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2018 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Rachel Hill

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6 years ago

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A lot — perhaps too much — was expected from Rachel Hill entering the 2018 NWSL season. The University of Connecticut product had come off a promising rookie season in which she scored three goals and assisted on another in just 14 games (eight starts). That was followed with a standout season in the Australian W-League, where Hill played lights out for Perth Glory over the NWSL off-season, scoring the third-most goals (9) in the league and leading all players in assists (6).

Maybe it was an unfair expectation, but it seemed like Hill would slot into the forward line next to Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux to form one of the most dynamic attacking trios the NWSL had ever seen. That obviously isn’t what happened in 2018.

Acquired in January of 2017 for two draft picks — a first and a fourth in 2018 — from the Portland Thorns, Hill entered her second season with Orlando this spring. A nagging groin injury came back with her from Oz, and it cropped up throughout the season, limiting Hill’s minutes and effectiveness. It forced her to completely miss the April 15 match against Portland and the June 3 meeting with Seattle.

Statistical Breakdown

After starting eight matches and appearing in 14 over the course of her rookie season, Hill played in 21 games in 2018, but started just seven. Her minutes rose from 713 last year, but only to 813 this season, despite playing in seven additional games. Hill scored four goals, tying for third best on the team with Marta and Chioma Ubogagu, but did not record an assist on the season.

She shot 20 times (10 on target), completed 67% of her passes, attempted 35 crosses, made just two clearances, committed 16 fouls while drawing only four, and saw her first NWSL yellow card. Some of those numbers track well based on slightly increased minutes, but her passing accuracy dropping 5% and her drawing six fewer free kicks in 100 more minutes is a bit troubling.

Best Game

Hill’s best game came in a 20-minute spurt of play off the bench on May 2 in a 2-0 road win over the Chicago Red Stars. She came on for Leroux and brought the energy off the bench that she’s been known for in her brief professional career, firing three shots — all on goal — including this nifty move to clear Alyssa Naeher and slot home a late insurance goal.

Although she didn’t have a great passing night (43%), she only attempted seven in her limited time on the pitch. But she was a difference maker the entire time she was on the field and that’s something we can’t say about all of her performances in 2018, particularly the starts, where she tended to have trouble finding her way into the match.

2018 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Hill a 5.5 for her second season, a full point down from 2017. Maybe we expected too much from her or maybe the groin injury forced Tom Sermanni to manage her minutes more carefully, preventing her from finding a groove in 2018.

It seemed there were two Rachel Hills on the Pride — the one who came off the bench to provide good energy and dangerous scoring chances late in games, and the one who started matches and never seemed to quite have the same impact on the game over longer stretches as she did when coming on to add some late offense.

Hill will need to produce more as a starter to earn more minutes moving forward and prove she can do more than be a super sub in the NWSL. She’s shown an ability to produce as a starter with Perth Glory, and she’ll need to bring that back to the U.S. with her after she once again returns from Australia. She must also continue to get stronger and be more physical. At times she would be satisfied getting to the end line and if nothing was there, boot the ball off the fullback to try to win a corner. Adding some new moves to try to work her way around the fullback would be a great asset, especially when she comes off the bench and can use her speed against the more tired opponent.

2019 Outlook

After having her option exercised by the club last October, I’m not sure if Hill is out of contract or if there’s another option year. We should hear more about contract situations with the Pride in the coming weeks, but without a coach in place it is difficult to predict who will stay and who will look elsewhere.

This is a young player the club should absolutely bring back. Hill has tremendous upside. She’s shown she can be a proven goal scorer and also set up goals in the Australian league, although being Sam Kerr’s teammate no doubt helps a lot, especially with the latter. Her time with the U-23 USWNT shows she can produce at the international level as well.

Last year, I wrote this in Hill’s season in review grade:

If Hill can continue to develop in Australia and carry that form into the NWSL in 2018, she could give a huge boost to an offense that already was the league’s best, although it will be without Camila for a portion of the 2018 season.

I expected a big leap in 2018 that didn’t come, but that could be related to whatever malaise affected the entire team and it could be due in part to her injury. I’ll hold to the belief that Hill can develop into a top level player in the NWSL and she should be an important part of the Pride’s future.

Check back with The Mane Land for more Orlando Pride player season reviews.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Evelina Duljan

The young Swede signed early in 2024 but didn’t make a mark on the pitch until the midsummer cup competition.

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20 hours ago

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December 4, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Swedish youth international Evelina Juljan from Juventus on a one-year deal on Jan. 2. A professional player since the age of 14, Duljan was a tantalizing prospect at attacking midfielder with her technical ability and skills in tight spaces. Bringing in a player so young — she was just 20 at the time of her signing but has since turned 21 — on just a one-year contract was an interesting move by the Pride at the time. It seemed to be a compromise of sorts, with Orlando not locking down the player in hopes of developing her over time, while not making a longterm investment from the club’s side if she things didn’t work out.

