Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars: Player Grades and Player of the Match

Published

4 years ago

July 3, 2019

With the 3-2 loss to Chicago on Sunday night, the Pride near the end of the first half of the season with just five points. However, taking a step back, we can see that six of the eight goals this season have been scored in the last three matches.

There is still a long way for the Pride to go, and the steps forward have felt like teeny-tiny baby steps, with this match in particular feeling that way. It was a frustrating match to watch as almost every player played with their back to the goal or their head down. Even against a Chicago team finding its way out of its own struggles, you can’t expect results to go your way playing like that.

Let’s get to it.

Starters

GK, Haley Kopmeyer, 6 — She wasn’t without her own gaffes in this one, but man, she couldn’t catch a break from her teammates on Sunday. The moments when she could, she put together several great saves, including the last minute hustle in the 94th, which I can’t stop rewatching.

D, Erin Greening, 5 — Erin had a pretty good game defensively, and a pretty atrocious game offensively in my opinion. She out-touched everyone on the field with 103 touches. She also had the second-lowest passing accuracy at 55%. (Only beating Danica Evans, who completed one of two passes.) So yeah, needless to say, the ball just never went anywhere on the right side of the pitch, really making it hard for the team to have more than one dimension.

D, Morgan Reid, 3.5 — Not a good one for Morgan. Several turnovers that directly impacted the match and led to the opening goal. She would eventually get subbed off in the 62nd minute. With more of the World Cup players coming back, I suspect she’ll get to take a step back and recalibrate to those first few promising performances.

D, Toni Pressley, 4.5 — Decent distribution with 90%, however, she had to get bailed out by Kopmeyer for a horrible back pass in the 51st minute that should have given Sam Kerr a hat trick a bit earlier. Defensively, her moments were mixed, she got turned around by one of the best out there — Kerr — and that led to Chicago’s final goal of the game. But hey, only five missed passes. More of that please, but preferably not in your own box.

D, Carson Pickett, 6 — A great save by Emily Boyd kept Carson from notching her first NWSL goal. A lot of missed runs plagued Carson’s game. Whether it was her doing the running, or her with her head down, the play along the left could have been a lot more threatening if it weren’t for that.

MF, Joanna Boyles, 5.5 — A pretty active shift for Boyles. She was third in touches with 65, second in passes with 53, and had a completion rate of 79.2%. To me, she just seemed a bit slower in this match compared to previous ones, and her tenacity is a big part of her game.

MF, Bridget Callahan, N/A — There’s not much to say for this one due to the injury in the 12th minute, so it wouldn’t be fair to give her a grade for such a short stint. She took to Twitter the following day to update everyone on her condition and appears to be in high spirits. She completed all four of her passes.

MF, Marisa Viggiano, 5 — The rookie sent very few balls forward, and I think that was a large portion of the problem on Sunday night. Not just her specifically of course, but her pass chart looks more like a sweeping defender’s — not the ideal look you want from your midfielder.

F, Rachel Hill, 5 — We saw only 30 touches from Hill. This is a callback to my assessment on Greening as well, but the ball just couldn’t ever get in a dangerous area on that right side, taking her out of the game for long periods. She put in a great cross in the 58th minute, and had solid moments defending, but the offense just seemed nonexistent at times.

F, Marta, 7 (PotM) — Marta was the only player on the field playing facing the goal, and moving the ball forward consistently. For that alone, she gets Player of the Match from me. Putting away the penalty kick is a cherry on top. She also helped set up the penalty with the pass of the night to spring Camila into the area. Her post-game comments show that her leadership knows no bounds.

F, Chioma Ubogagu, 6.5 — Chi pouncing on an Emily Boyd misplay kept the Pride from being completely out of the game. She showed great awareness and reaction on that play. A couple of tackles, a few fouls won, and a passing rate of 76.9%. Now, if she can just look up when moving forward.

Substitutes

MF, Camila (16’), 6 — It was the first long look we’ve gotten of Camila in what feels like forever. I thought she was good at putting herself in dangerous positions, and her earning the penalty in 79th minute really showed that.

MF, Abby Elinsky (62’), 4.5 — In 28 minutes played, Abby just didn’t have an impact at all. I think with just the style of players that Abby and Danica are, I would have preferred those two subs be swapped.

F, Danica Evans (81’), 6 — To add on to my comments from Abby’s grade, I think a player like Danica benefits more from time on the field, and if those two subs are swapped, you are getting more out of each player. She almost had a good moment from a Chi cross and had a decent header from a Marta free kick.

That’s it. This Saturday against the Washington Spirit will mark the halfway point for the season. With the internationals trickling back into the line-ups, we’ll probably start seeing less of some of these players. Who made an impression on you? Let me know, and of course, any other perspective you had on this one. Now vote on your favorite performance below!

Polling Closed

Player	Votes
Haley Kopmeyer	3
Carson Pickett	2
Marta	10
Chioma Ubogagu	0
Other (comment below)	1

Related Topics:Player Grades SBN_migrated

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Orlando Pride

2023 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Emily Madril

The first-year defender played almost every single minute available in the 2023 season.

