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The Best of the Orlando Pride in 2017

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7 years ago

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The Orlando Pride had a fantastic run in their second year. Creating team depth and consistency for any expansion team is a hard thing to do, but the Pride were also without their best scorer, Alex Morgan, over the first half their second season.

Finishing in third place, with a record of 11-6-7 — and a run of nine unbeaten matches to finish the regular season — the Pride captured something Orlando soccer hasn't seen since gaining major professional soccer: the playoffs. While they fell short to the eventual NWSL Champion Portland Thorns, we couldn't be more proud as fans of a team that fought hard all season.

So, with that being said, we wanted to look back and give shout-outs to individual and team efforts alike that stood out from the pack on this great season.

MVP — Marta

This was the easiest decision to make as the five-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, led the Pride in her first season into the playoffs. Had Morgan been with the team for the whole year, this may have been a tougher conversation, but Marta’s effectiveness all season was what put the Pride over the top.

The NWSL Player of the Month for September was second across the league in both goals (13) and assists (tied at six), but it was her efficiency that stands out. She was ninth on the list of total shots (44) and only had only 25 shots on goal, giving her a scoring rate of over 50% when she put shots on target.

There are many matches to choose from, but I would put Marta’s two-goal, two-assist effort on the road against the Houston Dash as her best game of the year. At 2-3-3, the Pride were just finding their rhythm in winning two of their last four, and going to Houston to face Carli Lloyd and co. is never an easy job. Marta had a hand in all four goals that day as the Pride led by as much as 4-0 at one point. This was a match that clearly showed her ability to take over any game single-handedly, and one that was needed as the Pride were looking to get back to .500.

Goal of the Year

There were no lack of goals to choose from as the Pride led the league in goals scored. When I was looking for clips, I swear it seemed like every single week a Pride player was up for the NWSL’s Goal of the Week and there were plenty of winners to choose from.

Some would argue Alanna Kennedy’s free kick to send Orlando into third place with a stoppage-time victory against NC Courage in the final match of the season should be there. And we wouldn't disagree. However, we found two other we liked just slightly better…

Runner Up — Camila against the Washington Spirit

This goal takes a lot of skill. On the run, approaching a bouncing ball that was cleared by the goalkeeper, only to lob it 35-40 yards into an open net. But alas, that’s my determining factor here. While it took a great amount of skill, it was hitting into an open net and the goal was to put us up two, not a game-winning goal — as you’ll see below — which leads me to put this No. 2.

Winner — Alex Morgan against the Washington Spirit

This Week 18 winner of the NWSL Goal of the Week was much deserved. Not only was it a game-winning goal, but a slashing Morgan came up with some karate-esque, donkey-like, behind-her-back goal that is not often seen. Combining the importance with the level of difficulty gives Alex the nod.

Best Match

Internal debate sparked on this as we needed to decide if this was the best “played” match of the season, the most meaningful match, or simply the most dominant result of the season.

Was it the draw against the Chicago Red Stars that saw Orlando start its unbeaten streak?

Or perhaps the first win of the season against the reigning champion North Carolina Courage in Week 5?

And then there’s the third seed-clinching win against the Courage in the final week of the season. This would lend to being it, right? Well, the reason I’m not taking this is because going into this week, the playoffs were a certainty for all teams, so it lacked some nuance that the fight against Seattle Reign the week before had. Which actually may have been more important than this one when you think about it.

Winner — Pride Rout Sky Blue FC, 5-0

This match has it all to me. It’s an overwhelmingly dominant performance from start to finish. It was a statement to the rest of the league that the Pride were ready for the playoff push, as it was their second win on the course to a five-game run. It put Sky Blue FC — then tied on points with Orlando with one more win to their name — firmly behind the Pride for the rest of the season. This match was a big turning point as everyone was firing on all cylinders and one that propelled us beyond.

Rookie of the Year — Rachel Hill

Hill — who was selected 14th by the Portland Thorns in the NWSL College Draft before being traded — didn't even get a normal preseason to her inaugural campaign as she didn't sign until late May after going back to finish school.

