Sophia Smith may be out with an injury, but so far nobody has come close to touching the Portland Thorns star in the NWSL Golden Boot race.

While it’s tight atop the table, with just four goals separating six players, Smith has retained the lead despite missing two consecutive matchweeks with an MCL sprain. She leads the way with 11 goals, while Ashley Hatch and Kerolin have nine, and neither of them found the back of the net this weekend.

So what makes the 23-year-old forward the front-runner for the Golden Boot, even with her injury keeping her off the pitch?

Simply put: Other players have failed to step up. Her Thorns teammate Morgan Weaver is the only player to have been consistent in her scoring over the last three weeks, tallying three goals in three games to bring herself within four goals of Smith. Weaver is tied with Debinha of the Kansas City Current and Lynn Williams of Gotham FC with seven on the season.

Yet with three games left in the regular season, the idea that Weaver, Debinha or Williams could tie or overcome Smith is a stretch.

Looking at the two players just two goals behind to Smith, Hatch has two goals in her last five games for the Washington Spirit. And while she had not gone more than one regular-season match without scoring since June, that changed in September, as she has not scored in each of Washington’s last two games.

While Hatch could get two goals in the next three games to close out the season, that would be a big ask against Kansas City, OL Reign and the North Carolina Courage. Both the Reign and the Courage have been defensively sound this season.

Additionally, Hatch hasn’t scored against Kansas City or OL Reign yet in the 2023 regular season, and she scored just once against North Carolina all the way back in April.

Kerolin’s output has been similar, with two goals in the last five games for the Courage. Her stats are buoyed by a hat trick scored against Chicago in June. And with games against OL Reign, the San Diego Wave and the Spirit coming up, it could be difficult for her to close the gap with Smith. The 23-year-old forward failed to score in North Carolina’s first game against the Reign and scored one each against San Diego and Washington.

And even if either Kerolin or Hatch were to match Smith’s 11 goals, Smith holds the edge in the tiebreaker with five assists, which sits second in the league behind teammate Sam Coffey. Kerolin has just three assists, while Hatch has two. So both players more than likely would need to surpass the 11-goal threshold to beat Smith, which would mean scoring at least a goal in each of their final three games.

While not statistically impossible, that does mean Smith still holds the best odds to take home the Golden Boot for the 2023 NWSL season. The reigning league MVP scored six goals in June ahead of the World Cup, and that surge could propel her to the trophy even as she remains sidelined week-to-week with her knee injury.

Sophia Smith is THAT girl.

A video to remind you 🌹⚽️#WePlayHere pic.twitter.com/r6z8w3KZYB

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) July 23, 2023

UConn basketball will celebrate one of its most consistent stars Wednesday night, when WNBA standout and UConn alum Aaliyah Edwards becomes the latest Huskies of Honor member before the women's team hosts Xavier at Gampel Pavilion.

Edwards epitomized reliability throughout her career at UConn, missing just three games in four seasons while steadily improving her game. She earned BIG EAST Sixth Woman of the Year in 2021 and BIG EAST Most Improved Player in 2023. In her final year, she collected 2024 All-BIG EAST, Wooden Award All-American, and WBCA All-American honors.

The Kingston, Ontario native racked up 1,861 points and 1,020 rebounds through her four years, finishing 16th in program history in total career points and eighth in rebounds. The Washington Mystics took Edwards No. 6 overall in the 2024 WNBA draft, before a midseason trade saw her join the Connecticut Sun last year.

Legendary UConn basketball coach Geno Auriemma praised Edwards's approach, celebrating both her improvement and her drive during a rough run for the now-No. 1 team.

"Sometimes careers go smoothly; sometimes it's rocky," said Auriemma. "[Edwards] managed to make the best out of a very difficult situation."

Her No. 3 jersey will be added to the wall at Gampel Pavilion during tonight's ceremony.

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Of course, today's reigning NCAA champions enter the Xavier rematch on a perfect 21-0 record, having won 16 consecutive victories by at least 25 points. The Huskies routed the unranked Musketeers 104-39 in their first meeting back in late November, hitting a season-high 18 three-pointers while forcing 31 turnovers.

Despite their odds, Auriemma emphasized that UConn basketball must avoid complacency going forward. The team already faced challenges against Seton Hall in Saturday's weather-impacted matchup, overcoming an early deficit to win 92-52.

How to watch UConn basketball in this week's NCAA slate

UConn tips off against Xavier on Wednesday at 7 PM ET, live on Peacock.

