This weekend's NWSL semifinals left it all on the field, with Orlando and Washington advancing to the 2024 NWSL Championship after two days of physical play, epic saves, and legendary goals.

With the 2024 Shield-winning Pride and the No. 2-seed Spirit now set to battle for the league title, November 23rd's championship match will be the first to feature the top two regular-season clubs in five years.

Kingsbury saves the day for the Spirit

To book the Spirit's NWSL Championship ticket, Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury played superhero on Saturday, saving every penalty kick she faced to defeat reigning champs Gotham FC.

Entering their first-ever postseason clash with wildly similar resumes, the clubs' 120 minutes of play ending in a tense 1-1 deadlock to force just the second playoff shootout in NWSL history seemed almost prophetic.

In front of a sold-out Audi Field crowd of 19,365 fans, Gotham striker Esther opened scoring early in the second half. That goal stood until stoppage time, when Spirit rookie Hal Hershfelt netted a dramatic equalizer.

With 42 fouls and six yellow cards between the two teams, Gotham was ultimately forced to play the bulk of extra time with just 10 players after a hard challenge saw defender Bruninha sent off with her second yellow in the 101st minute.

Buoyed by Hershfelt's late header, the Spirit held off Gotham through extra time to force the decisive shootout. While Washington's Ashley Hatch, Lena Silano, and Tara McKeown converted their attempts, Kingsbury produced three straight saves to spoil shots from Gotham's Esther, McCall Zerboni, and Jenna Nighswonger.

With Kingsbury's heroics ending Gotham's back-to-back title dream, Washington will return to the NWSL Championship for the first time since their 2021 title win.

Marta magic sends Orlando to NWSL Championship

Behind attacking magic from Haley McCutcheon, Barbra Banda, and Marta and a defense that held record-setting Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga silent, Orlando bested Kansas City 3-2 on Sunday to punch a ticket to their first-ever NWSL Championship.

The Current struck first, when KC forward Michelle Cooper's deft cross was sent into the back of the net by midfielder Debinha.

The Pride, however, soon pulled ahead, as a quick equalizer from McCutcheon gave way to Banda's emphatic second-half strike.
 
Brazilian legend and Pride captain Marta ultimately scored the game-winner. After forcing both KC center backs to the ground with her footwork, the 38-year-old dribbled past goalkeeper Alma Schult before cooly slotting the ball over the line.

Orlando defender Emily Sams called the jaw-dropping strike "such a Marta goal," saying "she's the GOAT and she proved it tonight."

Kansas City's final push saw midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo score a handball penalty in second-half stoppage time, but Orlando held on to register the dramatic victory.

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A historic NWSL Championship matchup awaits

Orlando and Washington's upcoming NWSL Championship match will cap a record-shattering season for the league, with even more history on the line.

Saturday's final will be the first contested by two teams who failed to make the previous season's playoffs, and while Washington will hunt a second NWSL title, the Pride will take aim at their first.

If successful, Orlando will become just the second team to ever snag both the Shield and the championship in the same season, joining North Carolina, who did so in 2018 and 2019.

"It's the top two teams in the league, which doesn't happen often in the championship game," noted Orlando head coach Seb Hines. "I think both teams deserve to be in this championship game because it's the most consistent teams throughout the season."

WNBA star Caitlin Clark and the Fever will hit the airwaves sooner than expected this year, with multiple sources reporting that ESPN will televise a preseason game between Indiana and the Brazil national team on May 4th.

The broadcast boost will reportedly make the Fever vs. Brazil matchup the WNBA's first-ever nationally televised exhibition game, a move that comes after a 2024 preseason battle between the Minnesota Lynx and Chicago Sky earned more than two million streams — from a fan's cellphone.

WNBA teams follow in the Indiana Fever's preseason footsteps

The May matchup will mark the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year's return to Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with the Fever set to play in front of a sold-out crowd at Clark's alma mater.

Indiana isn't the only team taking a trip down memory lane this preseason, with several teams bringing exhibition games to university arenas before the 2025 WNBA season tips off on May 16th.

Two days before facing the Fever, Brazil will clash with the Sky at Chicago star Angel Reese's collegiate home of LSU — an arena also familiar to new Sky recruit Hailey Van Lith.

Also on May 2nd, Notre Dame will host legendary alums Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, and Jackie Young when the Las Vegas Aces play the Dallas Wings at South Bend's Purcell Pavilion.

Monday’s 2025 WNBA Draft scored the second-highest viewership in the event's history, with an average of 1.25 million viewers tuning into ESPN to witness the league’s newest young stars turn pro.

