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Red Stars Iron Woman Sarah Gorden embodies the spirit of Chicago

(Daniel Bartel/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

When talking about Chicago Red Stars defender Sarah Gorden’s Iron Woman year, one has to begin further up the field than might be expected for an NWSL center back.

“We talk about this a lot,” USWNT defender and Gorden’s center-back partner, Tierna Davidson, says with a laugh. “Sarah’s taking people on 1v1 from the backline.”

“In the box, preferably,” Gorden interjects.

Gorden and Davidson have an easy rapport on and off the field, one that was tested early this season on Chicago’s backline. After losing Julie Ertz for the year in their first regular season game (a 5-0 loss to the Portland Thorns), the Red Stars started giving up goals they weren’t accustomed to conceding. It took the unit some time to recalibrate and become the tight-knit group that Gotham FC will have to contend with when they meet in the NWSL quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon.

Much of the defense’s growth during the regular season can be attributed to Gorden’s steady presence. She earned Chicago’s first Iron Woman title after playing every minute of every game — 2,160 minutes in 24 games, to be exact. (For this accomplishment and more, Gorden was named to Just Women’s Sports’ Best XI.)

Gorden is not only the anchor of the unit but also a fierce defender when caught in isolation. She jokes that her defensive responsibilities haven’t kept her from getting forward with the ball, though it’s frequently a work in improvisation.

“It’s actually really fun, like a moment of freedom since center backs don’t really get much freedom,” she says. “But I will say there are times where that’s not actually my plan. I don’t really see a path. … In my head, I take the first person on and I’m like, ‘Oh s–t!’ And then the next [person] and I’m like, ‘Oh, s–t!’ So I’m yelling that the whole time. But there’s other times where it really is open, so I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna go.’”

Detours up the pitch notwithstanding, Davidson thinks one of the stabilizing factors of their partnership is Gorden’s ability on the ball, which complements her own strengths.

“Sarah obviously has quick dribbling abilities. Me, not as much — I’m more on the passing side, not dribbling people as much. But I think that we just offer very different problems for teams to have to solve,” Davidson says. “If you want to force it to Sarah’s side, great, you have to deal with her taking the ball up the field. And if you force it to my side, great, you have to deal with passing distribution. It really is kind of a ‘pick your poison.’”

Gorden, a third-round draft pick of the Red Stars in 2016, originally broke into the team’s starting XI as an outside back, despite playing some center back at DePaul University. During Chicago’s second-place run in 2019, she spent parts of the season in the central defense with current Houston Dash starter Katie Naughton, becoming indispensable even as Ertz and Davidson returned from the World Cup. Gorden finished that season at fullback, where she’d also anticipated playing this year.

With the injury to Ertz factoring into the lineup shuffle, however, Gorden has stayed in the middle and held the spine of the team together through every game, including when Davidson was away at the Olympics.

Gorden is a natural 1v1 defender, and often the fastest person on the field. When Davidson (or backup center back Kayla Sharples) pushes forward for Red Stars set pieces — from which they’ve scored 10 goals this season — Gorden can be found standing at the halfway line in acres of space to cover for any possible counterattacks.

Gorden relishes the opportunity.

“Those few times we were playing in a three-back throughout the year, we would always joke like, ‘This is crazy!’ But we loved it because we got to defend 1v1 so often,” she says.

Teammate Casey Krueger, who also has experience swapping roles in the outside and central defense, laughs that Gorden has “saved our butts so many times in the backline.”

“She can play honestly any position in the back. It’s tough,” Krueger adds. “Even though it’s from center back to left back to whatever it is, it doesn’t seem like it is, but it’s a totally different position, totally different mentality, totally different responsibilities, types of running. I can go on and on. And the fact that she can do it seamlessly speaks volumes to how great of a player she is.”

Chicago has relied on both the steadiness of the backline and the excellent play of central midfielders Morgan Gautrat and new addition Sarah Woldmoe to support an attack that is still finding its identity. This has required Gorden to handle the nuances of central defense while also maintaining a connection with the midfield in front of her.

“You have to constantly communicate with your midfielders, and you’re still trying to assess the game and check your shoulders and drop and stuff. So it can be difficult,” Gorden says.

“We’ve learned to find that connection with each other both defensively and offensively, knowing what pockets we’re going to be in when we have the ball, and to be able to talk to them when we don’t have the ball. It took a while to form that connection.”