Published

7 hours ago

December 6, 2023

Michael Citro

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride selected former Florida State defender Emily Madril with the No. 3 overall selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft. The 5-foot-7 Navarre, FL native decided to forego her last season of eligibility in Tallahassee to begin her professional career. A two-time national champion (2018 and 2021), Madril left FSU, signing a contract with the National Women’s Soccer League through 2025 and was loaned to Swedish side BK Hacken FF.

Following a standout first NWSL season in which she played all but three minutes in the regular season, Madril was rewarded by the Pride with a new contract through 2026.

Let’s take a look at her first season with the Orlando Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Madril started all 22 of the Pride’s regular-season games in 2023, leading all rookies in minutes played (1,977), and coming off only moments before the end of the club’s season finale against the Houston Dash when the Pride were desperately trying to score a game winner to stay in playoff contention. The defender did not record a goal or an assist on the season, attempting just one shot, which was off target. Madril completed 814 of her 953 passes (85.4%), 46 of her 103 long passes (44.7%), and one of her three crosses, while recording five key passes. There wasn’t much drop-off in her passing rate related to position on the field, as Madril completed 88.7% of her passes in the defensive half and 75.6% in the attacking half. Defensively, she added 19 blocks and 19 interceptions, won 17 of her 28 tackles (60.7%), and was successful on 76 of her 122 duels (62.3%). She also won 54.5% of her 33 aerial duels. She won 23 fouls while conceding only nine and was booked twice during the regular season.

In the NWSL Challenge Cup, Madril appeared in five of the team’s six matches (all starts), and played 450 minutes. She did not score a goal or assist on one and did not attempt a shot. She completed 193 of her 224 passes (86.2%), including 13 of her 25 long passes (52%). Madril passed at an 89% rate in her own half and a 78.3% in the attacking half, recording one key pass, but not attempting a cross in the competition. She recorded 10 blocks and four interceptions on defense, winning 55.6% of her tackle attempts, 68.1% of her duels, and 71.4% of her aerial duels. She committed five fouls, drawing six on the opposition, and was not booked in the tournament.

Best Game

With a number of standout games to choose from, I’ll go with the Pride’s 1-0 win over OL Reign on July 7. Paired with Megan Montefusco as the center back tandem, Madril and her teammates limited the Reign to just five shot attempts (two on target) across the 90+ minutes of the game. Madril had 55 touches and completed 89.1% of her 46 passes. She recorded two tackles and drew two fouls on her opponents while not committing any. Madril and her teammates helped Messiah Bright’s 16th-minute strike hold up over the remainder of the match without constantly being under siege. It was a complete performance and one of the team’s best defensive efforts of the year. It was also just the Pride’s second win ever against OL Reign.

2023 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Madril a composite rating of 6.5 for the 2023 season. There were several shaky moments early in the year for the first-year NWSL defender that prevented that score from rising higher (such as conceding a penalty against Angel City), but as the season progressed and she became more comfortable with Seb Hines’ system, the league, and her teammates, Madril was a solid player on the Pride’s back line. She showed her versatility in being able to play both center back positions as well as right back for a couple of matches. A 6.5 is a good rating for a first-year NWSL center back, and Madril showed that she has the potential to develop into one of the league’s best defenders.

2024 Outlook

Madril is obviously highly regarded by the organization and has a huge upside. She has expressed on multiple occasions how happy she is to be with the Pride, and I would expect her to be in Orlando until/unless the Pride get an offer they can’t refuse from a bigger club or if Madril decides to leave once she’s eligible for free agency. Madril should be a starter on the back line for the Pride in 2024 barring something unforseen.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Orlando Pride

Orlando Pride Sign Defender Emily Madril to New Contract

The center back signs a new three-year deal, keeping her in Orlando through 2026.

Published

1 day ago

December 5, 2023

Sean Rollins

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has signed starting center back Emily Madril to a new three-year contract. The defender originally signed a three-year deal with the NWSL, running through the 2025 season, but this new contract will keep her in Orlando through 2026.

“I had a great rookie year here and had so much fun and love everyone in the Orlando Pride organization,” Madril said in a club press release. “The chemistry that we have in the locker room between all the girls and the entire coaching staff is just amazing and played a big factor in me wanting to stay here in Orlando. I am so excited to be a part of the Pride for the future and continue to be a part of the special thing we are building here.”

After leaving Florida State University following her junior season, Madril signed a three-year contract with the NWSL and went on loan to Swedish Damallsvenskan side BK Hacken. The Pride drafted the defender with the third overall selection in the 2023 NWSL Draft, immediately putting her into the starting lineup.

Madril initially started alongside Caitlin Cosme at center back, before being joined by Megan Montefusco and, eventually, Rafaelle. She showed her versatility on two occasions, starting at right back.

The Boise, ID native started all 22 regular-season games for the Pride, recording a rookie-leading 1,977 minutes, and she only came off late in the season finale against the Houston Dash when the Pride needed a goal. She completed 814 of her 953 passes (85.4%), 46 of her 103 long passes (44.7%), and took one off-target shot. Defensively, she added 19 blocks and 19 interceptions, won 17 of her 28 tackles (60.7%), and was successful on 76 of her 122 duels (62.3%).

