The Orlando Pride (17-1-6, 57 points) saw their season-long unbeaten run come to an end as they fell 2-0 to the Portland Thorns (9-11-4, 31 points) tonight at Providence Park in Portland, OR. Morgan Weaver gave the hosts an early lead and Christine Sinclair doubled the advantage 10 minutes into the second half, lifting their team to a crucial three points.

After saying during the week there would be some changes to provide rest for key players, Pride Head Coach Seb Hines made five changes to the team that beat the Washington Spirit 2-0 Sunday night. Carrie Lawrence, Summer Yates, Julie Doyle, Evelina Duljan, and Ally Watt came into the lineup for Emily Sams, Morgan Gautrat, Adriana, Marta, and Barbra Banda.

“Really important,” Hines said about the getting lesser-used players playing time. “You know, job was done on Sunday. Obviously, our home, you know, the celebrations of winning and being the number one team in the league. And with a quick turnaround, coming to Portland, playing on turf as well is, I don’t know why we’re still doing that in today’s game. But there’s challenges within it and we felt like it’s a good opportunity to play players who haven’t played significant minutes this season.”

The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Carson Pickett, Kylie Strom, Lawrence, and Cori Dyke. Yates and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Doyle, Duljan, and Kerry Abello with Watt up top.

It was always going to be a challenge to get anything in Portland and the circumstances made it even more difficult. The Pride were 1-8-0 in the city coming into this game and Hines decided it was the right time to provide rest for some key players. Additionally, the team arrived in Portland on Monday night to avoid Hurricane Milton, spending nearly the whole week on the road.

The Thorns desperately needed three points from this game and, despite missing some key players of their own, they looked like it. They pressed the Pride back line, creating turnovers that resulted in attempts on goal. The lack of Sophia Smith due to injury helped to keep the Pride in the game, but Weaver was a constant irritant as she created opportunities for herself and others. Hines brought Banda, Sams, Adriana, and Marta on later in the game, but they were unable to pull their team back and continue the unbeaten run.

Yates created the first decent chance for either team by carrying the ball past Reyna Reyes on the left, drawing a foul near the Thorns box. The ensuing set piece by Pickett was headed away and the Pride were unable to create any shots from the attack.

The first shot of the game came in the sixth minute. Weaver received the ball on the far side of the box with space but was unable to control it. The forward played it to Sinclair in the middle before receiving it back at the top of the 18. This time Weaver attempted to put a shot on target, but her attempt was weak, enabling Moorhouse to easily collect it.

The Pride created a counterattack in the 11th minute, resulting in Yates sending Watt behind the Thorns’ back line. It was a foot race between Watt and Reyes, which the Pride forward won easily. Her second touch was a shot on goal, but it was right at Shelby Hogan, who made an easy save.

In the 12th minute, Olivia Moultrie made a strong run to the end line, and her cross was blocked out of play by Lawrence for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was long to Reyes, who headed it in front of the goal. The back line stepped up, allowing Weaver to easily slip in behind all alone. She tapped the ball in to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Who else but Morgan Weaver to delight the home crowd ‼️ pic.twitter.com/MSgTXGLDsf

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 12, 2024

“Obviously, it was like a ball floated back post and, as we tried to clear our lines, there was obviously a defender between that was onside,” Lawrence said about the goal. “So, yeah, just need to clean that up going forward.”

“It definitely just wakes us up,” Watt added about the goal. “And we need to just start getting moving earlier. Yeah, just woke us up. That’s the best thing to say about it.”

The goal saw the Pride trail for the first time since March 22, when they fell behind against Angel City FC in the second game of the season. The Thorns’ goal broke the Pride’s streak of 1,904 minutes without trailing.

Angelina sent Doyle long in the 16th minute behind the Thorns back line and it looked like the attacker would have a good chance. Isabella Obaze did well to stay on Doyle’s hip, putting pressure on the midfielder and causing her to take a weak shot on goal. Doyle felt a foul should’ve been called on the play, but referee JC Griggs disagreed.

