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How Alex Morgan, Wave rose to the occasion against Red Stars

(Orlando Ramirez/USA TODAY Sports)

On Sunday evening, late into the night on all coasts, the San Diego Wave made more history. After becoming the first expansion club in league history to make the NWSL playoffs in their inaugural season, the Wave did one better, defeating the Chicago Red Stars 2-1 in extra time to book their ticket to a semifinal date with the Portland Thorns.

The Wave came into the match with an element of uncertainty, as the injury bug had appeared to strike at the exactly wrong time. Katie Johnson and Abby Dahlkemper were ruled out of the match due to injury, and Taylor Kornieck and Alex Morgan were listed as questionable in the weeks leading up to the match.

This meant that San Diego was likely going to have to rely on its other star asset: Casey Stoney, the team’s manager. The Wave’s tactical flexibility has been an undercurrent of their success in their first year, despite a reputation for “route one” soccer. Stoney and Co. showcased their full-team discipline to defend in their regular season finale, a 0-0 draw against the North Carolina Courage.

That performance hinted at what a game might look like if Morgan and Kornieck were unavailable, after the U.S. women’s national team players suffered injuries late in the regular season. As it turned out, the concerns were unfounded (despite slight gamesmanship from Stoney as to the severity of their injuries.) Morgan and Kornieck both started on Sunday and were critical to the Wave’s execution on offense.

Chicago came out in a high press, generating turnovers and disrupting San Diego’s ability to move the ball forward. One such moment of pressure gave the Red Stars an unexpected early lead. San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who has been excellent in long-ball distribution this year, made an uncharacteristic mistake in the 10th minute, spilling the ball at the top of the box to the feet of Yuki Nagasato. Before anyone else could react, Nagasato calmly chipped the keeper to put Chicago ahead 1-0.

Sheridan’s mistake was the kind that can make or break a playoff game as competitive as this one. The Red Stars seized the momentum for the rest of the first half, combining well through their newly healthy midfield box formation and cutting through the center of the pitch with ease. San Diego’s defense, though, held firm, doing just enough to keep Mallory Pugh from getting a lethal shot off or Nagasato from pouncing on another mistake.

The Wave also held their own on the wings despite struggling with the Red Stars’ on-ball dribbling talent. Chicago did well to advance continuously into San Diego’s 18-yard-box without resistance, and yet at the half, the Wave were down only 1-0. As the first half wore on, San Diego also began to get separation on set pieces, with the 6-foot-1 Kornieck proving nearly impossible to mark in the air time and time again.

After halftime, San Diego tapped into depth, tactics and some old-fashioned belief to get back into the game. The downside of an aggressive press, like the one the Red Stars started the game with, is that you pay the price with your legs later in the match, and Chicago began to wear down in the second half. Stoney subbed in Sofia Jakobsson, who started to get acres of space along the left wing. It was Jakobsson’s run down the sideline that led to the game’s equalizer, with midfielder Emily van Egmond scoring her first NWSL goal of the season. The Wave also began pressuring the Red Stars’ center-backs and defensive midfielders, affecting their ability to control the tempo as they had in the first half.

It’s true that San Diego relied on a direct style of play that can be criticized as predictable, but it’s also true that it’s an exhausting style to try to defend. As Naomi Girma continued to send in probing long passes, and Morgan put her body on the line to reach the ends of those passes, the Red Stars began to run out of gas in a footrace they were trying to avoid.

In extra time, the Red Stars left a substitute unused, and a number of starters began to struggle with cramping and lack of pace. San Diego also brought on Amirah Ali for a waning Kornieck, and control of the match began to tip in the Wave’s favor.

Which brought all roads back to Morgan, the 2022 Golden Boot winner who showed some of the qualities that make her such a special player in big games. Fans know Morgan as a player who can streak into space and get in behind a defense. But on Sunday, Morgan played the role she perfected in the 2019 World Cup, which is to sit in the trenches and open up attacking lanes just enough to make a difference.

The goal in the 110th minute came off a corner kick. Morgan’s patience on the ball in the moment allowed her just enough space to slip the shot underneath goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and end Chicago’s season.

Morgan didn’t look 100 percent on Sunday, but she changed her game to bolster her effectiveness; and as she went, so her team followed. The Wave aren’t always ready with an immediate Plan B when they’re put on their heels, but you don’t make it this far in the NWSL season without a little bit of luck and effort, buying yourself enough time to adjust.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

WSL and WSL2 Clubs Vote in Favor of English League Expansion

Chelsea FC attacker Aggie Beever-Jones celebrates a goal during a 2025 WSL match.
Despite previous proposals, the expanding WSL will not forgo relegation. (Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

The Women's Super League (WSL) is growing, with the UK league's top two flights deciding in a Monday expansion vote to enlarge its top tier from 12 to 14 teams ahead of the 2026/27 season.

The number of matches played each season will also balloon from 22 to 26 games to accommodate the incoming clubs, as will established cup competitions.

Monday also saw the WSL vote down a prior proposal to temporarily suspend the relegation and promotion process to accommodate this expansion, deciding instead to adopt a "two up, one down" model for the second-tier WSL2 next season.

As such, the top two finishers of the 2025/26 WSL2 season will automatically join the higher-tier WSL, while the WSL's last-place team will battle the WSL2's third-place club in "a high-profile, high stakes match" for the final spot in the top flight.