Madril also played in five of the team’s six Challenge Cup games, recording 450 minutes. She completed 193 of 224 passes in those games (86.2%) and 13 of 25 long balls (52%). She continued to be a key defensive presence in those midseason cup matches, recording 10 blocks and four interceptions, as well as winning 10 of her 18 tackles (55.6%) and 32 of her 47 duels (68.1%).

“Emily came in and made an immediate impact, just as we expected she would when we drafted her,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said in the club’s release. “She was a reliable presence in our back line throughout the entire season and showed her potential to be one of the best defenders in the league. Her maturity and professionalism shined throughout the entire year, and we are very happy to be able to have her with the Pride for the years to come. She is an important part of what we are building here, and she wants to be a part of it, which we are very excited about.”

Madril has also had a presence for the United States at the international level, receiving call-ups for the U-19, U-20, and U-23 U.S. Women’s National Teams.

What It Means for Orlando

Madril was a key piece of the Pride’s team in 2023 and the club hopes she’ll be for a long time to come. She showed early on that she can become one of the best defenders in the NWSL and her time at right back indicated she has the versatility valued by Carter and Pride Head Coach Seb Hines.

The 24-year-old was already signed to a three-year deal through the 2025 season, so this keeps her in Orlando for an additional year. Terms were not disclosed, but it’s likely she got a raise as well. If she continues to improve on how she played this season, the Pride will undoubtedly look to extend her even further into the future. For next year, she’ll likely continue starting alongside Rafaelle, making up a formidable center back pairing the club can count on.

Orlando Pride

2023 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Anna Moorhouse

The 2023 NWSL season was Anna Moorhouse’s first as the Orlando Pride’s starting goalkeeper.

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2023

Sean Rollins

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

The 2023 NWSL season was Anna Moorhouse’s second with the Orlando Pride and her first as the team’s starting goalkeeper. She was originally signed prior to the 2022 season, backing up veteran Erin McLeod that year. However, the Canadian international left the team, resulting in Moorhouse taking over the starting role.

Let’s take a look at Moorhouse’s first season starting for the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Moorhouse started 19 of the team’s 22 regular-season games, playing 1,623 minutes. The team’s record in those games was 9-9-1, as she conceded 22 goals, saving 72 of her 94 shots faced (76.6%). She ended the year with seven clean sheets, 19 catches, six punches, and four drops. The Pride’s number one completed 387 of her 573 passes (67.5%) out of the back and 115 of her 292 long balls. The passing accuracy in her own half was 79.1% and 32.4% in the opposing half. She conceded one foul and won two, getting sent off in the third minute of the team’s 1-0 loss to OL Reign on Sept. 3.

The English shot stopper also played in four Challenge Cup games, recording 360 minutes. She conceded 10 goals in the competition with no clean sheets and saved 13 of her 23 shots faced (56.5%). Moorhouse had three catches, one punch, and no drops in the secondary competition. She successfully completed 69 of her 111 passes (62.2%) and 29 of her 68 long passes (42.6%). Similar to the regular season, her pass completion percentage was far higher in her own half (76.4%) than in the opposing half (35.9%). Additionally, she won a foul and didn’t concede any.

Best Game

Moorhouse’s most active game was the season opener against the Portland Thorns, where she faced 27 shots and made 12 saves. However she conceded four goals and one was her fault. Her best game of the year came on Oct. 2 in Los Angeles and it was a critical one. Adriana scored in the 22nd minute against Angel City FC to give the Pride a 1-0 lead and the visitors held on for dear life to claim three points that put them in the running for a playoff spot.

One of Moorhouse’s seven clean sheets, the goalkeeper made seven saves on the night, her second-most of the season. Most of Angel City’s shots were right at the goalkeeper, but she was sure-handed, something that plagued her earlier in the year. In the 57th minute, Claire Emslie beat Haley McCutcheon to the ball inside the six-yard box, but Moorhouse was decisive in coming out, forcing the forward to send her shot into the side netting. Her biggest moment of the game came in the 86th minute, when substitute Sydney Leroux got her head on the ball and put it on target. Moorhouse tipped the attempt over the crossbar, maintaining the Pride’s narrow 1-0 lead.

2023 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Moorhouse a composite grade of 6 out of 10 for the 2023 NWSL season. Shot stopping was her strength, but she struggled at other aspects, especially holding onto the ball. On multiple occasions this season, her inability to hold onto a catch resulted in second chances and goals for the opposition. She struggled in the team’s penultimate game against Racing Louisville, effectively ending the Pride’s season, and her third-minute red card against OL Reign was likely a determining factor in a crucial 1-0 loss. However, she had seven clean sheets on the season and was the team’s best goalkeeper.

2024 Outlook

Moorhouse’s initial contract was a two-year deal, running through the 2023 season. While there were questions about her dependability in goal this season, Seb Hines and Haley Carter were pleased with her performances, awarding her with a new contract on Oct. 5, keeping the goalkeeper in purple through at least the 2025 season. The Pride now have four goalkeepers under contract for next year, and Moorhouse will be challenged for her role as the starter by new signing Sofia Manner.