This episode of 'The Late Sub' is presented in partnership with Visa.
In the latest episode of The Late Sub, podcast host and JWS staff writer Claire Watkins invites Bay FC center defensive midfielder Kiki Pickett into the studio to chat through the 2024 NWSL expansion's side banner first season — one, as Pickett reveals, where local support made all the difference.
"That love for women's sports is huge," the Santa Barbara native and Stanford grad says of her team's Northern California home. "And then we have the Valkyries coming in as well, so I think that's only just going to increase."
Throughout the conversation, Pickett looks back on other sources of support, including hands-on backing from team staff as well as a unique partnership with founding partner Visa that sees direct investment in current Bay FC players. In addition to investing in enhanced player benefits such as dedicated mental health support, Visa's partnership enables players to more efficiently earn the maximum amount of appearance fee compensation available under the NWSL's current CBA.
"I think that's been a huge advantage for us, knowing that they have our back on whatever it is — recovery, nutrition, mental balance," she says of Bay FC's Visa partnership. "Those are just the little details that get us above and beyond."
Bay FC's rise from shaky start to 2024 NWSL Playoffs
Pickett then walks Watkins through the team's impressive mid-season turnaround, explaining how Bay FC became the perfect NWSL underdog before highlighting some of the most memorable moments from the team's record-breaking debut year.
"Every game has helped us learn and build our blocks," Pickett continues, reflecting on the team's journey from a shaky start to making last weekend's NWSL quarterfinals. "The mindset switch was, 'If we're so focused on defense, you've got to make sure the offense is correct. If we're so focused on offense, we've got to make sure our defense is correct.' We eventually put those two together, and it just clicked."
"Maybe people aren't talking about us in the beginning because we didn't have the best record," she adds. "Now people are talking about us."
Elsewhere in the episode, Watkins also takes time to recap this past weekend's NWSL quarterfinals, talking through blowouts, surprises, empty tanks, and why the league's top four teams continue to rule the pitch this year.
About The Late Sub with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
In today’s episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the ins and outs of every NWSL quarterfinal, including who to keep on upset watch and what to expect tactically between the lines.
Then, Watkins sits down with 2024 Olympic bronze medalist rugby player Sammy Sullivan to chat about the future of rugby in the US. Sullivan digs into how she balances the rugby's newfound spotlight with the day-to-day grind of being a pro athlete, plus how fans can keep up with Team USA Rugby all year-round.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
After a record-setting season, the 2024 NWSL Playoffs have landed, with the expanded eight-team lineup kicking off the weekend's do-or-die quarterfinals with a clean slate.
No. 1 Orlando, whose Shield-winning year ended in a skid, begins the postseason action on Friday, hosting a No. 8 Chicago side that just barely made the postseason cut. The Pride will notably do so without defender Rafaelle, who landed on the season-ending injury list with a partial quad tendon tear on Tuesday.
Adding another hurdle to Chicago's gargantuan Orlando task is the fact that the Red Stars will be without some key firepower. Striker Ludmila, the club's third-most prolific goal scorer on the season, is serving an extended red card suspension that will keep her sidelined through the semifinals, should the Red Stars advance.
After finishing last season second-to-last on the NWSL table, No. 4 Kansas City earned quarterfinal hosting rights this year. The Current, who scored a league-record 57 goals this season, haven't lost since September 1st, when they fell to the No. 5 North Carolina Courage — the same team they'll face on Saturday.
The biggest question-mark for the Current, however, is the status of 2024 Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga, who was sidelined last weekend after a knock to the knee.
"She’s progressing well," KC coach Vlatko Andonovski said of Chawinga's status on Wednesday. "Hopefully, we have more answers closer to the game."
That said, Andonovski made it clear that expectations won't change regardless of Chawinga's availability. Pointed to KC’s 3-1 win over Chicago last Sunday, he noted that while "the success that this team has enjoyed this season is a team success, and it’s not just the 20 goals that Temwa scored."
Sunday doubleheader will finalize NWSL semis
This Sunday afternoon is all about the NWSL, beginning when No. 7 Bay FC, the winningest expansion team in league history, head to DC to play a No. 2 Spirit squad still bouncing back from injuries.
While Washington has star forward Trinity Rodman and defender Casey Krueger back on the pitch, they'll be without midfielder Andi Sullivan, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear last month. Also missing will be forward Rosemonde Kouassi as she finishes serving her extended red card suspension.
To cap things off, defending champs No. 3 Gotham FC will host perennial contenders Portland. The Thorns snagged their lowest postseason seeding ever at No. 6 after a shaky season put their now eight-straight playoffs streak at risk.