A weak pass by Angelina for Duljan in the 28th minute created a chance for Portland when Sam Coffey took possession and played Payton Linnehan into the Pride box. Strom did well to stay in front of the attacker, driving her wide and creating a difficult angle from which to shoot. Linnehan was unable to get a shot off and the Pride escaped a potentially dangerous situation.

Abello won a corner kick in the 33rd minute, which resulted in a good chance for the Pride. The ensuing set piece by Pickett was long to Angelina, who sent a dangerous cross back into the box. Duljan tried to get on the end of it and the ball bounced around the top of the six, but Hogan was eventually able to collect it.

A minute later, Angelina sent another dangerous ball into the Thorns’ box that went just over the head of Doyle. It bounced off Abello, and Doyle tried to get a shot off, but it was cleared before she could shoot.

Lawrence gave the ball away to Jessie Fleming in the 43rd minute, giving the Thorns another counterattack. The midfielder played Weaver forward and she sent the ball into the middle of the box for Moultrie. The teenager was able to get behind Lawrence, but Strom stayed in front of her and blocked the attempt.

Duljan sent Watt forward on the right in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. The forward got around Reyes to create a shot, but it was from a tight angle and created no trouble for Hogan.

The Thorns got the last chance of the half in the final minute of stoppage time. Moultrie dribbled along the left side of the box while Duljan and Lawrence tugged on her jersey. Eventually, she went down and won a free kick in a dangerous position.

Fleming played the set piece short to Moultrie, whose first touch was a shot. The crowd erupted as they saw the ball ripple the net, but it hit the outside. That was the final touch as the game went into the break with the hosts leading 1-0.

It was an even first half with both teams creating multiple chances. Portland had more possession (51%-49%), shots (6-4), and corner kicks (3-2). The Pride had more crosses (11-7) and better passing accuracy (82%-81%), while both teams put two of their shots on target.

The Thorns created the first second-half chance in the 52nd minute when Sinclair laid the ball off for Moultrie, who took a touch inside to create space from Strom. The attacker got a shot off but sent it wide.

Portland created another chance in the 54th minute when Moultrie found Weaver in the box. The forward’s first shot was blocked by a sliding Lawrence, but it went right back to her. Her second shot was blocked by a sliding Dyke.

Shortly after the pair of chances, Hines made his first change of the game, replacing Yates with Ally Lemos.

Immediately after the substitution, Portland doubled its lead. Reyes played the ball to Coffey from the left and the U.S. international made an excellent run to the top of the box before laying the ball off for Sinclair. The veteran’s second touch was a shot into the corner to give the Thorns a 2-0 lead.

Couldn’t write it up any better.

Christine Sinclair scores for the Portland Thorns 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/V7hDMY80HZ

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 12, 2024

“Obviously, they were loud,” Lawrence said about the crowd’s reaction to Sinclair’s goal. “And especially when she scored, that was not great for us. But I think we need to learn to do better in those situations and flip it to get the momentum on our side.”

The Thorns put the Pride under pressure at the back, creating another chance for the hosts. In the 60th minute, Weaver took possession after a poor pass by Angelina in the Pride half of the field. She laid the ball off for Moultrie who shot for the bottom corner, but the ball skipped just wide.

The Pride made a trio of subs in the 65th minute as they looked to get back into the game. Regular starters Banda, Adriana, and Sams came on for Pickett, Lawrence, and Duljan.

The game restarted with a goal kick and the Pride won possession, resulting in Abello sending Banda down the left. The striker beat her defender to the end line and shot, but it was from a tight angle and was easily collected by Hogan.

Abello lost possession in the Portland side of the field in the 75th minute and Sinclair sent it long for Linnehan. The midfielder got behind the back line and took a shot from distance, but sent it to Moorhouse.

