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2018 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Dani Weatherholt

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6 years ago

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Dani Weatherholt was a nonstop workhorse in 2018. This top-class work ethic made her a favorite of former Head Coach Tom Sermanni, helping the 24-year-old to a team-high 23 appearances (tied with Shelina Zadorsky). The sole game that Weatherholt did not play in was the Orlando Pride’s 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit back on June 23 — the midfielder had an excused absence and most likely would’ve played had she been with the team.

The Pride used the 31st overall pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft by selecting Weatherholt. Orlando then re-signed the Santa Clara product after the 2017, and exercised her option last week. Weatherholt was a key member of the squad and one of the few players that could always be counted on in 2018.

In Week 9 of the NWSL season, Weatherholt had a player spotlight. This highlighted a part of her life away from the field in which she inspired a young cancer patient.

Statistical Breakdown

Weatherholt was near the top of nearly all of Orlando’s statistical categories. She was tied with Zadorsky for making the most appearances (23 of the Pride’s 24 matches) and her 17 starts were the sixth most. She only found the back of the net twice and failed to record any assists, but her 1112 touches put her below just Alanna Kennedy, Ali Krieger, and Zadorsky. The midfielder attempted 716 passes, again below just Kennedy, Krieger, and Zadorsky, but Weatherholt’s 76.4% passing accuracy is better than the lot (71%, 76.1%, and 76%, respectively). Her 14 fouls won are also in the top five for the Pride.

The 2018 campaign was her best year as a professional. Weatherholt increased her appearances from nine in her rookie season, to 19 last year, and 23 this season. Her goals also increased from having none in 2016 to a single goal in 2017 and doubling that total in 2018. She has failed to record an assist after notching the first of her professional career one season ago.

Best Game

On Aug. 5 Sermanni said this after the Pride tied Sky Blue FC, 2-2:

“I’ve said this before but we need 10 Dani Weatherholts on the field. She’s the person that has really dragged our team along in games quite often. Whether that’s been a decisive tackle, a decisive run, a decisive goal, like it was tonight, or whatever, she has just been magnificent this year. I need 10 players doing that and if we had 10 players doing that I think we would be a little bit further up the table.”

She was a constant force in that entire game, getting involved on both ends of the field. A dull first half led to an energetic second and Weatherholt was the main reason why the Pride were in it.

Off a throw-in, with her back to the goal and three defenders closing in on her, Weatherholt played the ball perfectly, juked the defender, and somehow got a shot off. The keeper made the save, it the ricocheted off the post, and Marta was there to put it away.

After Marta scored in the 51st minute, Sky Blue scored two unanswered in the next eight minutes. Orlando was down 2-1 and Sky Blue had the momentum, and it looked like the Pride were going to lose.

What ensued in the 73rd minute showed the value of Weatherholt, her work ethic, and relentless attitude. Camila got fouled at the top of the box, but instead of yelling at the referee, Weatherholt got on the ball and continued to fight through traffic, eventually getting in on goal and bundling the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net.

She finished with six shots, three on target, 37 passes, and an 81% passing accuracy.

2018 Final Grade

In 2017, Weatherholt was given a final rating of 7 by The Mane Land Staff. She got more games under her belt in her sophomore season and “played more relaxed and confidently and helped the Pride both offensively and defensively with strong two-way play.” In 2018, much of the same can be said of her and The Mane Land Staff again gave her a 7.

Many things did not go right for the Pride in the second half of the season, but Weatherholt’s play never suffered and she continuously got well-deserved praise from her head coach. At the end of the season, Sermanni said, “to be frank, apart from Dani Weatherholt, and probably Marta, I can’t turn around and say any other player had played to the expectations that we’ve had.” To be in the mix with the FIFA Player of the Year is no small feat.

The one negative from her season would be lack of attacking production, although that’s not her main skill set as a holding midfielder. While she was a workhorse on the defensive end and helped initiate many attacks for Orlando, she had just two goals, 18 shots, and no assists. She often held a more defensive role but she has the ability to get forward, as was on display in the Sky Blue game mentioned above.

2019 Outlook

Weatherholt’s growth over the past few seasons has been impressive and it should continue next year. With it being a World Cup year, Orlando will rely on her more than any year previously as the Pride will be missing a big chunk of talent. The exact role that she plays will depend on who the new coach is, but look for her to once again be a consistent figure in the midfield. Her defensive work rate is a joy to watch and hopefully she will be put in positions to provide more offensively.

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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.

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11 hours 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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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Mariana Larroquette

The Argentine international’s second season with Orlando did not produce the larger role with the team she may have expected.

Published

2 days ago

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December 1, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

In the middle of the 2023 season, the Orlando Pride signed forward Mariana Larroquette, adding her to the roster July 6 on a deal through the 2025 season. The Argentine international represented her country in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, meaning she didn’t join the Pride until after the competition. Although she was a signing made with an eye toward bolstering the offense, Larroquette made only five appearances in her first season in Orlando — all of them off the bench. With a full preseason with the Pride under her belt, many expected to see her play a more significant role in 2024, but ultimately, it didn’t work out that way. The Pride’s signing of Barbra Banda didn’t help matters for Larroquette in terms of playing time.

