Marymount volleyball’s season has been anything but predictable.

Coming off an undefeated season, the Sailors checked in at No. 2 in the first Just Women’s Sports team rankings of the 2022 season. Then they lost four of their first 14 matches, including their first Mission League defeat in five years.

Suddenly, the Sailors were unranked heading into the prestigious Durango Fall Classic tournament, and that’s when the turnaround began.

Behind the all-tournament play of outside hitters Torrey Stafford and Kate Martin and libero Lexi Trapani, the Sailors finished second — their sole blemish was a loss to top-ranked Cathedral Catholic.

The Sailors nabbed another top-three tournament finish this past weekend at the Tournament of Champions Southwest, losing to No. 3 Cornerstone Christian in the semifinals. Since that 10-4 start, Marymount has won 17 of its last 19 matches, and this Tuesday, it avenged that Mission League defeat to Sierra Canyon with a four-set victory over the Trailblazers.

Marymount has the talent to make a postseason run with Pittsburgh-bound Stafford and Trapani, a Santa Clara commit, but just to get back to this point has been an accomplishment after the Sailors lost five Division I players from last year’s roster.

Thanks to their hot play and strenuous schedule, which includes four wins over ranked opponents, Marymount checks in at No. 10 in the latest JWS rankings, rising three spots.

Check out the complete rankings below, and click here to view last week’s rankings.

1. Cathedral Catholic (Calif.), 28-0

The Dons notched a three-set sweep Tuesday and still haven’t dropped a set, with the GEICO Girls Volleyball Invitational looming this weekend.

2. Bloomfield Hills Marian (Mich.), 28-0

The Mustangs celebrated Senior Night with a three-set sweep Wednesday.

thats the game. won in 3 you know that’s my favorite way. 25-23 @Izzy_busignani with the game winning kill pic.twitter.com/GbltVJDdk7

— MarianVarsityVolleyball (@MarianVarsity) October 6, 2022

3. Cornerstone Christian (Texas), 53-2

After finishing second at Tournament of Champions Southeast earlier this season, Cornerstone Christian got its TOC title, beating Marymount and Mira Costa en route to the Southwest crown.

4. McCutcheon (Ind.), 26-1

The Mavericks won on back-to-back nights as Chloe Chicoine accumulated 30 combined kills between the two matches.

5. Westminster Christian (Fla.), 14-0

The Warriors have dropped just three sets all season and continued to roll with two more sweeps this past week.

6. Prestonwood Christian (Texas), 30-1

The Lions have more than a week off to prepare for the final month of regular-season play.

7. Mira Costa (Calif.), 25-3

The Mustangs tested themselves against top-tier competition at TOC Southwest, beating some of the top teams from Arizona and Nevada. They defeated Mater Dei in the semifinals and won a set off Cornerstone Christian before falling in the championship.

8. Washburn Rural (Kan.), 20-1

The Junior Blues won the Centennial League Championship this past weekend, with coach Kevin Bordewick picking up his 1,000th win in the process. They followed it up with a win over a solid Olathe Northwest team on Wednesday.

Your Lady Blues went 5-0 today and won the Centennial League championship!! Also congrats to @bordyk on his 1000th win!! Great day to be a Junior Blue!!🤩💪 pic.twitter.com/8TIyW2Uo2C

— WRHS Volleyball (@LadyBluesVB) October 1, 2022

9. Highland Park (Texas), 33-2

Since falling to Prestonwood Christian on Aug. 27, the Scots have not dropped a set.

10. Marymount (Calif.), 27-6

Two-thirds of the Sailors’ losses have come against teams ranked in the top 10.

11. Fayetteville (Ark.), 28-2

The Bulldogs suffered their second defeat of the season this past weekend, falling to Liberty North at the Blue Springs South Invitational, but they finished 4-1 on the day.

12. Tompkins (Texas), 30-2

The Falcons picked up two more district wins, with Cindy Tchouangwa notching 21 kills and Tendai Titley adding 15 in a four-set victory Friday.

13. Hamilton Southeastern (Ind.), 26-1

After their regular-season finale, the Royals will turn their attention to the postseason.