Shortly after the attempt, Hines made his final substitution bringing Marta on for Watt. The substitution saw the Pride use the best attacking unit as they tried to climb back into the game.

Linnehan took possession in the 77th minute, turning Dyke inside and out to create space for a shot. However, her attempt from the left side of the box was straight into the arms of Moorhouse.

Banda drew multiple defenders in the 81st minute, causing them to leave Adriana open near the top corner of the box. The Brazilian received a pass back from the striker and tried to curl the ball inside the far post, sending it just wide.

Adriana got behind Marie Mueller in the 85th minute, causing the Thorns substitute to pull her back and earning a yellow card. Angelina and Marta stood over the set piece with the Pride captain taking it. Rather than sending the ball into the box, she tried to beat Hogan, sending the shot just over the top.

A Strom giveaway in her own box in the 88th minute nearly resulted in a third goal for Portland when Obaze took possession and played it back for Izzy D’Aqulia. The attacker sent a shot on goal, but it was caught by Moorhouse.

The Pride had a chance in the 89th minute when Doyle lifted the ball into the box for Adriana. The attacker flicked the ball on with her head, but nobody was making a run, enabling Hogan to fall on the ball.

Banda was fouled in the second minute of added time, giving the Pride a free kick in a dangerous position. Angelina sent the set piece into the box and Doyle was making a run, but the midfielder couldn’t reach it. It ended up going past everyone and out for a goal kick. That was the final chance for either team as the Pride fell for the first time this season.

The Pride ended the game with the edge in possession (58%-42%), crosses (19-10), and passing accuracy (84%-78%), but Portland created more shots (16-10) and put more on target (6-4). Additionally, both teams had four corner kicks.

“I think it’s always a tough place to come play, regardless of the form of Portland,” Hines said. “You know, it was a different team to what everyone has seen in recent games. We decided to make changes that was justified by the efforts of what other players have done throughout the season. And it was also an opportunity to give players a chance to go out and express themselves and get on the field. And I think overall, there wasn’t a lot between the two teams. I think it came down to a defensive set piece and a throw in. And so it’s a good opportunity for us to reflect, review the game, and make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

The loss is the Pride’s first of the season and ends a 24-game unbeaten run in NWSL play, dating back to Oct 6, 2023. While they can no longer become the first team in league history to finish a season unbeaten, Hines said the team can learn from the experience.

“That we don’t want to feel like that again,” Hines said, referring to what he told his team after the unbeaten run came to an end. “You know, they haven’t experienced that feeling for over a year, so let it sink in and make sure that we don’t experience that feeling again at the end of the game.”

Since the Pride already captured the NWSL Shield against Washington, this game won’t change their position in the standings. However, conceding two goals means they can only give up one in the last two games to break the league record for fewest goals conceded in a season.

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After a quick turnaround this week, the Pride will have a longer break before they take the field again. Their next game is the final road contest of the season as they face NJ/NY Gotham FC at Red Bull Arena on Oct. 20.

Welcome to your match thread as the Orlando Pride (17-0-6, 57 points) travel west to face the Portland Thorns (8-11-4, 28 points). This is the second and final time these teams will face off during the 2024 NWSL regular season.

Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game.

History

The Pride have struggled historically against the Thorns, with a record of 4-13-2 in 19 games (4-12-2 in league play and 0-1-0 in the playoffs). They’re 1-7-0 in Portland with the only win occurring in 2018.

The most recent meeting between the two teams came on May 24 in Orlando. It was the Barbra Banda show as the Pride striker scored in the 30th and 40th minutes, giving her team a 2-0 halftime lead. Izzy D’Aquila got one back for the visitors in the 71st minute, but it wasn’t enough as the Pride won 2-1.

