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Top 10 Moments of 2022: Pride Reel Off Seven-Game Unbeaten Streak

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3 years ago

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As we count down to the new year of 2023 — which will be Orlando City’s ninth in MLS and the Orlando Pride’s eighth in the NWSL — and say goodbye to 2022, it’s time to look back at the club’s 10 best moments of the year as selected by The Mane Land staff via vote.

The 2022 NWSL season was one of rebuilding for the Orlando Pride. The team got rid of several veterans as it built for the future. It looked to be a dismal year that was bound to end with the team finishing in last. Instead the Pride went on an unexpected seven-game unbeaten run that claimed the sixth spot on our list of the top 10 moments of 2022.

New Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell was placed on administrative leave, along with Assistant Coach Sam Greene, on June 7 for retaliatory conduct. Michelle Akers and Aline Reis, both of whom were brought in by Cromwell, took personal time off. As a result, former Lion and assistant coach Seb Hines was the only staff member left and was named interim head coach. Hines’s tenure at the helm didn’t start off well with a pair of road losses, falling 1-0 to the Chicago Red Stars and getting thrashed by the Portland Thorns 6-0. But then things changed.

The Pride took part in the inaugural Daytona SoccerFest ahead of the Fourth of July, playing the first professional soccer game at a speedway. On July 3, the Pride took on Racing Louisville at Daytona International Speedway.

The visitors took the advantage in the 34th minute when Emina Ekic gave Louisville the lead. Shortly after halftime, Savannah DeMelo doubled the advantage and it looked like it would be another loss for Orlando. But the Pride responded well, with Darian Jenkins assisting Kylie Strom in the 59th minute and getting a goal of her own 10 minutes later. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, ending the team’s three-game losing streak.

The Pride got their second consecutive result less than a week later on July 8 when an Ally Prisock own goal in the 79th minute saw Orlando take a 1-0 win over the Houston Dash at Exploria Stadium.

After a scoreless draw against the Washington Spirit, the Pride looked like they’d get their second win of the unbeaten run when they faced the Kansas City Current at Children’s Mercy Park on July 31. Celia scored her first goal for the Pride in the 25th minute and rookie forward Julie Doyle scored her first professional goal just after halftime. But the hosts came back with goals from Elyse Bennett in the 57th minute and Cece Kizer in the 82nd minute, resulting in a 2-2 draw.

On Aug. 7, the Pride returned home to face league newcomers Angel City FC. It was a familiar face that gave the visitors the lead in the 40th minute when Ali Riley scored. But Julie Doyle struck just after coming on the field in the 64th minute, tying the game at one. Cari Roccaro retook the lead for the visitors in the 72nd minute, but the Pride responded. A dangerous cross by Kerry Abello was redirected by Paige Nielsen past DiDi Haracic right in front of goal for another 2-2 draw.

The most surprising result came in the next game away to the league-leading San Diego Wave FC on Aug. 13. The game included three former Pride players in the opposition’s starting lineup, including Alex Morgan, Emily van Egmond, and Taylor Kornieck. Additionally, Jodie Taylor was on the bench but didn’t come into the game.

The difference in this one came in the 22nd minute when Christen Westphal knocked down a Doyle cross with her outstretched left arm. The referee didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, giving the Pride a chance for a first-half lead. Meggie Dougherty Howard put the penalty past Kailen Sheridan into the corner, making it 1-0 Pride.

The Wave dominated the rest of the game, looking for an equalizer. Kornieck and Morgan had several chances each, with Morgan hitting the woodwork twice after the penalty. With her earlier ball off the post, she hit the frame three times in 90 minutes. But the Pride were able to hold on for an incredible 1-0 win over the highly-favored Southern Californian side.

Riding high following the win over San Diego, the Pride headed back east to take on NJ/NY Gotham FC in Chester, PA. The Pride were unquestionably the better team in this game against the worst team in the league. Celia gave the Pride the lead shortly after halftime and newly-acquired forward Ally Watt doubled the lead in the 73rd minute. Kristie Mewis got one back for the hosts two minutes later, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 2-1.

It was the first time the Pride won back-to-back games since late May 2021 when they won three in a row with a much more experienced team. Additionally, it was the first time since 2017 that the team had won consecutive games away from Orlando. The seven-game unbeaten run tied for the longest such run since 2017, when the Pride made their lone playoff appearance. The team had a nine-game unbeaten run to end that season and a seven-game unbeaten run to start the 2021 campaign.

The Pride returned home following the Gotham win but that’s when the streak ended. Dougherty Howard gave the Pride another lead in the 37th minute against OL Reign, but two of the league’s best players took over in the second half. Megan Rapinoe assisted Bethany Balcer with a great individual effort in the 54th minute and broke Orlando hearts with a winner two minutes into second-half injury time.