Even so, Portland could be poised to surprise a Gotham side that boasts one of the best defenses in the league. The Thorns' final regular-season match displayed their best attacking performance in NWSL play since May, with prolific scorers Christine Sinclair, Sophia Smith, and Morgan Weaver all finding the back of the net.
NWSL MVP, Rookie of the Year awards come into focus
As the season ends, the NWSL's individual award frontrunners are emerging — and none more so than KC's Chawinga. The Kansas City striker is poised to run away with the league's MVP honors thanks to her speed, technical skill, and record-breaking 20 goals on the season.
Though Orlando’s Barbra Banda made her MVP case by keeping pace with Chawinga in the season's first half, she quieted after the Olympics while Chawinga upheld her unbelievable consistency, blasting eight more goals across nine post-break matches.
Instead, the Pride could likely see Coach of the Year honors after Seb Hines led the Shield-winners on a record-breaking 23-match unbeaten streak this season.
In the Rookie of the Year race, the NWSL’s 2024 class impressed, from Louisville ringer Emma Sears to KC defensive midfielder Claire Hutton to Washington’s absolutely stacked group of six debutants.
That said, Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune tops the competition with five goals and a record-tying 10 assists, despite playing in just 17 matches before a torn meniscus ended her season.
How to watch the 2024 NWSL Playoffs this weekend
Orlando and Chicago kick off at 8 PM ET on Friday, live on Prime, with KC battling NC on Saturday at 12 PM ET on CBS.
On Sunday, Washington hosts Bay FC at 12:30 PM ET before Portland visits Gotham at 3 PM ET, with live coverage on ABC.
The NWSL's final weekend is all drama, complete with heated clashes that will determine the last two postseason berths and nearly all seeding for the 2024 NWSL playoffs.
While Shield-winners Orlando are secure at the top, the Pride will be desperate for a Saturday win over Seattle as they try and replace their two straight losses with some postseason momentum.
At the same time, Washington, Gotham, and Kansas City will all be jockeying for the No. 2 seed this weekend. While the Spirit and Current must contend with playoff-bound North Carolina and Chicago, respectively, Gotham's Friday matchup against a surging Utah looks surprisingly competitive.
Three NWSL teams battle over two playoff tickets
Seeding race aside, the final matchday's main event is an NWSL version of musical chairs in which three clubs — Portland, Bay FC, and Racing Louisville — will duke it out for the league's final two playoff spots.
The seventh-place Thorns and eighth-place Bay FC currently sit three points ahead of ninth-place Louisville, allowing both to clinch berths with either a win or a draw. If Portland and Bay walk with at least one point each, the postseason lineup will be settled before Sunday.
Should one or both teams lose, it'll all come down to Sunday's regular-season finale, where a win over San Diego plus a tie-breaking goal differential could send Louisville through to the quarterfinals.
The high-stakes elimination games
With the most on the line, Portland will shoot to extend their season — and goalscoring legend Christine Sinclair's career — against an already-eliminated Angel City side with nothing to lose on Friday. Perhaps most concerning is the fact that the up-and-down Thorns have lost three of their last four matches, while ACFC has only dropped one in the same stretch.
Bay FC arguably received a season finale gift in a Saturday visit to the Houston Dash, who finish the year at the bottom of the NWSL table. That said, one of the Dash's five wins this season came in a 3-2 Bay defeat at the end of March. Plus, with the worst goal differential of the three teams still in postseason contention, Bay will want to clinch with a Saturday result rather than gamble on potential tiebreakers.
As mentioned, a Portland or Bay loss sets up Sunday's final tilt as the weekend's biggest match, where Louisville will need to do better than their scoreless April draw with San Diego to usurp one of the West Coast squads's playoff spots.
How to watch this weekend's NWSL playoff elimination matches
Portland and ACFC will kick off the NWSL's make-or-break action on Friday at 10 PM ET on Prime before Houston hosts Bay on Saturday at 9:30 PM ET, airing on ION.
Should chaos rule the weekend, Louisville's match against San Diego will cap both the 2024 NWSL regular season and the playoff picture on Sunday at 5:30 PM ET, with live coverage on ESPN.
In today’s episode of the Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the USWNT and their 3-1 win over Iceland, including shouting out the match's top performers before examining where the US could still improve. Plus, Watkins chats about how head coach Emma Hayes is continuing to put her stamp on the team.
Then, Watkins gives her take on the Chicago Red Stars' rebrand, and how the NWSL is shedding some of its history in a bid toward the future.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
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Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
In today's episode, our hosts recap the 2024 WNBA Finals, including the officiating controversy. Lisa also breaks down a similar situation from her playing days.
"You feel like it was stolen from you," Leslie explained. "It felt like the exact same thing, that they could be really physical with us. We go down and just touch and it was a foul. It felt like they were just taking this game from us, so I get it. I understand it. But what do you have to do? Suck it up, buttercup."
