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Isobel Cup Playoffs: A postseason primer for each PHF team

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Isobel Cup Playoffs begin Friday, with all six Premier Hockey Federation teams colliding in Tampa. Just Women’s Sports has a primer on every team in the lead-up to the postseason.

The Connecticut Whale and Toronto Six each earned a first round bye after finishing atop the league standings in the regular season. The rest of the weekend’s schedule and matchups can be found here.

No. 1 Connecticut Whale

Connecticut will be looking for its first PHF title. The team is the only one among the league’s original four to have not won the Isobel Cup. After finishing atop the standings for the first time, they certainly have the talent to do so this season.

Kennedy Marchment has been on a tear for the Whale in her first PHF season. The forward ended the regular season as the league leader in points (33), assists (20) and points per game (1.7). She also tied for second in goals with 13 through 20 games played.

Marchment was named the PHF Player of the Month for March after notching four goals and 10 assists through six games. In the final game of the season, she set a single game record for the Whale with four assists in a 5-0 victory over Toronto. Her performance helped the Whale secure the top seed in the playoffs.

The road to No. 1 wasn’t easy for the Whale, as the team dropped three out of its first five games. But they only lost two more games through the rest of the season, including an 11-game winning streak.

“It took us a little bit [of time] to find our stride,” Marchment said. “We’re still getting better each and every game. We had a bit of a rough start but we finished strong, we finished at the top, and we’re not done yet.”

Taylor Girard and Amanda Conway bolster the Whale offense, which helped the team finish the season with a plus-30 goal differential. While Connecticut still has a lot to prove in the playoffs, it is one of the most complete teams in the league.

No. 2 Toronto Six

One year after losing in the semifinals to the eventual champion Boston Pride, the Six are right back near the top of the league.

In her first full PHF season, Toronto’s Mikyla Grant-Mentis was hot on Marchment’s heels, finishing second behind Marchment in points, assists and points per game. As the reigning league MVP and Newcomer of the Year, she led the league in game-winning goals, notching six on the season, and finished with 30 points.

Elaine Chuli has been outstanding in net for the Six, holding a 1.82 goals against average and a .930 save percentage. She also leads the league in wins, having held down the net in all 16 of the Six’s victories.

While the Six didn’t lose often during the season (just four times), each time they did they rebounded with a win. After a 5-0 defeat to the Whale to end the season, look for Toronto to bounce back in the PHF semifinals and make a run for the final.

“We had a great start and a couple of bumps in the road,” Six coach Mark Joslin said. “But we rebounded every time we lost a game and I’m happy with our response every time. If the trend continues, we’re gonna be golden this weekend in Tampa.”

No. 3 Boston Pride

The Pride certainly didn’t end the season the way they wanted, dropping five games in a row en route to the third seed in the playoffs. They’ll be facing off against No. 6 seed Buffalo, the team that beat them in the final two games of the regular season.

“I don’t think there’s many teams that have gone into overtime five games in a row and lost, but I think our team has the right mindset going into Friday,” said coach Paul Mara, noting that the team has known for a while that Buffalo would likely end up being their first round opponent.

“We’ve been preparing for them for a long time,” he added.

There’s hope for the Pride in the fact that their last five games were lost in overtime and on the road. The neutral site in Tampa could help them snap the streak.

“Playoffs is always the start of a new season,” captain Jillian Dempsey said. “So it’s a fresh start for us. We’re really excited to go in with a do-or-die situation, backs against the wall and really find out what we’re made out of.

“We feel we’ve been building that mental toughness all season, but especially this past month. We’re battle tested so it’s going to be a great opportunity on Friday.”

The defending champion Pride do boast the season’s best goaltender in Katie Burt, who led the league in goals against average (1.41) and save percentage (.958). They also have a lot of depth and an aggressive zone defense.

Their experience in the postseason – with two Isobel Cup wins, the most of any team in the league – could help them make a run.

No. 4 Metropolitan Riveters

The Riveters had an up-and-down season, finishing with just seven wins and a minus-11 goal differential. They split the regular season series against their preliminary round opponent Minnesota 2-2.

Metropolitan captain Madison Packer is capable of leading her team to victory, including a 3-2 overtime win in early March against Boston. Kendall Cornine, Theresa Knutson and Emily Janiga all managed double-digit points totals this season.