The first game between the two teams in 2023 was on March 26 at Providence Park. Morgan Weaver opened the scoring early and Sophia Smith doubled the advantage a few minutes later. Hina Sugita made it three, and Michele Vasconcelos wrapped up the scoring as the Thorns won 4-0. On June 11, 2023, in Orlando, Smith gave the visitors the lead, but the Pride took over after that. Adriana scored a brace and Messiah Bright’s 69th-minute strike lifted the Pride to a 3-1 win. 

The teams met twice in 2022, with the first coming on Sept. 9 at Exploria Stadium. Yazmeen Ryan gave the visitors the lead and Sugita doubled the advantage as the Thorns won 2-0. That was the second meeting of the season after the teams met on June 19 in Portland. In Seb Hines’ second game as interim head coach, the Thorns smashed the Pride, 6-0.

The teams met earlier in the year during the 2021 season, playing on May 26 in Orlando. The Pride won for only the second time against Portland since the team’s inception. Orlando won 2-1 with goals from Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux.

The second meeting that year came on July 18 in Portland, and the home team won again. Smith gave the hosts the lead and Marissa Everett doubled the advantage. Marisa Viggiano got one back in second-half stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Thorns won, 2-1.

They met a third time on Aug. 14. The Pride took an early lead when Courtney Petersen found Jodie Taylor for the opening goal. But Simone Charley equalized and the teams drew 1-1.

The Pride and Thorns didn’t play in 2020 after the season was canceled due to the global pandemic and they weren’t in the same group for the NWSL Fall Series. As a result, the most recent meeting prior to 2021 was in 2019.

The teams opened the 2019 season against each other in Orlando, but the Thorns got the better of the clash. The game was decided on either side of halftime as Caitlin Foord scored just before the break and Tobin Heath scored four minutes after the restart, lifting Portland to a 2-0 win. They met again in Orlando on May 11 and the visitors won again. Toni Pressley gave the Pride an early lead, but it was all Portland after that. Dagny Brynjarsdottir equalized, Andressinha gave Portland the lead, and Foord finished it off.

The final meeting between the two in 2019 was a goal fest in Portland and another Thorns win. Hayley Raso gave the visitors the lead just three minutes into the game and Midge Purce’s goal made it look like it would be a dominant performance by the hosts. But Marta got one back to make it 2-1. Christine Sinclair made it 3-1, followed by a Thorns own goal by Emily Menges. It looked like the Pride would get a rare point through Erin Greening’s 90th-minute goal, but Tyler Lussi scored in second-half injury time, dooming the Pride to another loss in Oregon.

The teams faced off three times in 2018, which featured the Pride’s lone win in Portland. The Thorns won the first game, 2-1 on April 15. But on May 12, goals by Morgan and Christine Nairn gave the Pride a 2-0 lead. Sinclair got one back for the hosts, but the Pride held on for their only result at Providence Park. The third meeting went back to usual, with the Thorns winning 2-0 through Lindsey Horan and Raso.

The teams started the 2017 season against each other in Portland with the Thorns winning 2-0. They met again in the penultimate game of the season in Orlando, ending in a scoreless draw. The most important game between the two teams was the Pride’s only playoff appearance. Unfortunately, it was all Portland, as the Thorns beat the Pride 4-1.

The first meeting of 2016 was the Pride’s first-ever game. Steph Catley gave the visitors a surprising lead, but Brynjarsdottir equalized and Horan won it for Portland. They met again on June 26 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. Two second-half goals by Brynjarsdottir and Horan lifted the Thorns to another 2-1 win.

Overview

The Pride are coming off a 2-0 win over the Washington Spirit, clinching the NWSL Shield, the first trophy in team history. However, they have to quickly refocus after a short week. There’s still plenty to play for as the Pride can break the record for most points in a season and the fewest goals scored in a season, and Orlando could become the first NWSL team to go unbeaten through a regular season.

Refocusing after an emotional game will be challenging, but the circumstances around the team’s home city increases the task. The team left earlier than it had originally planned to avoid Hurricane Milton, forcing the Pride to be away from home longer. While the extra time will help them adjust to the time change, it’s also an extra day away from the comforts of home.