As anyone can imagine, it’s not like this team is lacking for attacking talent with two of the world’s greatest players, and Hill stayed patient until needed. Her first goal of the season came in dramatic fashion as she scored an 87th-minute header to give the Pride a 3-2 win over Sky Blue FC.

Hill continued to earn increasing playing time over the year. Most notably in a home match start against the Boston Breakers, which almost saw her score a hat trick in under 30 minutes.

A consistent inclusion late in the year for Tom Sermanni, we’re looking forward to seeing what the future brings for this bright young forward.

Breakout Player — Camila

Camila was everything for the Pride this season, whenever they needed it. Whether it be on the right wing, at central midfielder, or at right back, she was always ready to perform no matter what the situation.

Before going down with a knee injury, she was tied for second in the league in assists and her loss was clearly a massive blow to the team, as was evident by the relentless Portland attack down the right side where Camila often played. Her season ended with 22 starts, garnering four goals and five assists.

We already mentioned her above when discussing Goal of the Year, something she was in the running for after that outstanding long-range goal. And what probably is the biggest travesty is her lack of inclusion on either of the NWSL’s Best XI teams. Camila had one of the best seasons by any Pride player and we wish her a full and speedy recovery.

Defensive MVP — Steph Catley

Nominated for NWSL’s Defender of the Year, the Westfield Matilda continued to prove why she’s one of the best backs in the game. Earning NWSL Best XI Second Team, it proved another successful year.

The fullback led Orlando in total touches (1,667) and crosses (75), while her 27 chances created were the second-highest by any Pride player.

One of her best moments came against the Houston Dash with Aubrey Bledsoe caught out, when she made a goal-line saving clearance that earned her NWSL’s Save of the Week Honors.

Assist of The Year — Steph Catley against Washington Spirit

As if we haven't talked about Catley enough, her 55-plus-yard laser to an eventual Alex Morgan volley was something of beauty. Fast forward to the 0:47 mark to watch the amazing combination of Catley and Morgan.

Save of the Year

Last but not least my favorite category. As a goalkeeper, there’s nothing I love more than watching great play in net, and both of the Pride keepers rank among the top. In researching this award, it appeared Ashlyn Harris or Aubrey Bledsoe were in nearly every NWSL Save the Week nomination, or it at least felt like it.

Runner-Up: Ashlyn Harris against NC Courage

If we had enough time, Ashlyn could have filled an entire article with saves week in and week out. This save, however, was her best in that long line of outstanding reaction saves. With a Courage team all over the Pride, Ashlyn made an unbelievable save to her left when a wide-open player 10 yards out from goal had the whole net at her disposal. But Ashlyn stayed set on the incoming cross and made a wonderful diving save:

Winner: Aubrey Bledsoe full stretch against Carli Lloyd

This may be a shocker to you — an upset, if you will — but this Week 9 NWSL Save of the Week winner was everything and more. If Ashlyn’s save above is a 9, Aubrey’s is a 9.5. She may have had a better angle against the shot, but a Carli Lloyd half-volley outside the six is nowhere close to an easy shot.

What makes the difference to me is what actually happens directly after the shot. A strong left hand by Bledsoe leads to two passes and a goal only 16 seconds later. If that hand is weak and it spills into the penalty area, that’s a possible goal. But instead it’s properly pushed out and starts a counter attack. That full gambit of reaction time, technique, and finesse is what pushes this save over Ashlyn’s above.

Congratulations again to all the Pride players and staff on a successful year two. And if you don't agree with me on any of the awards, then let me hear it!

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Kylie Strom

In her fourth season in Orlando, the veteran changed positions to help the NWSL’s best defense.

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20 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride originally signed Kylie Strom from Atletico Madrid in July 2021. Prior to her time overseas, Strom spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the NWSL with the Boston Breakers. Her initial contract in Orlando was through 2022 with an option for 2023 that was exercised prior to that year. Despite being briefly out of contract this past off-season, Strom, now 32 years old, re-signed for the Pride, extending her stay in Orlando through the 2026 season. This ended up as one of the most important moves of the off-season, as Strom went on to partner Emily Sams in the league’s best defense, earning an NWSL Defender of the Year nomination and playing in all but one game of the 2024 season.

