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USWNT tracker: How World Cup hopefuls fared in NWSL openers

Trinity Rodman carried the ball all the way from midfield to score the game-winning goal for the Spirit on Sunday. (Amber Searls/USA TODAY Sports)

The NWSL kicked off its 10th regular season over the weekend, with a renewed emphasis on league serving as a testing ground for players looking to impress in the months ahead of the 2023 World Cup.

Not surprisingly, there were several notable moments for players both in the USWNT core and on the cusp of the roster, as the pressure to perform only increases from here.

Goals, Goals, Goals

The USWNT attacking player pool got off to a hot start for their respective club teams, having used the January and February camps to hone sharpness before league kickoff.

Out of 14 goals scored across six NWSL matches, current USWNT prospects scored seven of them: Mallory Swanson, Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Lynn Williams, Alyssa Thompson and Midge Purce.

Rodman showcased her ability on the ball while scoring the game-winner against OL Reign. Picking the ball up near midfield off of a throw-in in the 54th minute, Rodman dribbled into space in front of the Reign penalty area and slotted the ball into the back of the net from the top of the box to give Washington a 1-0 win.

Reigning NWSL MVP Smith became the first NWSL player to score in three consecutive season openers, notching an early goal in Portland’s 4-0 rout of the Orlando Pride. After Canada captain Christine Sinclair got to the endline against the Pride defense, Smith made a smart, delayed run into Orlando’s penalty area. Left all alone, Smith received the ball and roofed it to double Portland’s scoreline in the 22nd minute. The 22-year-old also recorded an assist in the win.

Thompson and Williams swapped open-play goals in Angel City’s home opener against Gotham FC. Thompson got on the board first, putting the Los Angeles club up 1-0 just 11 minutes into her professional career. The 18-year-old’s speed and clinical finishing belie her inexperience at the professional level, where she looked immediately comfortable and poised for a call-back to USWNT camp.

Williams then delivered a perfectly timed, in-seam shot into the far post to give Gotham the 2-1 win. Returning to the NWSL after a hamstring injury kept her out for the entirety of the 2022 regular season, Williams again had some bad injury luck. The forward fell awkwardly on her elbow early, requiring a splint for the rest of the game, though she laughed off the injury afterward, saying “It’s an arm. I need my legs to play soccer.”

Swanson, Morgan and Purce’s tallies came from well-taken penalties, though all three players were also active in influencing the play outside of the scoresheet. Purce also registered a savvy assist on Williams’ game-winner. On the other end, USWNT No. 1 goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made an error tipping the ball over the bar in Chicago’s 3-2 loss to San Diego, allowing for a Wave equalizer.

Midfield madness

The USWNT’s strength in the attack showed up in full force, but question marks in the midfield weren’t particularly cleared up by NWSL play this weekend. Taylor Kornieck played just one half for San Diego as a deep-lying attacking option behind Morgan, though she was effective in turning play in the Wave’s favor on the way to a late 3-2 win Saturday.

Crystal Dunn played 62 minutes in the Thorns’ midfield, the most since her return from pregnancy, as Portland completely dominated the middle third of the pitch against the Pride. Dunn’s growing midfield role for Portland provides a sharp contrast to her use as an outside back for the USWNT, as does the steady work Sam Coffey, who still sits on the USWNT bubble at defensive midfielder.

The biggest midfield head-scratcher came from OL Reign, who slotted longtime USWNT utility defender Emily Sonnett into the defensive midfield in place of Canada international (and usual starter) Quinn. Sonnett has traditionally played center back in the NWSL, most recently with the Washington Spirit. On Sunday, the 29-year-old looked uncomfortable in her positioning and distributive responsibilities as the Reign failed to find the back of the net. The defensive breakdown that led to Rodman’s game-winning goal allowed excess space in the middle of the pitch, turning what is usually a Reign strength into a moment of weakness.

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Gotham FC's Kelley O'Hara defends Angel City's Alyssa Thompson in their club team debuts. (Kiyoshi Mio/USA TODAY Sports)

Early season fitness watch

This weekend brought both welcome returns and knocks to watch. Red Stars defender Casey Krueger made a short-lived return to the pitch after the birth of her son on Saturday, leaving the match in the 13th minute with what appeared to be a neck injury. After the match, head coach Chris Petrucelli said the team thinks she “will be fine,” with a possible return to April USWNT camp on the horizon.

Krueger’s Chicago teammate, Tierna Davidson, also made a long-awaited return to the club’s defense, getting 82 minutes in her first start back from the Challenge Cup ACL tear that sidelined her for most of 2022.

Kelley O’Hara played the first half for Gotham FC, her new club team, after missing the second half of the 2022 season with a lingering hip injury. Megan Rapinoe did not play for the Reign, listed on the injury report as out with a calf injury. Rapinoe has been in and out with the U.S. in recent months as she recovers from injuries, and with other players beginning to peak in the attack, her ongoing fitness is worth keeping an eye on heading into the summer months.

Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. 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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