All Scores

Carli Snyder Talks Fleeing France

KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 16: Carli Snyder (4) of the University of Florida runs onto the court during the Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship held at Sprint Center on December 16, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

On Monday, March 16th, President Emmanuel Macron of France announced a 15-day countrywide lockdown. The very next morning, Carli Snyder was on a plane back to America. The Michigan native and University of Florida graduate had been playing volleyball for ASPTT Mulhouse, whose season has officially been postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus. We spoke with Snyder about what it was like to pack up her life overnight, the mood in both countries, and what she plans to do next.  

Can you walk us through what the last few weeks has been like? 

So the week before I left, our team was put under a kind of quarantine. They postponed the league and said it was up to our teams to decide if we could practice or not. At that point, our team was going to continue practicing until April 5th, when the league was originally supposed to be resuming. So up until last Monday afternoon I was under the impression that I would be staying in France. But then on Monday afternoon our coaches told the other American and I that Macron was going to give a speech that evening and that it would be smart to get out of France as soon as possible because a lockdown was coming.

So you didn’t know until Monday afternoon that you were leaving the next day? 

Yeah. I bought a ticket that afternoon for a 6:00am flight the next day. When you’re playing sports in another country, you’re so dependent on your team. And once the league was postponed, and I didn’t have those day-to-day interactions with my team, I felt distant from the club as I was trying to deal with these issues. I knew I had to leave quickly, because it wasn’t clear if there’d still be flights to America if I waited. There was so much confusion in the country. I barely speak French, so watching the president and others give speeches I couldn’t understand during a moment of crisis was stressful.

Confusion seems to be everywhere now. I imagine almost everyone on the planet now has gone online looking for reliable information and come up empty. 

There’s nothing. Even in France, I was like, I just need some information about what’s going on. But the problem is this hasn’t really happened in such a long time. And the way that our world is connected now is just so much more complicated than when we were dealing with the Spanish Flu, for instance. People obviously couldn’t hop on a Delta flight on a day’s notice during that time. They were forced to stay put by a lack of technology. But now technology gives us the ability to spread information and panic in an instant, and I think most of the truly valuable information ends up lost in the panic.

Have you been in contact with your club since coming back to the states?

A little bit. We’ve been in communication about the money situation because now that I’m in the US I have no access to a French bank account. We’re figuring that out. Mostly I’ve been trying to reach out and say sorry that I didn’t have longer to say goodbye. I mean, I had less than 12 hours to pack up and leave what has been my home for the last two years. I couldn’t stop or slow down to think clearly. But mentally, I wasn’t prepared to leave. I’ve truly loved playing on this team, and I really like the girls a lot, so I’ve just been reaching out to say I’m sorry it all happened the way it did.

I’m sure you all must realize there’s a chance the season isn’t resumed. 

We do, which is why I’m so sorry I had to leave the way I did. You can’t plan for any of this, and I think everyone on the team feels the same about having their lives interrupted. There’s so many moments we won’t get to have with the people we care about.

Obviously, there’s turmoil everywhere, but what are your thoughts about living in a world without sports?

My teammates and I have talked about this. Sports have always offered comfort in times of crisis. They’re a break from politics and religion and racial differences. They bring people together, which is rare in today’s world. That’s what’s so amazing about sports. They offer a break from the rest of reality. But now there’s this huge global threat, and large groups of people just can’t be together. It’s so unusual, especially for athletes who are used to being on a team. We’ve lost the thing that usually helps us through the most difficult times.

What’s it like to be at home? Do you have any sense as to what comes next?

It’s so strange, honestly. It’s strange because being home has always been a break for me. When I was at the University of Florida, we practiced year-round, so I only came home for a week at Christmas and then a week in the summer. And when I was home, I tried to pack everything in: family time, time with friends, time to go and play a little volleyball with people at my old club. Now it just feels really odd to be home because there’s this sense of not feeling finished. There’s no sense of resolution, so it feels weird to take a break.

If this season is eventually cancelled, the next would start in August. My contract is up in France at the end of this season, so I’ll have to talk to my agent if that’s the case. We’re all just waiting with the rest of the world to see how things unfold. Everything’s up in the air, but if there are leagues operating next year, I plan on playing. In the meantime, I’m going to quarantine and socially distance, and I’ll dedicate myself to some hobbies. But in the back of my mind, I have this lingering feeling of unfinished business.

Have you put any thought into how you’re going to work out while staying isolated back home? 

I keep getting tagged on this thing on Instagram to do 10 pushups, and I’m like, don’t tag me in these. I’m horrible at pushups [laughs]. So I’m not participating in any of those challenges, but luckily my family has an elliptical, a treadmill and some weights in the basement. I’ve been doing that, but of course, there’s nothing to replace the atmosphere of team sports.