Duljan didn’t crack Head Coach Seb Hines’ regular rotation in 2024, but she did show flashes of a potential emerging talent during her Summer Cup appearances and sparing use in league play. Let’s look back at her first (only?) season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

The Kristianstad, Sweden native appeared in eight matches in the regular season, starting one, and played 174 minutes. Duljan didn’t have a goal contribution in NWSL play, attempting just one shot that wasn’t on target. She passed at a 75% success rate on 84 attempts, with no key passes and one successful long ball. A strong challenger on the ball, Duljan won nine of 12 tackles (75%), tallied two interceptions, and won four headed duels. She committed eight fouls, suffering six, and was not booked.

The Summer Cup is when Duljan really got an opportunity to shine. She played in all three of the Pride’s matches, starting two, and played a total of 191 minutes She scored her first goal with the Pride on Aug. 1 against Racing Louisville for her lone goal contribution of the season. In the tournament, Duljan attempted four shots, putting three on target and completed 81.25% of her 64 passes. Defensively, Duljan contributed six tackles and an interception. She did not commit or suffer a foul and was not booked in the competition.

Duljan did not appear in the NWSL playoffs.

Best Game

The Swedish-Nigerian attacker’s best match came in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup on Aug. 1 in Orlando’s 1-1 draw against Racing Louisville at Inter&Co Stadium. Duljan started the match and played 85 minutes, attempting two shots — tied for her season high — with one on target. She made that shot count in the 38th minute, getting across her defender and putting her head to a cross from Kerry Abello, putting it in the net to give the Pride the lead.

In addition to her goal, Duljan passed at a 71% rate and played with some bite to her game, winning five tackles to tie a season high, recording an interception, and committing three fouls (also tying a season high).

Unfortunately, the Pride couldn’t hold the lead, conceding an equalizer in the second half. Duljan had been subbed off, so she did not participate in the postgame penalty shootout, which the Pride lost, 4-3.

That game, and her performance overall in the Summer Cup, must have caught Hines’ eye, as all of her regular-season minutes came after the competition, including 30 in the second half against the Kansas City Current and a start at Portland.

2024 Final Grade

As with the previous Season in Review subjects we’ve done so far this postseason, The Mane Land staff cannot give Duljan an official grade due to not meeting the minimum number of minutes played (400), so she will receive an incomplete for the 2024 season.

2025 Outlook

Duljan’s deal was through 2024, so if she is to be part of the Pride’s future, she would have to sign a new contract. Whether she did enough to earn a new deal is up to Hines and Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter. She still has a lot of upside and her skill set isn’t something that a lot of players in NWSL have. She simply needs to develop those skills a bit and add more control to her game.

Her return is a two-way street. Orlando has to want her back and Duljan must have a willingness to stay in North America with the Pride, knowing she will have to battle for minutes. The Pride typically lock down players they like early, avoiding situations where they have to negotiate new deals in the off-season. That didn’t happen with Duljan, so I would question whether she’s back in purple in 2025.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Luana

Her season was over almost before it began, but Luana was still a key part of the group with the 2024 Orlando Pride.

Published

2 days ago

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December 3, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Brazilian international central midfielder Luana on Dec. 13, 2023, looking to bolster that area of the club after spending resources beefing up the back line and the attack. She agreed to a deal that runs through 2025 with a mutual option year in 2026. The Pride’s central midfield was a strength throughout the team’s 2024 championship run, but the former Corinthians star sadly wasn’t part of it after the first few games.

After appearing in the Pride’s first three matches of the season, Luana was listed on the availability report as an excused absence for three games before a shocking announcement came from the club on April 29— she had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Luana missed the rest of the season to undergo treatment. Thankfully, the treatment looks to have worked, with reports in mid-November that her recent scans had shown no sign of the disease.

Luana’s true impact on the team goes beyond what took place in the season’s first three matches. We will never forget players holding up their hands in an ‘L’ shape to honor her when celebrating goals or the pictures of her with her teammates following her treatment. Clearly, she was an inspiration to the team and it’s not difficult to imagine how her illness may have strengthened a group as close as the 2024 Pride. Clearly, she was never far from the other players’ thoughts.

Although she missed almost the entire season, Luana is a member of the Pride who played and is still with the team. As such, we will honor her and look back at her 2024 season.

