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Seven seniors headline inaugural JWS soccer All-American teams

Ella Sanchez earns JWS All-American First Team honors after finishing her junior season with 64 goals and 14 assists. (Courtesy of Connor Cunningham)

A week after unveiling the final high school soccer spring rankings, Just Women’s Sports has new honors to bestow upon the nation’s top high school student-athletes.

JWS is proud to announce its inaugural All-American girls soccer teams, honoring 22 of the top high school players in the nation, including seven seniors on the first team.

Learn more about these outstanding athletes below, including what college they plan to attend, and look out for our selection of JWS Player of the Year next week.

First Team

Elise Evans, Woodside (Calif.), Sr. | D/F

18 goals, 4 assists
Stanford

Evans did it all for Woodside. Normally a defender, Evans played up top when needed and averaged over a goal per game in 12 appearances. But she was just as comfortable defending a one-goal lead, guiding the Wildcats to a 15-2-1 record.

Juliauna Hayward, Legacy (Colo.), Sr. | M

17 goals, 22 assists
Colorado

A top-10 player in her recruiting class, according to Top Drawer Soccer, Hayward controlled the midfield and led the Lightning to a state quarterfinal appearance.

Riley Jackson, Blessed Trinity (Ga.), Soph. | M

14 goals, 18 assists
Uncommitted

Jackson put up those numbers despite missing significant time while leading the U.S. U17 national team to the Concacaf championship, where she was named the tournament’s best player.

Molly Martin, Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School (Mass.), Sr. | D

6 goals, 9 assists
Penn State

Before enrolling at Penn State, Martin anchored a defense that allowed just two goals in 21 games, leading the Knights to a 21-0 record and the Class A tournament championship.

Shay Montgomery, Yorktown (Va.), Sr. | M

24 goals, 8 assists
South Carolina

Montgomery led the Patriots to the 6A state title and a No. 3 spot in the season-ending JWS rankings.

Allie Montoya, Mountain View (Cal.), Sr. | F

28 goals, 11 assists
Stanford

A constant presence on U.S. youth national teams, Montoya scored over a third of the Spartans’ goals and was involved in nearly half of them.

Jordan Nytes, Grandview (Colo.), Sr. | GK

5 goals against, 15 shutouts, 75 saves
Oklahoma State

Nytes was the backbone of the Class 5A state champions, giving up just five goals in 20 games and recording a .938 save percentage.

Melina Rebimbas, Rutgers Preparatory School (N.J.), Jr. | F

40 goals, 31 assists
North Carolina

Rebimbas recorded a hat trick in eight games this season, more than a third of the Dragons’ 23-match schedule.

Ella Sanchez, Ballard (Ky.), Jr. | F/M

64 goals, 14 assists
Uncommitted

Behind Sanchez’s jaw-dropping numbers, Ballard advanced to the region tournament semifinals.

Evelyn Shores, Westminster (Ga.), Jr. | D/F

27 goals, 24 assists
North Carolina

Another player that did a little bit of everything, Shores led Westminster to a state title and the No. 1 spot in JWS’ final rankings.

Amelia White, Homestead (Ind.), Sr. | F/M

25 goals, 15 assists
Penn State

Thanks to White’s contributions, Homestead went 22-0 and won the Class 4A state championship.

Second Team

Samantha Allen, Noble (Okla.), Sr. | F

56 goals, 15 assists
Oklahoma State

Allen scored 169 goals throughout her high school career, widely believed to be the most in state history.

Lindsey Antonson, Wilsonville (Ore.), Sr. | F

52 goals, 9 assists
Oregon State

Antonson scored 13 goals over four postseason matches, including a hat trick in the state championship game, to lead the Wildcats to a state championship and an undefeated season.

Autumn Cayelli, T.L. Hanna (S.C.), Jr. | M/F

49 goals, 4 assists
South Carolina

Cayelli’s prodigious goal-scoring record propelled T.L. Hanna to an appearance in the 5A state championship game.

Olivia Curry, Spring-Ford (Pa.), Sr. | D

Wisconsin

A United Soccer Coaches All-American selection, Curry is one of the top defenders in the Class of 2022.

Halle Engle, Mechanicsburg (Pa.), Sr. | F

50 goals, 11 assists
Liberty

Engle scored in 23 of the Wildcats’ 24 games, leading them to the state quarterfinals and ending her prep career with 132 goals and 47 assists.

Kennedy Fuller, Southlake Carroll (Texas), Fr. | M

26 goals, 15 assists
Uncommitted

Despite her youth, Fuller did not shy away in the big moments, recording a hat trick in Southlake Carroll’s 4-0 state championship win.

Kelsey Smith, McDonogh (Md.), Sr. | F

19 goals, 3 assists
Maryland

When Smith returned to the field in September after missing more than a year with an ACL injury, she didn’t skip a beat, leading the Eagles to a state crown.

