Orlando Pride Place Julie Doyle on 45-Day Disabled List, Sign Maliah Morris as Injury Replacement

The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that forward Julie Doyle has been added to the 45-day disabled list after suffering an ankle injury during the Pride’s 2-1 loss to Angel City on April 2. In a corresponding move, the team signed forward Maliah Morris as an injury replacement player.

Doyle suffered her injury in the 19th minute against Angel City when defender Paige Nielsen went in hard on the attacker along the sideline. Nielsen didn’t get any of the ball and Doyle remained on the ground. After attempting to walk on her ankle, she was taken directly into the locker room and replaced by Messiah Bright.

Morris joined the Pride this preseason as a non-roster invitee after completing her collegiate career at Clemson University. She played in multiple games for the Pride this preseason, including the final 30 minutes against the Kansas City Current and all 90 minutes against the University of Central Florida.

“Maliah has worked hard during the preseason and we’re excited to see her rewarded. She’s a talented player who will be able to provide additional competition and depth to the roster, particularly over this very important stretch of games,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Haley Carter said in a club press release. “We’re sad to see Julie sidelined but are looking forward to providing the support she needs to get back on the field and continue with the strong start to the season she was having.” 

During her collegiate career at Clemson, Morris was named third team All-ACC and the United Soccer Coaches second team All-Atlantic Region in 2022. Additionally, she was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week twice.

What It Means for Orlando

The big news is that the Pride will be without Doyle for an extended period. A first-round selection in the 2022 NWSL Draft out of the University of Santa Clara, Doyle became a regular under Seb Hines last season, making 17 appearances with nine starts and scoring twice. She split time with former Pride forward Darian Jenkins, usually one replacing the other around the hour mark.

Hines used two forwards during the preseason and has continued that formation in the regular season. Bright and Ally Watt each started one of the team’s first two games, but Doyle started both, showing that she was probably Hines’ first choice.

The injury means that the rookie Bright will now likely be a regular starter with Watt or Adriana up top. It also means that an already inexperienced team loses a little bit more as the Pride replace a second-year player with Morris, who’s yet to make a competitive professional appearance.

The Pride have only scored once this season, Bright’s goal against Angel City. Losing Doyle will make it even more difficult for this offensively troubled team to find the goals necessary to turn around their season after a difficult start.