 without legendary attacker Marta, whose 17 goals lead the tournament's all-time scoring list.

Canada is suffering the same fate with 2027 marking the first edition in 28 years without leading international goalscorer Christine Sinclair.

Two-time trophy-winners Germany — the only team other than the US with more than one world title — recently bid adieu to star Alexandra Popp, who retired as a four-time World Cup competitor.

As for the USWNT, they'll look to follow their 2024 Olympic gold medal with a 2027 World Cup title, but without star striker Alex Morgan, defender Kelley O'Hara, or goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who followed 2023 retirees Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz out the door this year.