14. St. James Academy (Kan.), 23-1

The Thunder won the Janice Van Gorp Volleyball Classic and then added two more wins Tuesday.

Great job today in the SMNW Janice Van Gorp Invitational! pic.twitter.com/3N5Dwxnrm0

— St. James Volleyball (@sjavball) October 1, 2022

15. Mother McAuley (Ill.), 24-2

The Mighty Macs lost a rematch against Assumption but bounced back to win the prestigious ASICS Challenge tournament for the first time since 2016.

16. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 26-4

After beating reigning state champion Marymount earlier this season, Sierra Canyon lost the rematch Tuesday.

17. Oconomowoc (Wis.), 32-1

Lilly Wagner racked up 32 assists as the Raccoons cruised to a three-set sweep Tuesday and stretched their winning streak to 26 matches.

18. Cypress Ranch (Texas), 35-2

Bianna Muoneke is one of the nation’s leaders in kills with nearly 600, and the Mustangs haven’t lost since August.

19. Santa Fe (Fla.), 14-1

Following an extended break due to Hurricane Ian, Santa Fe returned to action Tuesday with a victory in straight sets.

20. Assumption (Ky.), 26-6

The Rockets avenged a loss to Mother McAuley but couldn’t keep the momentum going in tournament play, losing twice in the ASICS Challenge.

21. Benet Academy (Ill.), 20-1

The Redwings dropped the first set but bounced back to defeat reigning Nebraska state champion Skutt Catholic in a tight three-set match.

22. ‘Iolani (Hawaii), 19-5

The Raiders end the regular season one win shy of 20, but with victories over California powerhouses Sierra Canyon and Redondo Union.

23. Dike-New Hartford (Iowa), 28-2

Payton Petersen leads the Wolverines with 258 kills and is second with 174 digs, while her twin, Jadyn Petersen, has a team-high 189 digs and ranks second on the team with 175 kills.

24. Mater Dei (Calif.), 24-7

The Monarchs snagged fourth place at the TOC Southwest tournament and now look to finish the regular season on a high note.

25. Liberty North (Mo.), 26-1

The Blue Jays are new entrants into the top 25, with sisters Ashley and Abigail Mullen leading the way. Ashley, a senior, has 762 assists and is averaging nearly 10 per set, and Abigail, a sophomore, has a team-high 294 kills.

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.

The 2025 WNBA season is finally here, with Friday's official tip-off leading an opening weekend full of tough competition and simmering storylines.

The reigning champion New York Liberty enter as odds-on favorites, but results are nearly impossible to predict after a very active offseason across the league.

This weekend's slate features new builds, regional rivalries, and plenty of fresh faces as top 2025 draft picks log their first pro minutes.

• Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): This year's No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers makes her official WNBA debut as revamped Dallas tests itself against a Minnesota team still stinging over last year's title loss.

• Los Angeles Sparks vs. Golden State Valkyries, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Valkyries play their first-ever regular-season game, looking to form an identity against downstate rivals LA, led by new Sparks addition Kelsey Plum.

• Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty, Saturday at 1 PM ET (ABC): The 2023 champs meet the 2024 title-winners in a heavyweight clash that sees 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson take on a confident New York team led by guard Sabrina Ionescu.

• Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever, Saturday at 3 PM ET (ABC): Last year's rookie headliners Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese meet again in Indiana, with the regional rivals relying on both incoming vets and young cores to write their next chapters.

Packed with great matchups, this weekend is the ideal tip-off for a 2025 season that promises to be a wild ride — no matter which WNBA team you follow.

The NWSL is back in action this weekend with a top-table match, a bicoastal battle, and some middle-of-the-pack clashes as the 2025 season enters its ninth matchday.

Parity is riding high these days, with just three points dividing the No. 1 Kansas City Current and No. 3 Washington Spirit in the NWSL standings — while only three more separate the No. 4 San Diego Wave from the No. 8 Seattle Reign.