I’m a community person. I’ve always gravitated toward team sports because you’re working with others. I need to know that I’m training for something, for the betterment of a group, and that’s hard right now because I have no idea what the future holds. I’m not used to being on an elliptical alone in my house.

You saw France initiate a lockdown. You’re now back in the states. Do you have a sense of a difference in moods between the countries? 

I think in France, the same as in Italy, and the same as here, the virus wasn’t taken so seriously at first. People like to be outside in France and sit at cafes, and they like to do their grocery shopping every day. It’s part of the culture. Macron put out a statement saying please stay inside, and the next day I saw people in the market still hugging each other. Macron had to make another statement saying this isn’t a joke, we’re just a few days behind Italy. And after that the city I live in became a ghost town.

So when I got back to the US, it felt like being back at that initial stage. We’re talking about it, we know it’s there, but people aren’t ready to completely adjust their lives. I saw St Patrick’s Day celebrations and kids on spring break packed into small spaces. These kinds of events were a bit concerning coming from Europe and seeing how easily this thing can spread.

It’s obvious we’re behind. We’ve known about this since late January or early February, and we’re only now taking precautions. I understand there’s a lot you have to consider regarding the economy, but I think we’ll now be forced to take some really drastic measures. I’m nervous, because this is a massive, massive country. On the other hand, I think we’re more equipped to do an extended shutdown. The stuffed suburban pantry is a very American concept — Europeans aren’t as used to stocking food. Now’s the time to eat those three-year-old Cheez-Its we’ve all got hiding in the backs of our pantries.

After Sophie Cunningham Injury, Indiana Fever Rally to Historic Comeback Win

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham clutches her knee after being injured during a 2025 WNBA game.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham exited Sunday's game against the Connecticut Sun with an apparent knee injury. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)

The No. 6 Indiana Fever are laughing in the face of adversity, pulling off the biggest comeback win in team history on Sunday despite guard Sophie Cunningham exiting with a right knee injury following a second-quarter collision.

As Cunningham joined fellow guards Caitlin Clark (right groin), Aari McDonald (broken foot), and Sydney Colson (ACL tear) on the injured list, the Fever overcame a 21-point deficit to down the No. 13 Connecticut Sun 99-93 in overtime behind guard Kelsey Mitchell's 38-point performance.

"We came in at halftime, we talked about chipping away, being resilient," said Indiana forward Aliyah Boston, who notched 14 points and 13 rebounds for her 15th double-double of the year in Sunday's win, setting a new single-season Fever record. "That's kind of been our story this entire season."

Amid the myriad injuries causing the beleaguered Fever to lose steam in the WNBA standings, Cunningham's knock — which will reportedly undergo an MRI assessment on Monday — is just the latest blow in an expected banner year for the 25-year-old franchise.

Seeing increased playing time since Clark's mid-July injury, Cunningham is averaging 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 46.9% from the field this season.

Looking to bolster their backcourt with Clark's return timeline still in question, Indiana signed veteran guard Odyssey Sims and rookie Kyra Lambert to hardship contracts last week.

"This group is tight.... They stay together," Fever coach Stephanie White told reporters following Sunday's game. "I think, for us, reiterating we've got to be where our feet are. We can't look too far behind us. We can't look too far in front of us. We've got to make sure that we're focused on one day at a time."

How to watch the Indiana Fever in this week's WNBA slate

Indiana will be thankful for a few days off this week, taking time to recover before hosting the seemingly unstoppable No. 1 Minnesota Lynx on Friday.

The Fever's clash with the league leaders will tip off at 7:30 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ION.

Seattle Storm Upset Atlanta Dream in Sold-Out WNBA Canada Game

Seattle Storm guard Brittney Sykes celebrates a win with teammates Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike after a 2025 WNBA game.
The Seattle Storm upset the Atlanta Dream in front of a sold-out Vancouver crowd on Friday. (Anne-Marie Sorvin/Imagn Images)

The WNBA's first-ever regular-season Canada Game was a hit, as the No. 8 Seattle Storm upset the No. 2 Atlanta Dream 80-78 in front of a sold-out crowd inside Vancouver's Rogers Arena on Friday.

Storm star Skylar Diggins registered 21 points and 11 assists in the matchup, combining with Nneka Ogwumike's 16 points to help end Seattle's six-game losing streak — and snap the Dream's six-game winning streak.

Seattle's 2025 No. 2 overall draft pick Dominique Malonga also showed out, with the 19-year-old tallying 12 points and eight rebounds over her 19 minutes of play.

"It was an incredible crowd tonight," Diggins said afterwards. "First time in Vancouver, they showed a lot of love. We just love coming out here, playing in front of this electric [crowd]... We really leaned on them tonight to help us lock in that victory."