Statistical Breakdown

Luana made her Pride debut on opening day, March 16, in Orlando’s 2-2 road draw at Racing Louisville FC. She started that match and appeared in the team’s first three games (two starts), playing 192 of the available 270 minutes. Luana did not have a goal contribution, but depending on where you look, she did record a shot attempt (off target). Her stats page on the NWSL website does not show her having a shot, but her game log on the site does. The Pride’s game notes and statistics page have a shot, so we’ll say one shot. She was effective in helping control the middle of the pitch, winning two of four tackle attempts (50%), tallying three interceptions, and winning four headed duels. She completed 80% of her 75 pass attempts across the three games, including a successful long ball and a cross. Her bite in the midfield shows in her five fouls conceded, six fouls drawn, and two yellow cards. In the two games after her debut in Louisville — in which Orlando rallied from two goals down inside of 19 minutes and got a road result, despite Kylie Strom being sent off in the 62nd minute — the Pride conceded only once in the run of play.

Best Game

The Sao Paulo, Brazil native’s best match came in her second start of the season, a 1-1 home draw against the Chicago Red Stars. The Pride allowed only a Mallory Swanson goal in the match, with Luana starting and playing 71 minutes, completing 77.3% of her passes, committing two fouls (including a yellow card), and drawing three free kicks from the opposition. The Pride were dominant in the match, out-shooting the visitors 21-9, with Luana helping the team keep 59.2% of the possession in the match. Although the Pride drew their third consecutive match to start the season, it was a promising performance that the Pride built on, winning their next eight games — an NWSL record.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff cannot give Luana an official grade due to not meeting the minimum number of minutes played (400), so she will receive an incomplete for the 2024 season. However, we can (and do) give her a 10 out of 10 for her courage and grace during an extremely difficult time.

2025 Outlook

It’s difficult to say what Luana’s outlook will be for next season, as there are obviously some unknown variables. If her scans remain clean, as we all hope, she would presumably work to recover her fitness and could compete for a starting spot in central midfield in 2025. The Pride had the best defense in the league in 2024 and that was after losing someone who started two of the first three matches and played 45 minutes off the bench in the second game. Conceivably, the Pride could be an even better team with a healthy Luana on the pitch. Whether she even plays another minute for the club, however, our main concern is that she remains healthy. It would be understandable, for example, if she decided to rethink her career entirely in light of what she’s been through. Thankfully, she has a good support system with the Pride.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Viviana Villacorta

Viviana Villacorta returned to the field late in the 2024 season. Let’s see how she performed this year.

Published

3 days ago

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December 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The Orlando Pride selected Viviana Villacorta with the ninth overall pick of the 2021 NWSL Draft out of UCLA. The defensive midfielder opted to remain in school for her senior season, but tore her ACL shortly after, which kept her out of action for the 2021 NWSL campaign. She suffered an ankle injury in the 2022 season that required surgery and tore her ACL for the second time late in the 2023 season.

Villacorta didn’t re-enter the team until late in the year in 2024, making some league appearances and a playoff appearance as the season wound down. While she didn’t have a significant impact on the championship run, the fact that she got back onto the field was an accomplishment.

Let’s take a look at how Villacorta did in the few minutes she received in 2024.

Statistical Breakdown

Villacorta was in the team for the first time this season on Sept. 28, coming on as a substitute at home against the Houston Dash. She made three regular-season appearances in 2024, starting one — the last game of the season against Seattle Reign FC. She played 69 minutes in the regular season without a goal or an assist, completing 31 of 35 passes (91.2%). Villacorta attempted one shot but it was not on frame. Defensively, she recorded one tackle and two interceptions, commited three fouls, and was not booked.

She also came on as a substitute in the first playoff game against the Chicago Red Stars, making her professional playoff debut. The midfielder played three minutes in the match without a goal contribution, helping to see out the game. She completed four of her five passes (80%).

Best Game

The 25-year-old’s best game has to be her lone start against Seattle on Nov. 2. She had a season-high 26 touches, completed 95% of her 18 passes, and recorded one of her two interceptions in 45 minutes of action. She also took her only shot of the season in that game, though it was off target. She was replaced by regular starter Angelina at halftime.

2024 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Villacorta a 5.5 for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but she didn’t play enough minutes (400 across all competitions) this year to get a grade. As a result, she receives an incomplete grade for the 2024 NWSL season.

2025 Outlook

Despite suffering multiple season-ending injuries, the Pride continue to believe in Villacorta, signing her to a new contract on July 16 that runs through the 2025 season with a mutual option for 2026. The defensive midfielder has shown her quality when healthy, but she’s been unable to remain on the field for long periods of time. The Pride have also strengthened that position, adding Angelina and Morgan Gautrat to the roster, as well as Luana, who is attempting to work her way back from cancer treatment. As a result, it will be hard for Villacorta to get significant minutes, even if she is able to remain healthy. With her experience, however, she can be a key depth player at the position.

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