With competition remaining tough as nails, don't expect much more daylight between teams following this weekend's tense lineup:

• No. 7 Gotham FC vs. No. 4 San Diego Wave, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (NWSL+): Coming off a two-game winless streak, Gotham is still searching for consistency as they take on a confident San Diego side that hasn't lost in four games.

• No. 9 Racing Louisville vs. No. 8 Seattle Reign, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (NWSL+): All tied up with 11 points each, Seattle will look to hold off Louisville as Racing continues to hunt the club's first-ever playoff berth.

• No. 2 Orlando Pride vs. No. 1 Kansas City Current, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): There's little love lost between these NWSL titans, as the reigning champion Pride takes on hosting duties in an attempt to leapfrog current top-dog Kansas City in Friday's marquee match.

In a season dominated by topsy-turvy results, the pressure to secure points week-over-week weighs heaviest on the teams who know they have the talent to rise above the rest.

This season's NWSL Golden Boot leader Esther González is sticking with Gotham, with the Spanish international extending her contract with the NJ/NY club through 2027.

After helping Gotham to a first-ever NWSL championship in 2023, González earned the league's Best XI Second Team honors last year before launching a red-hot campaign this season.

The 2023 World Cup winner has tallied seven goals in nine games for Gotham in 2025, showcasing a blistering rush of form that has her sitting two goals ahead of the next Golden Boot race contender.

"Above all, it's about how I've felt during these two and a half years with Gotham FC," González said in Thursday's team announcement. "Continuing to be happy both on and off the field is really important. To keep enjoying myself and representing Gotham's colors, which I truly identify with, is something really incredible."

Gotham's continued investment underlines the 32-year-old's case for 2025 MVP candidacy, as award frontrunners start to emerge one-third of the way through the 2025 NWSL season.

González leads the NWSL in shots on target while sitting fourth in expected goals per 90 minutes, with her scoring outpacing many of her peers.

Other players crafting strong 2025 NWSL MVP resumes include Kansas City's 2024 MVP Temwa Chawinga and comeback star Debinha, Angel City wunderkind Alyssa Thompson, and Orlando sharpshooter Barbra Banda.

Following a dominant 2024/25 campaign, Chelsea FC will look to cap their historic run by completing a domestic treble on Sunday, when they'll battle Manchester United for a third season trophy in the 2025 FA Cup final.

After securing the 2024/25 League Cup in March amidst an unbeaten run to a sixth-straight WSL title, the Blues will close out their season against the league's third-place finishers, the Red Devils, in London's iconic Wembley Stadium.

Should Chelsea secure the 2025 FA Cup, they will add a second domestic treble to their resume after clinching their first trio of trophies in the 2020/21 season. This time, however, they could do so in undefeated fashion.

"We are in a really good place, just the fact that we won the league being unbeaten," said first-year Blues manager Sonia Bompastor. "To end the season with an FA Cup final at Wembley against Man United is maybe the perfect way to end the season."

Manchester United hunts second straight FA Cup trophy

Standing between Chelsea and the treble are 2024 FA Cup champions Manchester United, who will take aim at their only trophy of the season partly behind the play of 2024/25 WSL Golden Glove winner and USWNT goalkeeper prospect Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

Man United enter as the game's undisputed underdogs, having dropped both their WSL regular-season matches against Chelsea in narrow 1-0 defeats.

Even more, the Red Devils must overcome a particular tough stretch of play, facing more than a month without a victory on their schedule.

Man United's last win was their 2-0 FA Cup semifinal victory over Manchester City on April 13th, with the Red Devils suffering a pair of losses and recording two draws to close out WSL play.

That said, United has experience downing the Blues on the FA Cup stage, ousting Chelsea from last year's semifinals en route to a club-first FA title.

Remarking that Manchester United "are a really strong team," Bompastor pointed out that the Red Devils "don't concede a lot of goals, and we need to remember that."

"You only get the trophy if you win, so we need to make sure going into the game we have the best preparation and we perform on the day."

How to watch Chelsea play Manchester United at the FA Cup final

The 2025 FA Cup final between Chelsea FC and Manchester United will kick off at 8:30 AM ET on Sunday.

Live coverage of the match will begin at 8:20 AM ET on ESPN+.