Let’s take a look back at Kylie Strom’s 2024 season, her best in Orlando so far.

Statistical Breakdown

Strom made 25 appearances for the Pride in the NWSL regular season, starting 24 times and playing 2,158 minutes, less than 200 minutes from playing the entire regular season. Most of the game time she missed was due to the red card and one-match ban she picked up on opening day at Louisville. Strom only took six shots in the regular season with two on target and no goals scored. She contributed her lone assist against Gotham at home in September. In possession, Strom completed 1,298 of her 1,503 passes (86%), the highest number of completed passes in the squad and the third-highest completion percentage among the regular starters, closely following Sams and Morgan Gautrat. She recorded 10 key passes, no completed crosses, and 46 successful long balls. Defensively, she succeeded in 20 of her 40 tackles (50%), contributed 39 interceptions, and won 73 headed duels. She was fouled 23 times, committed 17 of her own, and earned two yellow cards in addition to the previously-mentioned red card.  

Strom started and played every minute of Orlando’s three NWSL playoff wins (270 minutes). She attempted no shots but did provide an assist for Barbra Banda’s goal against the Kansas City Current. In the playoffs, Strom completed 144 of her 169 pass attempts (85%), with one key pass, no completed crosses, and four successful long balls. In defense, she added four tackles and six interceptions without committing a foul, suffering a foul, or receiving a card. 

Strom also started all three matches in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, playing 239 minutes in total. She did not take a shot and thus could not score a goal in the tournament, nor did she record an assist. The defender completed 136 of her 158 passes (86%) without a key pass or successful cross, but she managed 11 accurate long balls. She added three tackles in four duels (75%) and four interceptions with one headed duel won on the defensive end. She also committed two fouls and was on the receiving end of two herself, but she was not shown a card.

Best Game

Looking at her availability, passing, and defending, Strom was remarkably consistent in 2024, across all competitions. This makes it difficult to pick one game from the bunch, so it would be tempting to pick any shutout against high-profile opponents, such as the NWSL Championship game or the NWSL Shield-clinching game, both wins against the Washington Spirit. Instead, the best game and best representation of Strom’s work was the 1-0 victory over the struggling Utah Royals on the road in April, the first win of the year.

In the victory over Utah, Strom completed 61 of her 68 passes (90%). She also added two tackles and four interceptions en route to holding Utah to just 0.1 expected goals per FBRef.com. With Marta coming off the bench in this match, this was also the first time Strom wore the captain’s armband for Orlando, though she went on to wear it for six additional starts in the NWSL. 

Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Strom a composite grade of 7.5 out of 10 for the 2024 season, a significant improvement over her score of 6 out of 10 in 2023. Previously,  Strom received a grade of 4.5 in 2022 and an incomplete during what was a rough stretch run in 2021 after joining the club midseason.

Going into the 2024 season, it was assumed that Rafaelle would be the primary center back partner for Sams, and Strom would play at fullback, her natural position to that point in her career. Instead, Rafaelle struggled with injuries, including at the start of the year, so Strom paired with Sams for four of the first five games, with the Pride having to employ a four-fullback back line in the second game due to player unavailability. Rafaelle then played with Sams in the middle for one match, before Seb Hines pushed Sames out to right back with Rafaelle and Strom paired together for the next five matches. From that point on, it was Sams and Strom in the middle the rest of the year.

The new position suited Strom and accentuated her strengths as a soccer player. She defended well as a unit with Sams and the fullbacks, using her physicality to win many tackles and headed duels while cutting out the mistakes she’d previously made when playing out wide. In possession, she was steady in building play through short- and medium-distance passes without taking too many risks. She was a vocal leader on the pitch and adept at snuffing opposition attacks before they could materialize. That she was able to adapt so quickly to a new role in the latter stages of her career is all the more impressive.

2025 Outlook

Strom has two more years on her contract going into 2025. Orlando will hope to get healthier in defense in the off-season and may sign some reinforcements, as both Megan Montefusco and Carrie Lawrence retired. But Strom has earned the starting center-back spot next to Sams. Given Cori Dyke’s late emergence at right back, there is less of a need to move Sams out wide. At the same time, Kerry Abello’s Best XI Second Team performance throughout 2024 would make it difficult to move Strom back to fullback on the left. It will be interesting to see how a position group that has become a strength of the team.