In previous years, this would be one of the toughest games of the season, with the Thorns usually challenging for the NWSL Shield. However, it’s been a tough year for Portland, which is simply trying to reach the postseason. The Thorns are currently tied with Bay FC for the final playoff spot and sit just three points ahead of Racing Louisville FC in ninth place.

The Thorns were much higher up the standings prior to the Olympic break, but they’ve yet to win since the restart, posting an 0-6-1 record. Their last three games have been against teams currently outside of the playoffs, with a 2-2 draw against Angel City, a 2-0 loss to San Diego Wave FC, and a 2-1 loss at home to the Utah Royals.

A primary factor in their recent struggles is the absence of Smith. The forward leads the team with 11 goals and six assists in 17 games, contributing in more than half of the team’s 32 goals. She has six more goals than Olivia Moultrie and three more assists than Hina Sugita, the players with the second-highest totals on the team. However, she suffered an ankle injury against Angel City and has missed the last two games. The U.S. international is expected to miss more time heading into the final games of the season.

Even without Smith, Portland has a fearsome attack. Weaver, Moultrie, and Sinclair have created problems for the Pride in the past and will likely be the attacking line in this game. As if qualifying for the playoffs isn’t motivation enough, Sinclair recently announced this will be her final season and her teammates will want to send her off with a playoff run.

Of course, the Thorns’ offense hasn’t been bad this season, scoring 32 goals, tied for the fifth-most in the league. Instead, it’s been the defense that’s struggled. They’ve conceded 34 goals this year, sixth-most in the league. It’s a drastic change for a team that’s usually been one of the better defensive teams in the league. The 34 goals conceded is already the second most for any Thorns team in their 12-year history and they still have three games remaining.

Despite their relative positions in the standings and Portland’s recent struggles, this will be a difficult game for the Pride. The Thorns have everything to play for as they attempt to remain above the playoff line. Meanwhile, the Pride are coming off a huge win over Washington and must try to avoid a potential hangover from completing their season-long accomplishment.

“Our mentality doesn’t change. Again, we want to win every game that’s put in front of us,” Hines said about tonight’s game. “We know that this is probably one of the hardest environments to play at and they have some really quality players. Historically, Portland have always been up at the top of the table. Right now they’re going through kind of a rough patch, but it doesn’t take away the dangerous players in this team. So we have to be on our best game, our best performance, to get anything out of this. Again, it’s been a quick turnaround from Sunday to Friday, so again, we have to make sure that we’re ready to go and represent this team as best as possible. So we’ve had some discussions of rotating some players, again, to make sure that everyone feels fresh and ready to perform at their highest.”

The Pride are missing seven players tonight, including Celia (excused absence), Grace Chanda (thigh), Simone Charley (ankle), Luana (illness), Sofia Manner (concussion), Megan Montefusco (heel), and Rafaelle (thigh). Additionally, Haley McCutcheon (foot) is listed as questionable.

Portland will be without Mackenzie Arnold (leg), Bella Bixby (maternity leave), Meghan Klingenberg (lower leg), Gabby Provenzano (ankle), Sugita (face), Smith (ankle), Reilyn Turner (knee), and Olivia Wade-Katoa (knee).

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Official Lineups

Orlando Pride (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Anna Moorhouse.

Defenders: Carson Pickett, Kylie Strom, Carrie Lawrence, Cori Dyke.

Defensive Midfielders: Summer Yates, Angelina.

Midfielders: Julie Doyle, Evelina Duljan, Kerry Abello.

Forward: Ally Watt.

Bench: McKinley Crone, Adriana, Barbra Banda, Emily Sams, Morgan Gautrat, Ally Lemos, Viviana Villacorta, Marta, Haley McCutcheon.

Portland Thorns FC (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Shelby Hogan.

Defenders: Nicole Payne, Becky Sauerbrunn, Isabella Obaze.