However, bigger tests are looming as the Huskies prepare to face SEC mainstay No. 15 Tennessee this Sunday at 12 PM ET, live on FOX.

Tennis legend Serena Williams publicly defended Coco Gauff following the young US star's viral racket-smashing moment at the Australian Open, offering support and advice to the world No. 3.

After Gauff suffered a 6-1, 6-2 quarterfinal loss to Elina Svitolina in just 59 minutes on Tuesday, cameras captured her smashing her racket in frustration while walking through the Rod Laver Arena tunnel. The 21-year-old had intentionally left the court hoping to avoid public view, but the TV broadcast chose to air the moment live.

Serena Williams quickly came to Gauff's defense on social media, echoing sentiments shared by her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The 44-year-old assured Gauff that passion and caring matter, and there's nothing wrong with hating to lose.

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Serena Williams then playfully offered to teach Gauff how to demolish a racket in one swing, referencing her own history with similar outbursts during her legendary career.

Gauff responded to the criticism by emphasizing she deliberately avoids breaking rackets on court and only did so in what she believed was a private space. She called for increased privacy for players, noting that the locker room serves as the Melbourne tournament's only truly private area.

Williams faced similar scrutiny throughout her decorated career, garnering attention for emotional displays including racket-smashing incidents resulting in fines. Despite occasional controversies, she became one of the greatest athletes of all time, winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles and holding the No. 1 ranking for 186 consecutive weeks.

Jessica Pegula and Iga Świątek also voiced support for Gauff, agreeing that cameras have become too intrusive at tournaments. The incident subsequently sparked broader conversations about player privacy and mental health in professional tennis.

USWNT forward Trinity Rodman created a viral moment with coach Emma Hayes during Tuesday's 5-0 US victory over Chile, as the star striker convinced her manager to join her sideline dance at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara, California.

Rodman found the net for the second straight match in the friendly, capping a dominant USWNT performance that extended the team's winning streak to six games. After her goal, Rodman ran to meet Hayes on the edge of the pitch to perform a viral "Sexy Dexy" celebration dance — fulfilling a promise they made before the match.

Hayes revealed postgame that Rodman had brought up the celly idea earlier that day. The USWNT coach admitted she doubted the 23-year-old would score in the crowded attacking situation, making the moment even more memorable when Rodman delivered.

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The USWNT dominated the contest, with Croix Bethune, Jameese Joseph, Emily Sams, and Emma Sears all adding their names to the score sheet before Rodman subbed on the 64th minute. Hayes fielded a young starting lineup averaging just 5.2 national team appearances — the fewest since 2001.

The coach praised Rodman not only for her exceptional playing ability, but also for bringing joy to the USWNT camp and fanbase, stressing how she maintains high standards while creating positive energy.

Rodman recently made headlines by signing a record-breaking contract with the Washington Spirit, becoming the highest-paid women's soccer player in history. On Saturday, she captained the USWNT to a 6-0 victory over Paraguay, opening the year's friendly calendar in style.

What's next for Trinity Rodman and the USWNT?

The USWNT will next compete in March's SheBelieves Cup before focusing on November's 2027 Women's World Cup qualifiers.

The first two matches will air live on TNT, with TBS broadcasting the final game against Colombia.

Filipina tennis star Alexandra Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the inaugural Philippine Women's Open with a commanding 6-4, 6-0 victory over Japan's Himeno Sakatsume on Wednesday.

The win marks a significant turnaround for Eala, who previously lost to Sakatsume 6-0, 6-3 at the 2023 Japan Open. Playing on home soil, the Philippines native delivered a dominant performance that showcased growth and depth since the pair's last meeting.

The opening set proved competitive, with both players swapping holds and breaks through the first eight games. Eala broke through with power in the ninth, claiming the game and serving out the set to take a one-set lead.

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Despite taking another medical timeout before the second set, Eala never lost momentum. The 20-year-old closed out the match with a 6-0 second set, dropping just four games in the WTA 125 tournament's Round of 16.

With top seed Tatjana Maria eliminated in the Round of 16, Alexandra Eala now holds the highest ranking among remaining competitors. The world No. 84 faces Colombia's Camila Osorio in Thursday's quarterfinal match.

The Philippine Women's Open represents a homecoming for Eala, who continues building steam in her professional tennis career.

How to watch Alexandra Eala in the Philippine Women's Open quarterfinals

Eala takes on Colombia's Camila Osorio on Thursday at 6 AM ET, streaming live on WTA Unlocked’s 125Live.