The Pride had trouble recovering with the end of the streak, experiencing four consecutive losses and losing five of their last six games. But the unbeaten run had a huge impact on the club and its fans.

There was a lot of negativity surrounding the club prior to the unbeaten run. Fans weren’t happy with the club’s decision to part with its longtime stars following the 2021 campaign and an unfounded Twitter rumor of a sale and relocation forced the club to respond. The actions of Cromwell and Greene put a club that had previously avoided involvement in the league-wide abuse scandals front and center, creating further dissatisfaction among fans.

In addition to the enjoyment of a seven-game unbeaten run, the streak came with Hines at the helm, someone who had been with the club since he was a player in 2015 and a Pride assistant since 2018. The players spoke regularly about how much they enjoyed playing for Hines and his emergency assistant coaches, Giles Barnes and Miguel Gallardo. Quickly, there was much more positivity around the club. Rather than worrying about the future, there’s now far more optimism about the team.

The Pride entered the 2022 NWSL season in the early stages of a full rebuild, so there were never going to be many positive moments. But the team’s seven-game unbeaten run turned around a problematic season and gave the fans something in which to take pride. As a result, there’s no question this streak deserves a spot on our top 10 moments of 2022.

Come back through New Year’s Eve as we count down the remainder of Orlando City’s top 10 moments of 2022.

Previous Top Moments of 2022

10. OCB nabs first win in MLS NEXT Pro play after joining the new league.

9. Orlando City signs Facundo Torres as a Young Designated Player ahead of the 2022 season.

8. Tesho Akindele establishes “Tesho Time” with late winners in consecutive games against Charlotte and New York City FC.

7. Jack Lynn scores 15 goals in a record-setting season with Orlando City B.

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2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Marta

The captain once again provided the competitive spark for the Pride in 2025.

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2 days ago

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December 11, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

Marta 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 last season as she captained her club to two trophies. In 2022, she signed a new two-year contract, taking her through 2024. She then signed yet another two-year contract through 2026.

Marta didn’t have the same type of year as she did in 2024, but she was still one of the better players for the Pride. She remains the heart of this team, showing the others what passion and effort looks like even as she edges closer to the end of her playing career. Let’s take a look at the GOAT’s 2025 season.

Statistical Breakdown

Marta started and played the full 90 minutes in the 2025 Challenge Cup match. She did not record a goal contribution and took two off-target shots. However, her free kick was blocked, resulting in Rafaelle’s opening goal. Marta also set a shot up for the defender in the match but the effort was off target. The Brazilian legend completed 26 of her 37 passes (82%), took four corner kicks, and she did not record a completed long ball. Defensively, she recorded three tackles and won three headed duels. She committed one foul, drew one on the Washington Spirit, and was not booked.

During the regular season, Marta made 22 appearances (18 starts), playing 1,599 minutes. She contributed four goals and an assist, putting 13 of her 27 shots on target. She completed 519 of her 731 passes (71%), 13 crosses, and two of her four long balls (50%) with 43 chances created. On the defensive end, the Brazilian contributed 22 tackles, 19 interceptions, and one blocked shot. She committed 14 fouls, drew 28 on the opposition, and was not booked.

Marta started both playoff games, playing all 180 minutes. She took one shot but did not record a goal contribution, although she was involved in both goals against the Reign, working a give-and-go with Julie Doyle prior to Haley McCutcheon’s opening goal and drawing the penalty that handed Luana the late insurance tally. The captain completed 52 of her 69 passes (75.4%), including three of her six long balls (50%) and four key passes. She recorded one tackle, two interceptions, and one clearance defensively while committing one foul, drawing six on her opponents, and being booked once.

Marta participated in one of the Concacaf W Champions Cup matches against Pachuca. She played all 90 minutes and scored the Pride’s only goal on two shots, one of which was on target. She completed 27 of 34 passes (79%). Defensively, she recorded three tackles, while committing two fouls, and suffering two fouls. She was not booked.

Best Game

While Marta had several good games, I think her best game was the Pride’s 3-2 victory over the Washington Spirit on Oct. 18. Marta was named Player of the Match by both Michael Citro and myself on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast. The captain caused an own goal and scored on a penalty kick to give the Pride an important road win heading into the playoffs. Washington scored first on a Kerry Abello own goal, but Abello then corrected that mistake by scoring one for her own team minutes later. The Spirit took the lead again and held it at halftime. Seb Hines substituted Marta in at the start of the second half, and it’s a good thing he did. It literally only took her 52 seconds to even the score.

In the 70th minute, Ally Watt was fouled in the box, setting up a penalty for the Pride. There was no doubt who would take the kick, and it turned out there was no doubt Marta would bury it in the back of the net for the winning goal.