"One of the things I know is that the officials do they best job that they can do," she added. "It is a thankless job."
Then, Kelley and Lisa chat about Kelley's Gotham FC retirement celebration before diving into who can grab the final two NWSL playoff spots. Plus, Lisa learns all about soccer's nonstop schedule, and much more!
Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
After an unprecedented 23-match unbeaten run, Orlando's path to the NWSL Championship appears to hang in the balance after two straight losses.
While falling to once-struggling Portland could be blamed on resting starters, last weekend's 3-1 loss to Gotham can't be ignored. The reigning champs managed to find the holes in Orlando's armor, becoming the only team this season to net three goals against the 2024 Shield-winners.
"Did they lose too late to overcome the emotions that come with the Shield win?," Claire Watkins asked on The Late Sub this week. "How do you right the ship?"
Bay, Louisville chase NWSL history in playoff pursuit
Clutch weekend wins kept eighth-place Bay FC and ninth-place Racing Louisville in the running for the final two playoff spots, with both teams also eyeing NWSL history.
Along with seventh-place Portland, Bay controls their fate, needing a win or a draw to clinch. That said, if Bay wins their last regular-season match on November 2nd, they'll not only become the second expansion team to qualify for the playoffs in their debut season, they’ll also do so with 11 victories — the most by a first-year club in league history.
Louisville faces a tougher path from three points below the cutoff line, needing both a final win and some help from a Portland or Bay loss. Should they advance, however, it'll mark the 2021 expansion club's first-ever trip to the playoffs.
In today’s episode of the Late Sub, host Claire Watkins goes long on the epic final game that saw the New York Liberty clinch their first-ever WNBA title. Breaking down defense, officiating, rotations, and a little bit of luck, Watkins wraps up this monumental W season.
Later, Watkins offers up a quick wish list of what she’d like to see from the final NWSL regular-season weekend as teams tune up for the 2024 playoffs.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
KC Current star Temwa Chawinga added to one of the best individual runs in NWSL history this weekend, finding the back of the net for the 20th time to extend her single-season scoring record.
Even more, the 25-year-old Golden Boot leader set another league record in the process. With her Saturday goal in KC's 4-1 win over the San Diego Wave, Chawinga became the first NWSL player to score against all 13 opposing teams in one season.
Final two NWSL playoff spots still up for grabs
Ahead of this week's international break, Portland, Louisville, and Bay FC all struggled to secure playoff spots this weekend.
The seventh-place Thorns fell 1-0 to ninth-place Louisville on Saturday, with Racing midfielder Taylor Flint heading in the 88th-minute game-winner.
A few hours later, eighth-place Bay FC handed a 1-0 loss to fifth-place North Carolina. Center back Abby Dahlkemper's deflection off an 83rd-minute set piece ultimately allowed Bay to draw even with Portland in points on the NWSL table.
Additionally, Bay's victory snuffed out Utah, Angel City, and San Diego's hopes of a playoff berth, immediately eliminated the trio from contention.
With just one regular-season game to go, the NWSL's full postseason picture will come down to the wire as Portland, Bay, and Louisville will battle for the two remaining postseason berths when the NWSL returns on November 1st.
Gotham makes statement with win over Orlando
Though both defending NWSL champions Gotham FC and 2024 Shield-winners Orlando have had their postseason positions locked up for weeks, Sunday's match was still one for the books.
One week after logging their season's first loss, the Pride fell 3-1 to Gotham on Sunday. Unlike their lineup against Portland last week, Orlando included their top scorers Barbra Banda, Marta, and Adriana, as well as defender Emily Sams and midfielder Morgan Gautrat in Sunday's starting IX.
The Pride's lone goal came from Adriana's 31st-minute converted penalty, with the Gotham defense shutting down Orlando's usually overwhelming attack. Meanwhile, the Pride allowed three goals for the first time all season.
In the wake of back-to-back losses with the NWSL playoffs looming, Orlando boss Seb Hines noted that "at this period where whatever happens in the game, it doesn’t have any dividends on our position."
"We just have to get back to who we are and our identity," Hines continued. "We need to work extremely hard and not allow teams to work harder than us once we step onto that field... [The players] have got to know that they have a target on their back and everyone wants to continue to beat this team because of what they have showed all season long.”
Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
In today's episode, our hosts chat through the all-tied-up WNBA Finals, including the Liberty's Game 1 collapse, Game 2's response, and what the Lynx can do to snag a win at home.
Calling Game 1 "silk slipping through the fingers," Leslie said much of New York's implosion came because "the Liberty have some really silly turnovers."
Then, Kelley and Lisa talk all things NWSL, from the Portland Thorns getting back on track to Temwa Chawinga's record-setting goal to Bay FC's playoff chances and much more!
Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.