Regardless of how it unfolds, the goal for Strom moving forward should be to continue to play at the level she did during Orlando’s championship season, and given her consistency all year, this is a reasonable expectation for the player.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Adriana

The Brazilian attacker was a key player in the Pride’s magical 2024 season.

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2 days ago

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December 20, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian international Adriana on Jan. 19, 2023 to a three-year contract through the 2025 NWSL season. One of the brighter spots of the Pride during the 2023 season, it seemed Adriana was on the verge of becoming a dominating NWSL player. Seb Hines again deployed her mainly as an attacking player, particularly on the wing, but sometimes as a second forward. While she was still a key player for the Pride in 2024, there were some bumps in the road when she would disappear from games and consistency was sometimes an issue.

Let’s take a look at Adriana’s second NWSL season.

Statistical Breakdown

Adriana appeared in 23 regular-season games, starting 19 and playing a total of 1,688 minutes. She scored six goals, which was third most on the team, and added one assist. It is notable that two of her six goals came from the penalty spot, where she went two-for-two in the regular season. She completed 71% of her 557 passes, which was a slight dip from a year ago, with 31 key passes, seven completed crosses, and 14 successful long balls. Defensively, Adriana chipped in nine tackles, 13 interceptions, and 18 headed duels won. She committed just 10 fouls while drawing 30 on the opposition, and she did not receive a card.

In the playoffs, Adriana appeared in all three of the Pride’s games, starting two and logging 197 minutes. She did not make a goal contribution, attempting six shots with only one of those hitting the target. Her passing wasn’t up to its usual level in the postseason, as she connected on just 63.9% of her 36 passes, including only two of nine in the NWSL Championship. She tallied five key passes and one successful long ball, but no accurate crosses. On defense, she finished the postseason with three tackles and an interception. The Brazilian international committed five fouls, suffered two, and was not booked.

Adriana was away at the Olympics during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, so she did not play in the competition.

Best Game

Adriana had several big games in 2024, but perhaps her best was Orlando’s 2-0 home win over Gotham FC. She scored both Orlando goals in the match, lifting the Pride to their 19th straight game without a loss, tying the club’s single-season record for home wins (7), and pushing Hines past Tom Sermanni and into sole possession of the most coaching wins in club history (26). It didn’t take long for her to get involved, scoring just five and a half minutes after the opening kickoff. Angelina’s ball into the box was knocked into the air, and Adriana ran onto it and volleyed a blast into the net to make it 1-0 with one of the most impressive Pride goals of the season.

Not content with just one goal, Adriana struck again in the 19th minute. Summer Yates switched the play to send Adriana down the right side, where she took on USWNT defender Jenna Nighswonger, then used Barbra Banda’s presence in the box to create space for her shot, which she placed perfectly inside the left post to make it 2-0.

Adriana played the full 90 minutes in the match and fired six shots in all against Gotham that night, putting all six of them on target and giving her a season high in the latter statistic. She led all players in the match in both categories. She completed 87% of her 23 passes on 48 total touches, with one key pass, one accurate cross, and two successful long balls. Defensively, she made three recoveries, and she committed one foul while drawing two and did not pick up a booking. It was a great performance by the attacking midfielder against one of the NWSL’s elite defensive clubs.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gives Adriana a composite score of 7 out of 10 for her 2024 campaign. This is a slight dip from the 7.5 we gave her last season, but there were times when she struggled to find her game in 2024. When she was on her game, she was outstanding, but there were games and even stretches of matches when she didn’t provide her usual quality. Her form isn’t the only reason she was dropped at times from the starting XI, because some of her teammates elevated their own, but it was a factor. While she increased her goal total by one, it came in more appearances and minutes, and her assist total fell, despite having a better cast around her. The Brazilian is capable of more, but the staff still felt it was a solid season.

