The USWNT closed out the October international window in style, dominating New Zealand 6-0 to cap their slate of three friendlies with an emphatic win on Wednesday.
Forward Emma Sears tallied the team's first hat trick since 2022 in the victory, backed up by a brace from Catarina Macario and a long-range strike from Rose Lavelle.
"It's just about making the most of my opportunities, encouraging my teammates here the best I can, and just coming into games where I might be needed," Sears said postgame. "Whether that's coming off the bench, or starting like I was tonight."
Though the USWNT is the No. 2 team in the world, manager Emma Hayes pitted an inexperienced group against the 33rd-ranked New Zealand squad, starting three teenagers in back-to-back friendlies for the first time since 2000 — with the entire US starting defense sharing just 11 international caps between them.
Wednesday's starting XI averaged 17.3 caps per player, narrowly beating out April's Brazil-facing team for the least-capped USWNT lineup in 25 years.
That average, however, shrinks to just 7.7 caps per player without Lavelle, as the veteran midfielder and captain dramatically boosts the stat with her 114 total appearances.
"We're developing real competition in our squad," Hayes said afterwards. "Internally, the important thing for us is that we get to be ourselves, and we get to play the way we want to play."
What started with a whimper ended with a bang, as the USWNT's youth movement continues to force tough roster calls with a pair of friendlies against 2025 Euro semifinalists No. 12 Italy — not to mention next year's World Cup qualifiers — fast approaching.
The USWNT laid out its fall plans on Monday, announcing a series of three October friendlies — including nods to recently retired stars Alyssa Naeher and Alex Morgan — in the world No. 1 team's first return to the pitch since early July.
The US will face 2025 Euro participant No. 22 Portugal in the first two matches, opening the series at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, on October 23rd before meeting again at Hartford, Connecticut's Rentschler Field in a split doubleheader with the US Men's Deaf National Team on the 26th.
The slate's third game will take place at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on October 29th, against a still-unannounced opponent.
"Portugal is a growing team that will be highly motivated for these matches, but as always, these three games are more opportunities to work on us," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said in Monday's release.
"I'm very impressed with the progress we've made since the Olympics and I want to give a lot of credit to the players for embracing our culture and ideas, but our staff and the players know we still have much work to do before World Cup qualifying next year."
In addition to building chemistry as the USWNT pushes toward 2026's World Cup Qualifiers, the first two October friendlies will also see the team celebrating past legends Morgan and Naeher.
The Pennsylvania friendly will honor retired USWNT forward Alex Morgan inside the stadium where she scored her first-ever senior team goal.
Hartford's match pays tribute to Connecticut product and decorated goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who hung up her international boots last December.
How to get tickets to the October USWNT friendlies
While various presale opportunities will drop throughout this week, general public tickets for all three matches will go on sale at 10 AM local venue time on Friday.