Communicating on the field has been a work in progress, but off the field it comes naturally to Gorden, who describes herself as having a big personality. She’s become the Red Stars’ ambassador in many ways — including fashion — and the resident hometown kid for a team that sometimes feels removed from its namesake city while playing out in the suburb of Bridgeview, Ill.

“I feel like I am a true Chicagoan,” Gorden says. “I chose to go to college in Chicago, and I feel like my personal story and my adversity — what I’ve been through — really represents the city well, and I’m pretty much obsessed with my city.”

Davidson, in her third NWSL year, says having Gorden as a close friend has been key to her connecting with the area.

“Coming to a new city and having someone who’s grown up in the city and is kind of the definition of the city be one of my closest friends has really been a treasure,” she says.

“And then, of course, I’ve learned to like children.”

Davidson isn’t the only Red Star to bring up Gorden’s son, Caiden, unprompted.

“I always joke that Caiden is closer to every single person on the team than anyone else,” Gorden says.

Gorden, 29, has realized how special it is to have him grow up around soccer, and especially the women’s game. Now, he goes to his own soccer practices and brags about his mom’s team. Caiden’s presence also helps her teammates let their guards down.

“I think he brings out everyone’s softer side and can really just make people feel comfortable,” Gorden says.

For Halloween, the 23-year-old Davidson went trick-or-treating with the Gordens. After a last-minute costume decision, Davidson ended up walking around Chicago as a ghost in a sheet, with Gorden dressed up as Lara Croft from Tomb Raider.

The bond clearly goes both ways. When asked to talk about Davidson, Gorden responds with an effusive “yes” and jokes that she can see the newspaper headline reading, “Tierna and Sarah, best friends!”

“I actually look up to her even though she’s younger than me,” Gorden says. “Playing next to [Davidson], I know I can count on her, off the field and on the field, to rein me in when I need to be reined in and to push me when I need to be pushed.”

“I think that part of learning how to be a good defender is learning from different types of defenders, and Sarah is a very unique type of defender that you don’t see very often,” Davidson adds. “So I’ve been able to learn so much from her, just in terms of … ”

“When to let loose?” Gorden chimes in.

It’s that kind of banter that has helped Gorden and Davidson form one of the most reliable central backlines in the league. It’s also just another example of one of the many things Sarah Gorden is good at as a teammate and ambassador of the game.

Last year, when NWSL teams demonstrated in support of Black Lives Matter during the Challenge Cup, Gorden was outspoken about what the protests meant to her. In September, she founded the Chicago nonprofit Hoodspace to “help girls/women of color find their space of flow through mindfulness activities.”

“I feel a lot of responsibility on my shoulders to do these things,” she says. “To kneel before games, to work with the community, like I just wouldn’t feel good if I wasn’t doing something. Although it can be a lot, I was kind of made this way, doing a million things at once.”

Gorden relies on self-care, breaks when she can take them and the occasional 20-minute cry to keep her going when everything starts to feel like too much. Whatever the future holds, whether it’s a trophy with the Red Stars or something even bigger, Gorden is committed to remaining an open book.

“I just feel like for soccer, my goal has been and will continue to be to reach my ceiling, and I feel like I’m not there yet,” she says. “I feel like every year I continue to add more to my game. And so soccer-wise, I just want to be the best player I can be. Wherever the hell that gets me is fine with me.”

Claire Watkins is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering soccer and the NWSL. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.

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.

Gotham, USWNT forward Midge Purce out with ACL tear

(Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

Midge Purce announced on Wednesday that she has torn her ACL. 

The Gotham FC and USWNT forward went down with the injury on Sunday during Gotham’s 1-0 win after tweaking it earlier in the game. Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós did not have any immediate updates following the match, with further evaluation revealing the tear. 

“It’s a reality I’m still struggling with and has left me with not too much to say,” Purce wrote in a statement on social media. “I’m heartbroken to no longer be available for my season with Gotham FC or for Olympic selection with the USWNT – know I’m rooting for you both all year long. 

“Though you may not see it, I’ll be doing everything I can to get back on the field.”

Purce is just the latest women's soccer star to tear her ACL, and joins USWNT teammate Mia Fishel in having torn her ACL in the last couple of months. Other notable players include Catarina Macario and Christen Press, with Macario only just returning to the USWNT lineup after tearing hers in 2022. 

International stars such as Alexia Putellas, Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Leah Williamson have also suffered ACL tears. 