Marta might have only played 45 minutes plus stoppage but her impact was monumental. In this match, she took one shot, which was on target, scoring the aforementioned goal. She had 27 touches, completed nine of her 13 passes (70%), two of her three long balls (67%) and took one corner kick. Defensively, she contributed one block and one clearance. She committed one foul, did not suffer any fouls, and was not booked.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Marta a composite rating of 7 out of 10 for her ninth season with the club. This was a point lower than the 8 we gave her last year. Much like many of the Pride’s players, Marta’s 2025 wasn’t as good as her 2024, but she was still a critical part of the successes of the team. In 2024, she had a banner year, but despite being a year older, she was still productive in 2025.

2026 Outlook

The 39-year-old is entering the last year of her contract, and it would be surprising — though not totally inconceivable —that she will get another. Despite the fact she will turn 40-years-old before the beginning of the season, she will remain the Pride’s captain as long as she can take to the pitch. Assuming she’s healthy, there’s no reason to assume she can’t contribute to at least the same level as she did in 2025. There’s even a possibility that she finds something closer to her 2024 form. No one plays with more passion than Marta, and I will not doubt what she can do when she has the look in her eye.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

This concludes our 2025 Orlando Pride player-by-player Season in Review series. We hope you’ve enjoyed looking back on the players’ performances from the past year as we move closer toward seeing what lies ahead in 2026.

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2025 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Jacquie Ovalle

The Pride broke the world transfer record to land the Mexican international in 2025.

Published

3 days ago

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December 10, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

The Orlando Pride signed Mexican international winger Jacquie Ovalle for a then-world record transfer fee on Aug. 21, acquiring the attacker’s services from Tigres UANL in Liga MX Femenil. While the club did not announce the transfer fee, it was reportedly around $1.5 million. That transfer record has since been broken a couple of times since, but it was an ambitious move by the Pride to try to provide Barbra Banda a playmaking wing of the highest caliber.

The move ultimately didn’t pay many dividends in 2025, as Banda went down with a season-ending injury before Ovalle arrived, and the Mexican international struggled to get comfortable with her new team, the new league, and a new culture in what could best be described as an inconsistent performance after she joined the Pride.

Let’s take a look at Ovalle’s first season in the City Beautiful.

Statistical Breakdown

Ovalle was signed well after the season-opening NWSL Challenge Cup, so she saw no action in the competition. She made her Pride debut in the regular season on Sept. 7 off the bench. It was an inauspicious start, as Orlando got flattened 5-2 at Chicago that day, with all of the goals happening in the second half. Ovalle played in eight regular-season matches with Orlando, starting seven and logging 666 minutes. She contributed a goal and two assists in her time on the pitch with the Pride, attempting 20 shots and putting seven on target. She completed 84% of her 201 passes during the regular season, with 18 key passes. Ovalle was accurate on 19 of her 48 crosses (39.6%) and three of her seven long balls (42.9%). Defensively, Ovalle chipped in 13 tackles, three interceptions, and five clearances but no blocks during the regular season. She committed six fouls, drew five, and received one yellow card.

In the playoffs, Ovalle started both of the Pride’s matches and played 173 minutes. She did not log a goal contribution in the postseason, putting one of her six shot attempts on target. The winger completed 34 of her 42 passes (81%) with two key passes but completed just three of her 13 crosses and neither of her two long balls. On the defensive end, Ovalle recorded three tackles, one clearance, and two interceptions. She committed three fouls, drew two on her opponents, and was not booked.

Ovalle appeared in two of Orlando’s games in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, logging 57 minutes off the bench without a goal contribution, attempting one off-target shot. She completed 10 of her 13 passes (76.9%) without a key pass, chipping in three tackles on the defensive end. She committed two fouls, drew two on her opponents, and she wasn’t booked in the competition.

Best Game

There were a few possible games to choose from in this category, and while I was close to choosing the match with her lone goal of the season (Sept. 26 in a 2-1 road win over San Diego), I ended up going a different route. Still, she scored a nice goal, so here it is:

Instead, I’m going back to her first NWSL start. Ovalle started for Orlando for the first time on Sept. 13 in a 1-1 home draw against Bay FC. She was excellent all game long, but her best moment came in the 70th minute, when La Maga sent in a perfect cross for Ally Watt to flick home with a header to equalize, rescuing a point for Orlando.

Ovalle was Fotmob’s highest rated player in the match from either side with a rating of 8.4 and was a danger all night. She fired eight shot attempts, putting three on target and one off the woodwork. She also completed six of her nine crosses in the game, creating four scoring chances in the game with key passes. One of those should have been an assist on a Marta goal on a beautiful back-post ball, but the captain hit the left post with her shot. She chipped in two tackles, one interception, a clearance, and a recovery on the defensive end, committing two fouls and drawing one in what was a standout performance.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Ovalle a composite rating of 6.5 out of 10 for her 2025 season. While the Mexican winger played inconsistently, that was to be expected after a midseason move to a new team that was missing its attacking focal point with Banda out. There were signs of the kind of magic moments Ovalle can bring to the Pride attack, they were too few and far between. In fairness, in most of the matches she played there was no one close to her level in the attack with her, and she looked at times too eager to make something happen. Three goal contributions isn’t bad for her first eight NWSL games, but Ovalle clearly needs another threat up top with her to help provide her the space she needs to shoot or deliver one of her lethal passes.