Still, the Riveters have an uphill battle ahead of them if they want to lift the Isobel Cup.

No. 5 Minnesota Whitecaps

Minnesota lost a lot of depth from last season, which has resulted in some growing pains. But the Whitecaps do have some bright spots, including captain Allie Thunstrom, who is one of the fastest skaters in the league. She also scored a league-high 18 goals on the season.

The captain is joined by Jonna Curtis, who tied for the third-most points on the season with 24. Curtis also notched 15 assists and averaged 1.2 goals per game, making her a threat in any game.

Thunstrom said Tuesday that over the course of the season the team has grown together and grown resilient, something that could help the Whitecaps on Friday against the Riveters.

“Everybody on our team feels really confident in who we have in our locker room and who we have out on the ice,” she said. “There’s a lot of belief in each other.”

No. 6 Buffalo Beauts

Despite a minus-29 goal differential, don’t count the Beauts out in Friday’s matchup with Boston. They took a 3-2 overtime victory over the Pride to end the regular season.

Offensive defenders Dominique Kremer and Anjelica Diffendal each have the ability to find the back of the net and are followed closely behind by Autumn MacDougall and Kennedy Ganser. Captain Taylor Accursi is another threat to opposing teams, having scored three times on the season and recorded eight assists.

Consistency has been an issue this season, but Buffalo has gone up against the league’s best and given them a run for their money. The Beauts have the potential to play spoiler as the postseason gets underway.

Christen Press back training with Angel City FC

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 15: Christen Press #23 of Angel City FC waves to fans following a game between the Portland Thorns and Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

Christen Press continues to inch her way back to a return, having returned to training with her club team Angel City. 

Angel City FC coach Becki Tweed said on Wednesday that Press is back with the team full-time as she continues to make her way back from an ACL injury. While she’s still working on rehab, her being back with the team gives staff a better picture of her progress. 

"Christen [Press] is back with us full time which is amazing,” she said. “Having her in and around the team every day, continuing to work hard on rehab ... she's in a space where being in with the team is really important to her and her progression as well.”

The status update comes days after Press posted videos to social media that featured her doing lateral movement in cleats on grass. 

“Look out world she’s on the move !” Press captioned it. 

Press has been sidelined with an ACL injury since 2022, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup. She’s since had four separate surgeries to help repair her ACL.

Press told The Athletic a month ago that she’s been “relentless” in her optimism with her recovery despite it being a “slow process.”

“I have a bit of relentless optimism,” she told The Athletic. “I never, ever doubted that I would make it back on any of the timelines I’ve been on."

"Every single time I’ve heard, ‘You have to have surgery,’ I’m completely shocked,” she said. “When somebody asks me how it’s going, I’m like, ‘It’s going great. And it was going great every time. So I don’t know what to tell you anymore!’”

Sophia Smith re-signs with Portland on record deal

(Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

Sophia Smith is now the NWSL’s highest-paid player. 

The Portland Thorns announced on Wednesday that they have signed Smith to a new contract through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the team did reveal that Smith is now the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

It’s the latest in what has been a series of record-breaking contracts in the NWSL offseason. 

Chicago Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson, Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda all signed multi-year deals worth between $2 million and $2.5 million in total. While Smith’s contract is shorter and not worth as much over the long-term, the annual worth is higher. 

“We are over the moon to have Soph commit again to the Thorns. She is a proven, world-class talent and one that we are excited to have contribute to the team’s continued success,” said head coach Mike Norris in a statement. “We look forward to working with her in a Thorns jersey as she continues to shine as one of the top strikers in the world.”

In just four seasons in the NWSL, Smith has led the Thorns to five trophies – including the 2022 NWSL championship – while winning league and championship MVP in 2022. In 61 appearances with Portland, she has 34 goals – including a brace to start this season against Kansas City. 

She’s also a member of the USWNT, having scored 16 goals in 44 international appearances.  Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, she told ESPN she “thought of all the options” but ultimately Portland felt like the right decision.

"There is no place like Portland," Smith said in a small roundtable interview that included ESPN. "I don't believe there's an environment like Portland to play in and it's a city that's so special to me and a city that I feel like I've grown up in almost and become who I am."

She also told ESPN that the team’s new ownership “changes everything.” The club is now led by the Bhathal family, who bought the club after Merritt Paulson was forced to sell it following his part in the NWSL’s abuse scandal. 