Purce’s injury caused Amorós to call out the international schedule, which has been a growing point of concern as more players fall victim to injuries and the playing schedule becomes more packed. Kansas City’s Debinha suffered a hamstring injury in the team’s opening game, while both Lynn Williams and Rose Lavelle have yet to play for Gotham due to injuries picked up during the W Gold Cup. 

“We lost Midge during the game which for me is a bittersweet flavor,” Amorós told reporters after Sunday’s game. “By the way, it’s another player that came from the Gold Cup. Last week, it was Debinha. We are paying the consequences of a tournament that shouldn’t have happened.”

“We’re talking about protecting the players, [who shouldn’t] go to play an international competition after one week of preseason,” Amorós continued. “We’ve seen the consequences now. We’ve got Rose, Lynn, last week it was Debinha in Kansas [City] and now we have Midge. From my experience, the clubs are going to keep paying for that competition."

In her statement, Purce said that “so many friends, teammates and even players I’ve only ever competed against” reached out to offer support. 

“I am so blessed,” she wrote. “Your messages have meant so much to me throughout this process, you have consoled what, for a moment, felt inconsolable. Thank you for reminding me that our football world is not only full with incredibly talent but also, incredible kindness.”

Lauren Jackson included on Australia Olympics roster

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 01: Lauren Jackson of Australia celebrates with team mates after playing her final Opals game during the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 3rd place match between Canada and Australia at Sydney Superdome, on October 01, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Lauren Jackson has come out of retirement once again to compete for a spot on Australia’s Olympic roster. 

Jackson was included on the 26-player roster named by coach Sandy Brondello on Tuesday that will take part in training camps, tours and games in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics. The roster will eventually be whittled down to just 12 players selected from the 26 named on Tuesday.

Jackson helped Australia qualify for the Olympics with a win over Germany in February. After that, she announced her retirement, revealing that she struggled to spend so much time away from her two young children. 

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported that Jackson and the basketball federation had come to an agreement in which they would help cover costs for her children to travel with the team for training camps and the Olympics. 

She’s largely expected to make the Opals’ Olympic roster. 

"It's always an exciting time to announce an Olympic squad and I congratulate all the athletes," Opals coach Sandy Brondello said. "They all know what it means to play for Australia and they all want the opportunity to represent their country at an Olympics. Our squad is full of exceptional talent and they will make the decision to pick a final 12 very difficult."

At the 2022 FIBA World Cup, Jackson helped Australia win a bronze medal with 30 points against Canada. She had previously retired in 2016 due to knee injuries, but slowly made a return in a domestic Australian league the last few years.

Jackson has won four Olympic medals, including three consecutive silver medals starting with Sydney in 2000 when she was a teenager. 

First two rounds of NCAA tournament boast record attendance, viewership

(David K Purdy/Getty Images)

The first two rounds of the women’s NCAA tournament broke attendance and viewership records set just last year – and it wasn’t even close. 

The NCAA announced on Tuesday that attendance for the first two rounds of the tournament was more than 292,000 – up from last year’s record, when almost 232,000 fans attended the first two rounds.

Among the host sites, Iowa had the biggest crowds with nearly 29,000 fans packing Carver-Hawkeye Arena in the first and second rounds. 

"We expected the historic success and quality of play and high level of competition from the regular season would carry through into March Madness. Our championship is again delivering," NCAA vice president of women's basketball Lynn Holzman said in a statement. "Record crowds, ratings, incredible performances and evolving storylines will continue to make the next two weeks a must-see for fans across the world."

And for those that couldn’t attend the sold-out Iowa games, they watched on television. Monday’s matchup between Iowa and West Virginia drew 4.9 million viewers, setting a record for a women’s D-I tournament game prior to the Final Four. 

It is also the third most watched tournament game in the last 20 years, behind last year’s national championship between LSU and Iowa (9.92 million) and Iowa’s Final Four win over South Carolina (5.6 million).

Iowa’s game against Holy Cross in the first round drew 3.23 million viewers. 

But it wasn’t just Iowa drawing big viewership. ESPN’s five games on Monday averaged 2.25 million viewers. UConn and Syracuse drew 2.05 million viewers while LSU and Middle Tennessee on ABC drew 2.01 million viewers on Sunday. 

The full, 16-game slate for the second round averaged 1.4 million viewers – a 121% increase from last year and the highest average ever for the second round.

The full tournament so far is averaging 812,000 viewers per game, a 108% increase from last year.

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