2026 Outlook

Ovalle will be a starter next season and will get to go through a full preseason training camp with the club, which should help her get a better understanding of both what Seb Hines wants from her and how her teammates like to play. She should also get to play with Banda (finally), which could create one of the most dynamic attacking tandems in the league, because some of Banda’s struggles were due to poor service, which Ovalle can help with, and some of Ovalle’s issues were down to a lack of the kind of quick, decisive attacking movements that Banda provides. I expect Ovalle’s production in both goals and assists to jump in 2026 for multiple reasons, but with a healthy Banda, there will be a lot more room for her (and Marta) to operate. A front line of Marta, Banda, and Ovalle is tantalizing.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

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2025 Orlando Pride Season In Review: Emily Sams

The center back was once again one of the best defenders for the Pride, helping them reach their second straight NWSL semifinal.

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5 days ago

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December 8, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride drafted defender Emily Sams with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft. The former Florida State player signed with the National Women’s Soccer League through 2025 and was loaned to Swedish side BK Hacken FF prior to being selected by the Pride and signing a three-year contract through the 2026 season.

Sams had a breakout year in 2024, winning NWSL Defender of the Year and helping the club win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship. She signed a new deal on Feb. 13, 2025, keeping her in purple through the 2027 NWSL season.

The defender showed her versatility this year, playing several games at right back and center back. She was another key player in a successful season for the Pride, helping them to finish fourth in the league and reach the NWSL semifinals.

Let’s take a look at the defender’s 2025 NWSL campaign.

Statistical Breakdown

The defender’s first appearance this year came in the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Washington Spirit. Sams started and played all 90 minutes without recording any shots or goal contributions. She completed 44 of her 52 passes (87%), including four long balls. Defensively, Sams recorded a tackle, an interception, and an aerial duel won.

Sams played in 25 of the team’s 26 regular-season games, starting 24 times and playing 2,183 minutes — the second-most minutes of any Pride player and the most by an outfield player. She took two shots without putting any on target, so she obviously didn’t score any goals. The defender completed 1,284 of her 1,457 passes (88.1%), including 85 of her 146 long balls (58.2%), but didn’t record any assists. Defensively, she added 42 tackles, 33 interceptions, 92 clearances, and 13 blocks. She committed 11 fouls, suffered 25, and was booked once with a yellow card.

Sams started both playoff games, playing all 180 minutes. She didn’t take any shots or record a goal contribution, completing 82 of her 97 passes (84.5%), including five of her 12 long balls (41.7%). She recorded three tackles, four interceptions, a block, and 10 clearances defensively while committing two fouls, drawing five on her opponents, and being booked once.

While a primary starter in the regular season, Sams only played in three of the four Concacaf W Champions Cup games, starting two and playing 164 minutes without a goal contribution. She took one shot that was off target and completed 85 of her 100 passes (85.%). The defender had five tackles and wasn’t booked.

Best Game

Sams’ best game came on Oct. 18 when the Pride traveled to Washington, D.C. for an afternoon clash with the Washington Spirit. The Pride came back from two deficits to defeat their rivals 3-2 and claim a huge three points.

Sams started alongside Rafaelle at center back and was excellent. She completed 41 of her 46 passes (89%), including both long balls, a key pass, and three into the final third. She finished with one tackle, five clearances, four interceptions, and four recoveries. The defender won two of her four duels (50%) in a game where she helped the Pride keep their late lead.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Sams a 7 out of 10 for the 2025 NWSL season. It’s a decrease from her exceptional 9 in 2024, but still higher than her 6.5 grade in 2023. The grade ties Sams with Rafaelle for the second-highest grade on the team, one point behind Barbra Banda, who was given an eight for her injury-shortened season. Overall, Sams was excellent this year and fully deserves one of the highest grades as she further cements herself as one of the best defenders in the NWSL.

2026 Outlook

Perhaps no player on the Pride is a more definite starter next season than Sams. She’s arguably the team’s best defender and has been a mainstay in the starting lineup over the past three seasons. Her new contract in February means she’ll remain in purple through the 2027 season.

The only question will be where she plays. She’s started at center back and right back several times over the past two seasons, but is best in the middle of the field. However, when Kylie Nadaner and Rafaelle are available, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines has opted to use her at right back.

Regardless, there’s no question that Sams will be a regular starter on the Pride back line as long as she remains healthy. Her presence is something that will be essential if the Pride hope to make a run for a second NWSL Championship next season.

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