Let’s take a look at how Larroquette performed in her second season in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Larroquette made her season debut March 22 against Angel City, which was one of just four appearances during the regular season — all off the bench — logging 48 total minutes. She did not contribute a goal or an assist, failing to attempt a shot. The 32-year-old completed just 41.2% of her 17 passes without a key pass. Larroquette won four of her six tackle attempts (66.7%) and two headed duels. She committed one foul and drew three on the opposition and was not booked.

In the Summer Cup, Larroquette made three appearances, starting once — in the team’s 2-2 draw against CF Monterrey, in which Orlando captured the extra point in penalties. Larroquette played 107 minutes but did not contribute a goal or an assist, attempting three shots but putting neither on target. She completed 68% of her 25 passes but did not create a scoring chance from them. Defensively, she won two headed duels and recorded three interceptions, but she did not attempt a tackle. Larroquette committed one foul in the Summer Cup, drew four on the opposition, and was not booked.

She did not appear in the Pride’s playoff run.

Best Game

Larroquette’s best game has to be the one in which she started and played a season-high 65 minutes — the Pride’s 2-2 draw and 5-4 penalty shootout victory over CF Monterrey in the Summer Cup. Although Larroquette was already off the pitch by the time the shootout took place, she still made her biggest impact in this match, as it was the only game of the year in which she attempted any shots. While she didn’t impact the scoresheet on the attacking end, Larroquette recorded three interceptions in the match as she helped out in the press and defending the Mexican side.

2024 Final Grade

With 155 total minutes across all competitions, Larroquette fell short of the required 400 minutes to qualify for a grade from The Mane Land staff. As a result, she’s given an incomplete for the 2024 NWSL season. She played more in 2024 than she did in 2023, but she was also on the roster all year.

2024 Outlook

Larroquette’s contract runs through the 2025 NWSL season, but the writing may be on the wall after getting few minutes the last two seasons. She’s also on the wrong side of 30 to see much of an increase in that department. This may be an off-season that sees the club part ways with the veteran striker, who may seek a chance to get more minutes elsewhere as she the shelf life on her professional career grows shorter. If she remains on the roster, I would expect her role to remain the same in 2025, giving the club a few minutes here and there later in games and perhaps seeing a larger role in midseason cup competitions.

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2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Sofia Manner

The Finnish goalkeeper spent her first season in Orlando. Let’s look back to see how she performed.

Published

3 days ago

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November 30, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner on Dec. 1, 2023 on a deal through the 2025 season with an option for 2026. At the time, Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said the club expected Manner to challenge Anna Moorhouse for the starting goalkeeper role. Given that Moorhouse played every minute of the season and McKinley Crone dressed as the primary backup, that didn’t exactly happen.

However, Manner did get some minutes in her first year in Orlando in the Summer Cup, giving Head Coach Seb Hines a look at her under competitive match conditions.

Let’s take a look back at Manner’s first season with the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Manner did not play in the regular season, as Moorhouse played every minute of the season (and postseason) for the Pride in goal. However, Manner got the start in Orlando’s second game in the competition, a home match against CF Monterrey on July 28. The contest ended in a 2-2 draw before the Pride won 5-4 in penalties in the ensuing shootout.

Manner played 90 minutes, allowing two goals and making three saves, for a 60% save percentage. She only faced seven non-blocked shots, but five of them were on target. The Helsinki native completed 16 of 21 passes (73%), including four of 10 long balls. Following the draw, Manner made the difference in the shootout, stopping a shot by Merel Van Dongen, who was the only player of the 10 shooters not to convert.

Best Game

Having played in only one match, this is an easy choice. Manner’s debut was her only match of the year, meaning the 2-2 draw vs. CF Monterrey in the Summer Cup was also her best game of the 2024 season. The visitors took the lead twice in the match, but Manner kept her team in the game, allowing the Pride to equalize twice. Once the match moved to penalties, Manner did well to stop a shot from one of Monterrey’s most dangerous players, allowing her team to claim an extra point.

2024 Final Grade

With only 90 minutes to her credit across all competitions in 2024, Manner didn’t play enough to get a grade for the 2024 season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. Despite a small sample size, backup goalkeepers don’t always get a chance to play, so it’s good that the coaching staff got a look at the 27-year-old during a competitive match against international competition.

2025 Outlook

With Moorhouse signed through the 2025 season and McKinley Crone also under contract, Manner could remain and try to battle her way up the depth chart. However, if the prospects don’t look good for her to get playing time, there’s a chance that she and the club could mutually agree to part ways. Crone looked good in her limited time, but it’s always nice to have a more experienced option behind Moorhouse as well. Unless there are injuries, I would expect Manner’s minutes to be limited in 2025 as well, unless she can elevate her game and earn more looks.

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