As for Atlanta, the Dream's offense stuttered after losing guard Jordin Canada to a hamstring injury last week, with the team netting just two of 13 three-point shots despite entering the clash averaging 9.6 shots from behind the arc per game.

Canada will miss at least two weeks of action, with newly healthy Atlanta heavy-hitters Rhyne Howard and Brittney Griner expected to pick up the slack in her absence — and it appears they're already righting the ship: The Dream overcame the No. 7 Golden State Valkyries 79-63 on Sunday with a team victory that saw five players reach double-digit scoring.

How to watch the WNBA this week

After falling 85-82 to the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury on Sunday night, the No. 8 Seattle Storm will look to bounce back against the No. 12 Chicago Sky on Tuesday. The game will tip off at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Later on Tuesday night, the No. 2 Atlanta Dream will battle the No. 5 Las Vegas Aces at 10 PM ET, airing live on NBA TV.

Portland Thorns Continue Steady NWSL Climb Behind Historic Olivia Moultrie Goal

Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie strikes the ball as North Carolina Courage defender Maycee Bell chases during a 2025 NWSL game.
Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie scored her 13th career NWSL goal in Saturday's draw with North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/NWSL via Getty Images)

The No. 5 Portland Thorns snagged another result over the weekend, grabbing a point off a 1-1 Saturday draw with the No. 9 North Carolina Courage to further solidify their spot on the NWSL table.

Midfielder Olivia Moultrie opened scoring with a first-half bullet to put Portland up 1-0, before Courage forward Tyler Lussi equalized with a 70th-minute strike.

With her 13th career goal on Saturday, 19-year-old Moultrie became the NWSL's joint-leader in regular-season goals scored by a teenager — sharing the all-time record with North Carolina attacker Jaedyn Shaw.

The Portland Thorns are currently making a case for the league's "best of the rest," after Saturday NWSL action saw the San Diego Wave rocket up the table to No. 2 with a 2-1 win over No. 11 Bay FC while the No. 1 Kansas City Current and now-No. 3 Orlando Pride ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

Despite losing veteran anchors Christine Sinclair, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Meghan Klingenberg to retirement and USWNT star Sophia Wilson to maternity leave, Portland has figured out how to generate new offensive opportunities via young talent like forwards Reilyn Turner and Pietra Tordin.

More experienced midfielders like Moultrie and Sam Coffey are also contributing, with Coffey scoring her second season goal on August 10th to match her entire 2024 total.

As for North Carolina, the questions continue for the Courage as they struggle to stack results amid the abrupt sacking of head coach Sean Nahas earlier this month.

According to a statement released after the Courage's August 8th loss to the then-No. 12 Houston Dash, Nahas was removed due to "confounding performance issues, culture issues, and a perceived lack of fit that created an environment that club leadership felt was untenable to the point that change was necessary at the head coaching position."

How to watch Monday's NWSL match

In a rare Monday matchup, the NWSL's 16th matchday will wrap with the No. 6 Seattle Reign hosting the No. 13 Chicago Stars — with a Reign win sending Seattle above Portland to No. 5 on the NWSL table.

Live coverage of the 10 PM ET match will air on CBS Sports Network.

Six-Time Grand Slam Winner Iga Swiatek Advances to 1st-Ever Cincinnati Open Final

Iga Świątek tosses a serve during her 2025 Cincinnati Open semifinal against Elena Rybakina.
World No. 3 Iga Świątek booked her first-ever Cincinnati Open final on Sunday. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

Tennis star Iga Świątek can cross another item off her bucket list, with the world No. 3 downing No. 10 Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday to clinch a spot in the 2025 Cincinnati Open final — Świątek's first-ever championship appearance at the US Open tune-up tournament.

"At the beginning, the level was pretty crazy," the six-time Grand Slam winner told reporters after Sunday's match, commending Rybakina. "But I was there to play with intensity, good quality, and I'm happy with the performance."

One of only two WTA 1000 events without a Świątek finals appearance, the annual Cincinnati Open has seen the Polish tennis star advance to the semifinals in both 2023 and 2024 — falling both times to the eventual tournament champion.

With No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Coco Gauff both making quarterfinal exits, Świątek will next face No. 9 Jasmine Paolini in Monday's final, after the Italian contender fought past No. 36 Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3 in their Sunday afternoon semifinal.

Świątek last shared a finals court with Paolini at the 2024 French Open, with Świątek going on to lift her fourth Roland Garros trophy following a straight-set victory in the clash.

How to watch the 2025 Cincinnati Open final

The 2025 Cincinnati Open final between Świątek and Paolini kicks off at 6 PM ET on Monday, with live coverage airing on the Tennis Channel.

Start your morning off right with Just Women’s Sports’ free, 5x-a-week newsletter.