Kiera Staude, Westminster (Ga.), Jr. | D

3 goals, 2 assists
Georgia

Staude marshaled a defense that allowed just 11 goals all season en route to a seventh consecutive state title, including shutouts in four of the Wildcats’ five postseason games.

Taylor Suarez, Ardrey Kell (N.C.), Soph. | F

18 goals, 12 assists
Uncommitted

Suarez put up those numbers despite missing eight-regular season games while playing for the U.S. U17 national team. She also had five goals and six assists in six postseason appearances.

Tatum Thomason, Liberty (Ariz.), Sr. | M/F

39 goals, 20 assists
Washington

The prolific goal scorer had six hat tricks and 13 multi-goal games, leading the Lions to the 6A state semifinals.

Sydney Watts, St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.), Jr. | M/F

37 goals, 10 assists
Vanderbilt

One of the top juniors in the country, Watts led the Saints to an undefeated season and the Class 5A state championship, scoring both goals in the state final.

Phillip Suitts is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. He has worked at a variety of outlets, including The Palm Beach Post and Southeast Missourian, and done a little bit of everything from reporting to editing to running social media accounts. He was born in Atlanta but currently lives in wintry Philadelphia. Follow Phillip on Twitter @PhillipSuitts.

USWNT Announces Final 2024 Friendly Against the Netherlands

The USWNT listens to the national anthem before the 2024 Olympics gold-medal match
The USWNT won gold under coach Emma Hayes at the 2024 Olympics. (Daniela Porcelli/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

On Thursday, US Soccer announced that the USWNT will cap off its 2024 campaign with a December 3rd friendly against the Netherlands in The Hague — the team's 23rd game this year.

The match comes three days after the US side's previously announced meeting with 2022 European champions and 2023 World Cup finalists England at London's iconic Wembley Stadium. 

To stay the best, the USWNT will play the best

Following their gold medal-winning run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the USWNT reclaimed their world No. 1 ranking. In order to stay there, head coach Emma Hayes noted, the team must seek out matches against other top international foes.

"It was a fantastic summer for our team, and we’re going to take a lot of great lessons and memories from our time in France, but now we are looking forward to continuing our process,” said Hayes.

"In order for our team to keep learning and growing, and for the coaching staff to continue to evaluate players, we need to play the best teams possible. Playing matches in Europe against some of the world’s top teams will be an important part of our journey."

With England sitting at No. 2 in the world and the Dutch at No. 11, this final 2024 road trip is exactly what the US boss ordered.

Megan Rapinoe takes a penalty kick to score the USWNT's first goal against the Netherlands in the 2019 World Cup final.
The USWNT defeated the Netherlands in the 2019 World Cup final, with Megan Rapinoe scoring the game-winning penalty. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

The Dutch are a familiar friendly foe

In their 11 previous meetings with the Netherlands, the USWNT has only lost once: a 4-3 defeat in their first-ever matchup in 1991. In the years since, the States have had the upper hand, logging eight wins and two draws.

The duo has ramped up the drama in their matches, though, facing each other in world championships in three of their last four bouts.

The USWNT's 2019 World Cup final win is arguably the team's most meaningful Dutch defeat, though recent tilts have appeared significantly tougher. While the US walked away with the win in the pair's 2021 Olympic quarterfinal, they needed penalty kicks to do so. And in the States's admittedly disappointing 2023 World Cup run, they played the Netherlands to a 1-1- draw in the group stage.

How to watch the USWNT's European friendlies

The US will take on England on November 30th at 12:20 PM ET. Their meeting with the Netherlands will kick off at 2:45 PM ET on December 3rd.

Both friendlies will air live on TNT, or you can stream the games via Max and Peacock.

NWSL Unveils New Tiffany & Co. Shield and MVP Trophies

The new NWSL season MVP and Shield trophies shine
Tiffany & Co. designed the new NWSL regular-season MVP and Shield trophies. (NWSL)

The NWSL, in collaboration with Tiffany & Co., dropped revamped Shield and regular-season MVP trophies on Wednesday.

The bold new hardware is part of a plan to “set a new standard for recognition in women’s sports” by giving the Tiffany treatment to all NWSL end-of-season awards. This year's two additions join the redesigned Championship and Championship MVP awards that kicked off the league’s partnership with the jewelry company last year.

An NWSL Shield worthy of superheroes

Both awards are handcrafted by Tiffany & Co. The refreshed MVP award includes a silver soccer ball atop a tall base.

"The best players in the world play here at the NWSL, and it is only fitting that we work with Tiffany to honor the best of the best," said NWSL chief marketing and commercial officer Julie Haddon in the league's announcement. “It has been a long time coming to create a suite of awards that are as extraordinary as our athletes."