The broadcast peaked at 1.46 million viewers, becoming just the second-ever WNBA Draft to surpass the million-fan mark.

That rise represents a 119% increase over the 2023 edition, with Monday's live event weighing in as the night’s most popular programming among key demographics across both broadcast and cable TV.

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NCAA superstars fuel enthusiasm for WNBA Draft

Interest in the WNBA Draft hit a steep peak in 2024, as an average of 2.45 million viewers watched Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark start her WNBA journey with the Indiana Fever.

This year’s iteration also offered a wealth of star power, featuring No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers as well as other 2025 Final Four standouts.

"We're just continuing to try to grow the game, expand the game, bring the viewership from the college game to the WNBA," Bueckers told reporters gathered at The Shed in Manhattan.

"I think the new wave and generation of basketball players are bringing so much to the game, but obviously off the foundation that the players before us have built," she added.

With more NCAA basketball fans following their favorites to the pros, it's now up to the WNBA to sustain that interest through the regular season — and beyond.

After a dominant group-stage run to advance to the quarterfinals, Team USA will take the ice for the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship knockout rounds on Thursday.

Winning all four games so far — including a 2-1 victory over reigning champs Canada on Sunday — the Group A victors join Group B winners Sweden as the tournament's only remaining undefeated teams.

After taking silver in last year's edition, Team USA is well on their way to avenging their runners-up status — with the possibility of squaring off against their North American rivals once again in Sunday’s final starting to take shape.

First, however, the US must take down Germany in their Thursday quarterfinal to claim a spot in Saturday's semis.

Other quarterfinal matchups include Finland battling Sweden, Canada going up against Japan, and host nation Czechia taking on Switzerland.

Knight adds another World Championship record to her resume

Helping buoy Team USA's momentum is veteran star Hilary Knight, who made tournament history on Tuesday.

With three assists in the USA's 5-0 win over Switzerland, Knight claimed the all-time IIHF Women's World Championship assist record with 50 total tournament assists, surpassing Canadian forward Hayley Wickenheiser's previous mark of 49.

The 35-year-old forward adds the assist record to an already stellar IIHF World Championship resume.

Her 14 medals — nine of them gold — make Knight the tournament's most decorated athlete of all time. Stepping onto Tuesday's ice, her 67 goals and 117 points across her now-15 World Championship editions already made Knight the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer and points-leader.

The USA icon's six points throughout the 2025 competition have her trailing just Canadian star Marie-Philip Poulin's eight points.

"A lot has been said [about Knight’s career], but she is just phenomenal, not only as a player but a human being," said defender Caroline Harvey after Knight's record-breaking performance on Tuesday.

"She leads this team, and she's leaving a lasting impact for years and years to come."

How to watch Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Championship

Team USA will take the ice for their quarterfinal against Germany at 7:30 AM ET on Thursday, with live coverage on the NHL Network.

Before the LPGA’s biggest names gear up for next week’s Chevron Championship, many are turning to this week's 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship for a chance to sharpen their skills — and pad their bank accounts.

A total of $3.75 million is on the line in Southern California, where 144 of the world's top golfers will take aim at a piece of one of the largest non-major purses on the LPGA Tour.

The stars will be out in full force when the LA Championship's first round begins on Thursday, including 16 of the world's Top 25 golfers, led by No. 1 Nelly Korda in her first return to El Caballero since 2023.

After sitting out several late-season 2024 tournaments with a neck injury, Korda has maintained her fitness through 2025, taking a planned seven-week break before rejoining the Tour last month.

"I kind of have the first part of [the] year until Chevron kind of set," Korda told reporters about her 2025 schedule in January. "After that, it'll be just how my body is feeling."

Defending champ Hannah Green uses third title hunt to give back

While Korda is sure to draw crowds, all eyes will be on Australia’s Hannah Green as the world No. 5 golfer attempts to secure a third straight LA Championship title.

Green is already off to a strong start this year, earning two top 10 finishes in her first four 2025 tournaments.

The reigning champion is also giving back, pledging $500 for every birdie and $1,000 for each eagle she makes this week to the Los Angeles Fireman's Relief Association in the wake of January's destructive wildfires.

"California has been such a special place to my heart, so I want to give back in any way possible," the 28-year-old explained.

How to watch the LPGA Tour at the 2025 LA Championship

The first round of the 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship tees off on Thursday morning.

Coverage of each of the tournament's four rounds will air daily at 6 PM ET on The Golf Channel.