After reaching 14 teams, both leagues will return to relegating the last-place WSL finisher while promoting the WSL2's top team for the following season.

Along with the increased investment in club infrastructure, a 14-team WSL keeps pace with the global women's game — most notably, the NWSL, which will become a 16-team league in 2026.

"Our priority was to find a route that would benefit the whole women's game pyramid, and we believe this next evolution of women's professional football will raise minimum standards, create distinction, and incentivize investment across the board," said WSL Football CEO Nikki Doucet.

WNBA Teams Offset Injuries, EuroBasket Departures with Short-Term Contracts

Golden State Valkyries rookie Kaitlyn Chen dribbles the ball up the court during a 2025 WNBA preseason game.
2025 WNBA draftee Kaitlyn Chen returned to the Golden State Valkyries to offset EuroBasket roster departures. (Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

With EuroBasket set to tip off on Wednesday and injuries mounting league-wide, WNBA teams are filling out dwindling rosters with more short-term contracts — and calling back some familiar faces along the way.

While some European standouts withdrew from EuroBasket consideration — including Phoenix's Satou Sabally and Seattle's Gabby Williams — others, like New York's Leonie Fiebich and Golden State's Temi Fagbenle, will join their national teams for the regional FIBA tournament through the end of June.

Due to these planned absences, WNBA teams temporarily suspend their EuroBasket players' contracts, allowing squads to add others to their rosters.

Players signed due to temporary absences are technically on rest-of-season deals, though the agreements can end whenever the missing athletes return.

In contrast, the league requires that teams release any hardship signings due to injury once squads tally enough healthy original players to satisfy the WNBA's 10-athlete roster minimum.

Featuring a lineup stacked with international talent, Golden State made the most transactions this week, temporarily suspending four regular contracts as 2025 EuroBasket stars departed for the annual competition.

To bolster their depleted bench, the Valkyries brought back 2025 WNBA Draft Cinderella pick Kaitlyn Chen and recent training camp participant Laeticia Amihere on short-term contracts, in addition to guard Aerial Powers and forward Chloe Bibby.

Elsewhere, after losing forward Maddy Siegrist to injury and temporarily suspending the contracts of centers Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder, Dallas acquired center Li Yueru from Seattle — with the Wings possibly needing additional hardship signings in the coming days.

The Storm snagged two future draft picks in the Saturday deal — a second-round selection in 2026 and a third-round pick in 2027.

Ultimately, teams are striving to find a balance between stocking up and maintaining consistency, all while operating under the WNBA's roster constraints — with further league expansion fast approaching.

WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Conference Play Comes Down to the Wire

Seattle Storm forward Ezi Magbegor tries to defend a jump-shot from Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier during a 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup game.
Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx will advance to a second straight WNBA Commissioner's Cup final with a Tuesday win. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup will wrap up its conference play on Tuesday, as both Eastern and Western teams battle for a ticket to the in-season competition's championship game — and a cut of the $500,000 prize pool.

With 12 of the league's 13 teams facing off across Tuesday's WNBA courts, the results will set the stage by minting the two squads who will battle in the July 1st final showdown.

Reigning Commissioner's Cup champs Minnesota have the West's easiest path, as a win over the Las Vegas Aces will send the Lynx to a second straight final.

Should the Lynx fall to the Aces, however, Seattle can grab the Western Conference berth by beating the Los Angeles Sparks.

Meanwhile in the East, a surging Atlanta could land a trip to the final by topping New York, while the Liberty need both a win over the Dream plus a loss by the Indiana Fever to clinch their own return ticket to the Cup's grand finale.

If New York does take down Atlanta, the Fever could advance to the team's first-ever Commissioner's Cup final by beating the struggling Connecticut Sun.

How to watch Tuesday's 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup games

All of Tuesday's six WNBA games count toward the 2025 Commissioner's Cup tally.

The action begins with the Atlanta Dream tipping off against the New York Liberty while the Indiana Fever battles the Connecticut Sun at 7 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.

Chicago Sky Star Angel Reese Files Trademark for ‘Mebounds’ to Silence Internet Trolls

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese grabs a rebound during a 2024 WNBA game.
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese is trademarking a term often used to criticize her play. (Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese made headlines this week, with the second-year WNBA forward announcing that she has trademarked word "mebounds" — a slang term opposing fans use to describe Reese rebounding her own missed shots.

"Whoever came up with the 'mebounds' thing, y’all ate that up, because mebounds, rebounds, keybounds...anything that comes off that board, it's mine," Reese said in a TikTok video on Saturday.

"And a brand? That's six figures right there," she continued, referencing her trademark application. "The trolling — I love when y'all do it because the ideas be good!"

Currently averaging 11.9 boards per matchup, Reese is leading the WNBA in rebounds for the second straight season.

Her rookie campaign saw Reese average 13.1 boards per game, a rate that set a single-season league record. She also blasted through the WNBA's consecutive double-double record last season, claiming it with 10 straight before extending it to an impressive 15 games.

Along with the average rebounds record, Reese also broke the single-season total rebounds record previously held by retired Minnesota Lynx legend Sylvia Fowles — a mark that was later surpassed by 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson following Reese's season-ending wrist injury.

"Statistically, all the rebounds that I get aren't always just mine," Reese added in her Saturday social media post. "They're the defense's, too, or somebody else on my team."

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