Inspired by ancient Greco-Roman armor, the 24K gold and sterling silver Shield features a unique, interactive design. It is equipped with a handle so it can be removed from its base and held like "a true shield." 

The silver soccer ball that's part of the new NWSL season MVP trophy
The 2024 NWSL regular-season MVP race could see Temwa Chawinga or Barbra Banda claim the new Tiffany & Co. trophy. (NWSL)

Orlando poised to handle the new hardware

As the still-undefeated league leaders, the Orlando Pride are the clear frontrunners to claim the redesigned NWSL Shield.

The second-place Washington Spirit, third-place Gotham FC, and fourth-place KC Current are technically still in the running. However, with four matchdays left, Orlando can clinch the Shield outright by either defeating the Spirit this Sunday or winning two other remaining matches.

The regular-season MVP award race is tighter. Though Golden Boot leader Temwa Chawinga (KC) and the league's next top scorer Barbra Banda (Orlando) have pulled away from the pack.

And if Banda snags the honor, both new trophies will likely be bound for Florida.

Aces Fall Back, Lynx Level Up in Game 2 of WNBA Semifinals

Aces center A'ja Wilson dribbles against the Liberty's Breanna Stewart in the 2024 WNBA semifinals.
Breanna Stewart's Liberty and A'ja Wilson's Aces will next square off in Las Vegas on Friday.(David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two games into the best-of-five 2024 WNBA semifinals, and the back-to-back defending champion Aces are staring down elimination while the Lynx evened the score last night.

With Friday's Game 3 offering a venue change, Las Vegas will need every ounce of their home-court advantage to continue their playoff run, while Minnesota's aim will be to silence the Connecticut crowd.

Las Vegas guard Tiffany Hayes attempts a lay-up against the Liberty's Breanna Stewart.
No WNBA has ever won a best-of-five playoff series after starting 0-2. (David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images)

Aces on the brink of elimination after Game 2 loss

Tuesday's second-straight loss, an 88-84 defeat by the No. 1 seed Liberty in Brooklyn, has No. 4 seed Las Vegas on the brink of playoff elimination. The Aces are now the first reigning champions to ever fall to a 0-2 deficit in a WNBA playoff series.

Las Vegas has yet to conquer the Liberty this season, falling a franchise record-tying five straight times to same opponent, all after defeating New York in the 2023 WNBA Finals.

New York's Sabrina Ionescu and Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson led their teams in scoring with 24 points each, while Liberty guard Courtney Vandersloot provided a crucial spark off the bench. 

Should Las Vegas turn things around when the series moves back to Nevada on Friday, they'd become the first team to ever bounce back from 0-2 to reach the WNBA Finals.

Aces guard Chelsea Gray put a positive spin on the challenge, saying "I love being in the history books, so might as well try to start there. That's going to be our mentality."

Lynx guard Courtney Williams lays up a shot surrounded by Connecticut defenders.
Minnesota and Connecticut will play at least two more games to close out the WNBA semifinals. (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Lynx level up with Game 2 semifinal win in Minnesota

No. 2 seed Minnesota evened their semifinal score with No. 3 seed Connecticut on Tuesday, earning a 77-70 win in Minneapolis to send the series back East at one victory apiece.

Courtney Williams led the Lynx in scoring with 17 points, while a physical Minnesota defense held the Sun to less than 40% shooting from the field.

In the loss, Sun forward DeWanna Bonner became the third all-time leading scorer in WNBA postseason history. She also inked her name into the league record books as the player with the most appearances in playoff history at 83 games and counting.

Friday kicks off a guaranteed two-game run in Connecticut, with the home side on a mission to reach the Finals for the first time since 2022.

How to watch Game 3 of the WNBA semifinals

Las Vegas and Minnesota will look to pick up critical wins in Friday's Game 3, with the Aces facing a must-win scenario in front of what promises to be a rocking home crowd.

The Lynx will travel to Connecticut for a 7:30 PM ET tip off on Friday, October 4th, followed by a Liberty vs. Aces showdown in Las Vegas at 9:30 PM ET. Both games are scheduled to air on ESPN2.

The Late Sub Podcast: Can The Aces Bounce Back in the WNBA Semis?

A'ja Wilson reacts to a play in the Aces's Game 1 WNBA semifinal loss to the Liberty
A'ja Wilson and the Aces will try to rebound from their Game 1 WNBA semifinal loss to the Liberty on Tuesday. (Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images)

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins takes a look at the first games of the 2024 WNBA semifinals, discussion whether or not Aces and Lynx fans can find the silver lining in their teams' respective shortcomings heading into Game 2.

Then, she shouts out the big winners and losers of this weekend's NWSL's slate, including this season's historic Golden Boot race and the competition to clinch one of the final playoff spots.

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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