"Since I've been here there has been a lot of things going on with this club -- a lot of not-great things going on with this club -- and I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction, and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” Smith said. 

"Their vision for this club is so exciting, and you can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be and continuing to push the standard in women's soccer globally.”

Caitlin Clark offered $5 million to compete in Ice Cube’s league

IOWA CITY, IOWA- MARCH 25: Guard Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes celebrates as time runs out in the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during their second round match-up in the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball Championship at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 25, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Caitlin Clark has been offered $5 million to play in Ice Cube's Big3 league, he confirmed on social media Wednesday after the offer leaked.

"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," Ice Cube wrote on social media. "But I won't deny what's now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn't we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."

While there has yet to be a women's player in the league, both Nancy Lieberman and Lisa Leslie have been part of the league as coaches and won championships.

"The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men's pro team, and she won the championship in her first year," Ice Cube continued. "Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes."

Ice Cube, whose name is O’Shea Jackson, says that the offer was made with the intention that Clark be able to compete in the WNBA “offseason.” Clark is largely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft in April. But it’s unclear how the scheduling of the two leagues would work. 

The 2024 Big3 season is set to tip off on June 15, with 10 games spanning through mid-August. The WNBA regular season, meanwhile, begins on May 14 and ends on Sept. 19.

On “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, Jackson said that the league has yet to hear back from Clark. 

“We just need an answer, as soon as they are ready to give it to us,” he said. “It’s always 50-50 till we get a no. At the end of the day, it’s a generous offer.”

The offer – as well as the confusion on Jackson’s part about the timing of the WNBA season – caused some current WNBA players to react. 

"It's funny cause I be seeing his son at W games.. they don't talk?" wrote former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard

"So no other women's basketball player has came to mind in the last 7 years?" wrote Lexie Brown, adding that she'd support if Ice Cube wanted to build a women's iteration of the league. She later discussed it on the Gils Arena Show, noting that his reasoning of wanting to “uplift and support WNBA players and women athletes” is a “cop out.”

Kalani Brown, meanwhile, told Clark to "take that money" and start a women's Big3.

WNBA salaries has been a talking point in recent months as more collegiate stars declare for the league. WNBA stars have often made more money playing abroad than they have in the WNBA. Clark is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 15, with a rookie salary of $76,535 for lottery draft picks (Nos. 1-4) that rises to $97,582 by her fourth season. But she also has an NIL valuation of almost $3.5 million.

Diana Taurasi famously skipped the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her Russian club, who paid her more to sit out than she would have made in the W. Her contract with the club was reportedly near $1.5 million per year.

Jackson also seemed to suggest that his league could be an alternative to going abroad

“America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet,” he wrote. Although it’s unclear whether or not the rapper intends to make offers to additional WNBA players. 

While the league does hold prioritization rules in its CBA, those typically apply only to players playing in overseas leagues. It’s unclear whether or not that would prevent Clark’s participation in the Big3 league.

WNBA players that don’t want to go overseas currently have the option of playing in Athletes Unlimited, which competes in the WNBA offseason.

USC’s Aaliyah Gayles Opens Up About Her Journey Back to Basketball

USC Basketball - Aaliyah Gayles

As part of our 1-v-1 video series, USC’s India Otto sat down to interview her teammate Aaliyah Gayles. Here are five things to know from our conversation with the redshirt freshman guard from Las Vegas.

#1 Aaliyah suffered from a near-death act of violence in 2022.

The incident taught her a lot about herself and the support around her. “[USC] Coach Lindsay [Gottlieb] was one of the first people to fly out there and come see me. That means a lot to me off the court.” 

#2 Her favorite USC memory is when she surprised her teammates after getting out of the hospital.

She left her walker at the door to show she was on the road to returning to the court. “That was my favorite memory because it was family. It was my first time being able to walk to you guys and see you practice.”

#3 There's a reason she wears #3.

#3 was her grandpa’s favorite number and a golden number in her life. Plus, AG3 has a nice ring to it. 

#4 She has a list of basketball GOAT’s:

Candace Parker, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, and Cason Wallace.

#5 There have been many celebrity appearances at USC’s games over the years, especially this season.

Aaliyah’s favorites include Will Ferrell, Kehlani, and Saweetie. And she hopes Lil Durk will come to watch a game soon.

Watch the full conversation on the Just Women’s Sports YouTube channel.

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