2025 Outlook

Like her Brazilian teammate Rafaelle, Adriana’s contract runs through the 2025 season, so she’ll be working hard to earn a new deal beyond the upcoming season. If she starts the season well, the Pride will no doubt offer a new contract midseason if there’s not already a new deal in place before opening day. At 28 years old, Adriana is in the prime of her career and can still be an effective player. With the Pride improving, she’ll need to play more consistently or at a higher level to keep starting with this club, but she’s capable, and I expect her to fight to hold onto her starting spot in Hines’ XI.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

Marta showed why she’s the GOAT in her eighth season with the Pride.

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3 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

In case you forgot, Marta first signed with the Orlando Pride way back in 2017. She has been the constant for the club through ups and mostly downs. That all changed this season as she captained her club to two trophies. Back in 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024.

Marta may not be as young as she once was, but she definitely made you forget it often enough this season. It was undoubtedly the best she’s performed in a few years, and it made a difference in the standings. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s latest season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta was the leader and the heart of this year’s Orlando Pride team. Her teammates wanted to win, but they also wanted to win for Marta. She played most of the regular-season games, but missed the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup because she was with Brazil at the Olympics. 

Marta made 23 appearances in the NWSL regular season, starting 19 games and recording 1,739 minutes. Marta was second on the team with nine goals on 40 shots, 18 of which were on target. Additionally, she completed 648 of her 878 passes (74%), including one assist, 52 key passes, nine successful crosses, and 75 completed long balls. Defensively, Marta posted 16 tackles, 27 headed duels won, and 12 interceptions on the year. She committed 12 fouls, suffered 45, and was booked four times (all yellow cards).

In the playoffs, Marta started all three games, recording 267 minutes. She scored two goals on 12 shots with five on target, and she completed 86 of her 108 passes (80%) without an assist, although she recorded six key passes, three accurate crosses, and 14 completed long balls. She was also active defensively in the postseason, with six tackles and two interceptions. She committed three fouls in the playoffs, suffered four, and was not booked.

Best Game

You might think that the one match in which Marta scored a brace would be her best match, but that isn’t the case. That match was the 6-0 beatdown of the Utah Royals, who were bottom of the table. I’m going with her performance in the 3-2 playoff semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current.

That goal summed up Marta’s season for me. She was not going to let this team lose when the Pride were so close to the championship. When needed, she could find the speed — even late in a match — and put two defenders on the ground in unison. It was a goal she willed to happen against one of the best teams in the NWSL.

In this match, Marta took four shots, with two on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She completed 29 of her 38 passes (77%) on a total of 74 touches, and took all three Pride corner kicks. Defensively, she contributed four tackles and two interceptions. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked. She simply displayed the full range of her skill and leadership qualities, helping her team reach the final.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite grade of 8 out of 10 for her eighth season with the club. Her passion, drive, and leadership were a major reason why the club won the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship. This was the best Marta we’ve seen for several seasons, and she wanted to win more than almost anyone else in any given match. To illustrate how much better she was, we gave Marta a grade of 6 out of 10 last season. That came on the heels of an incomplete grade in her injury-shortened 2022 season. She also received a 6 in 2021 and a 6.5 in 2019. This year is the closest Marta has come to the 9 out of 10 we gave her back in 2017, when she had 19 total goal contributions and finished second in the league in both goals and assists. She turned back the clock and gave us much more of the vintage Marta in 2024 than we’d seen in a long time, which is why we considered her one of the best players on the team.

(Note: If you’re wondering why 2020 wasn’t mentioned, its’ because we did not give out grades because the Pride only participated in the Fall Series during that lost season because of the pandemic.)

2025 Outlook

Marta’s contract expired after the 2024 season, but she has stated that she wants to keep playing one or two more years. She will be 39 years old at the start of the 2025 season but had a very good 2024 season. I think that she wants to retire with the Pride, and I feel that the club will offer her a one-year contract. The Pride indicated in their postseason roster status update that the club was in negotiations with her about returning. If a new deal happens, and if she can keep up her current form, she will find a way to contribute as the Pride look to defend their titles. She will have to hang up the boots at some point, but I don’t think it will be this coming season.

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