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Portland’s Christen Westphal Dishes On The NWSL’s Fall Series

Defender Christen Westphal on field /JWS
Defender Christen Westphal on field /JWS

Christen Westphal plays as a defender for the Portland Thorns of the NWSL. Prior to playing for Portland, Westphal also played for Reign FC and the Boston Breakers. She spoke to Just Women’s Sports about the upcoming Fall Series and how her and the Thorns are using the four games to build off their Challenge Cup performance. 

Editor’s note: the Thorns’ first match against OL Reign has been postponed to September 30th due to the poor air quality resulting from the fires in Oregon and Washington. 

What was it like returning home after the Challenge Cup?

Being in the bubble can be mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting at times. Coming home and having a few weeks off before having to be back in the market for these games for the Fall Series was pretty crucial for myself, and probably other girls across the league. It was a chance to just regroup and recharge. Because I don’t think when you’re in that environment, you fully comprehend how much it takes a toll and all those aspects. But then I think after being able to have that space and time, coming back into training and everything can be refreshing. It’s good to be back with the team and be around the girls and just have an opportunity to be able to play some more games and get more games and as a group.

You play OL Reign for your first game of the Fall Series. What are your expectations heading into that matchup?

We played them in the Challenge Cup, so I think playing them for out first game in the Fall Series is great because right out of the gate, it’s a game that even if it’s a friendly, or whatever we are going to call it, it’s going to be a good game because it’s the Reign versus the Thorns. So I think that’s really exciting to start the Fall Series with that kind of game.

The format of these fall games are obviously very different from the tournament format at the Challenge Cup. How do you feel about that?

I think the Fall Series is great in the sense that it kind of mimics what a regular season looks like for us. In the Challenge Cup, it was pretty hard, especially because they’re having games every three days, every four days. That’s really hard on your body and mentally. This is good to be able to have it mimic more of a regular season, in the sense we get the rest, time to prepare for the games and everything like that. I think it’s better for that sense of normality and that it’s more like a regular season than a tournament.

Do you have any concerns about  playing outside of a bubble this time around?

Because the bubble was so successful in terms of protecting us and keeping us safe, I think naturally there’s going to be concerns when that format is now different. New concerns come to the forefront. I think that it’s natural and kind of inevitable in a sense to have concerns, but we also had concerns before the bubble, and it ended up a success.

Has either the league or your team done anything specifically to address some of these concerns? 

I’m not sure if there’s anything that our team has done specifically. I know that the league has been great, especially going into the bubble with listening to concerns and making sure those concerns were met. So I don’t feel that will be any different as we step into these games. There’s so many different aspects of having us travel and all these different kinds of things. I know concerns have been raised, but I haven’t personally been involved in hearing them or discussing them.

And how do you feel about traveling for games?

I don’t know if all the details have been completely ironed out to be honest. I think it’s nice in the sense that we’re playing the Reign, because we’ll probably just bus, which will definitely be the safest in terms of traveling as a team. So I think that’s good. I’m not really sure what it looks like when traveling to Utah. I bet we’ll fly, I’m not really sure what that looks like.

Your team fell short by one goal in the Semifinals of the Challenge Cup to Houston who ended up winning it all.  What are some of your team’s goals for these games?  

When the Fall Series was first presented, it seemed different in the sense of, like, it’s only four games, and then we go into an off season. But I think we’ve tried to fit our mentality with the sense of using these four games as an opportunity for growth for the 2021 season. We’re one of the teams with the most players that are still in the market, so our group is essentially the same as it was in the Challenge Cup. That’s a really unique opportunity to be able to push the boundaries of our comfort zones and try things that maybe we weren’t ready to try in the Challenge Cup. And I think it’s a huge opportunity for growth as a team and honestly, individually. Going into it, obviously we’re going to compete and want to win, but we’re also seeing it as an opportunity to just kind of grow off of what happened in the Challenge Cup.

What are some of your personal goals?

For me, coming to the Thorns and having an opportunity to contribute to the team, I think it’s forced me to want to grow as I’m playing outside back. As with the team, I want to work hard every day in training and not just be going through the motions. In every one of these four games, I want to perform and contribute to the team and work on some areas where I thought I could have done better in Utah.

You mentioned that we’ve seen some changes with rosters across the league. There are a lot of players who have been either loaned to teams in Europe or signed there. How do you think that will affect the Fall Series? 

I honestly think with players going to Europe, it’s going to open up opportunities for other players on other teams to step in and see how they do. I think it could be a cool opportunity for players that maybe didn’t see that much time in Utah. Now they’ll get some NWSL games under their belt. I don’t think there will be a huge drop off for the league or anything like that. I don’t see it having a drastic impact on the games. I think it’s mostly a cool opportunity for younger players and for players who are looking to get an opportunity.

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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