Midfielders: Reyna Reyes, Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, Jessie Fleming.

Forwards: Morgan Weaver, Christine Sinclair, Payton Linnehan.

Bench: Kat Asman, Sophie Hirst, Kelli Hubly, Marie Muller, Izzy D’Aquila, Marissa Sheva, Mallie McKenzie, Alexa Spaanstra.

Referees

REF: JC Griggs.
AR1: Darren Bandy.
AR2: Jessica Carnevale.
4TH: Kelsey Harms.
VAR: Corbyn May.
AVAR: Brian Marshall.

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How to Watch

Match Time: 10 p.m.

Venue: Providence Park — Portland, OR.

TV: None.

Streaming: Prime Video.

Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow @TheManeLand and the Orlando Pride’s official Twitter feed (@ORLPride).

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Enjoy the match. Go Pride!

Hindsight is famously 20/20, and as the glitter, smoke, streamers, raindrops, and Ally Watt’s press conference energy level have settled from the Pride’s NWSL Shield-earning win over the Washington Spirit, it is now time to look back and evaluate. How did the Pride get to the top of the table this season, and should we have seen this coming?

Looking back at 2023, the seeds of the 2024 season were planted during the final games of last year’s season. The Pride ended last year by winning three of their final four matches, with two of those three wins coming against teams that made the playoffs (Angel City and the North Carolina Courage). Had the Pride been able to hold onto their two-goal lead against Louisville in the other of those four final games, they would have qualified for the playoffs, as they were just edged out on goal differential by Gotham, which then went on to win the championship after entering as the sixth and final seed. In the end, the Pride would have made the playoffs by simply scoring two more goals across the 2023 season.

Here is a chart comparing the first 18 games of the 2023 NWSL regular season with the final four games of that season (all data in this article is from fbref.com and nwslsoccer.com):

The Pride may not have qualified for the playoffs last season, but they ended on the aforementioned high note and they used that year to evaluate some new and young players and to make some tough decisions about personnel going into the 2024 season. Looking at this year’s stats, 76% of the minutes played by the Pride’s players in the NWSL season have come from players who played on the Pride in the 2023 season. This link between last season and this season means that the majority of this year’s minutes have been played by players familiar with the coaching staff and their preferred formation and style of play, and while continuity does not guarantee success, continuity plus the addition of one of the best players in the entire world certainly does help.

The impact of Barba Banda on the 2024 Pride cannot be overstated, though I tried to do so a few months ago. I fear I may have jinxed her, and not in the funny way when two people say the same word at the same time. Banda has not been as prolific since she returned from the Paris Olympics, but even with a drop in production in recent weeks, she still ranks second in the league in goals scored, with 13, and second in goal contributions (goals + assists), with 19. Importantly, even though Banda has only scored one goal and had one assist since Aug. 23, she is still averaging 3.1 shot-creating actions and 5.3 shots per game during that timeframe. Defenses have to be hyperaware of her location at all times, opening up space on the field for her other attacking teammates to exploit.

Exploit it they have, as Marta is having her best season since 2017 with eight goals and one assist, and Adriana and Summer Yates also each have five goals. The Pride scored 26 goals during the entire 2023 season, and they brought back the players who scored 18 of those goals. That same group of players who scored 18 last season have scored 17 this season, even with having played one additional regular season game, but the Pride also brought back Yates, who went from zero goal contributions to five goals scored and one assist as she jumped from 117 minutes played in 2023 to 1,151 minutes thus far in 2024. The former U.S. Youth National Team player used her time last season to watch and learn, and when given the chance this season, she seized her opportunity with both feet, earning 15 starts and contributing off the bench in every other game.

Marta and Adriana are bigger names, and both have delivered this season (particularly Marta, who turned back the clock and reminded everyone of her status on the GOAT list, somewhere between the three members of the Gruff family and Willie Mays), but it is the ascent of Yates, from little-used bench player to attacking threat, and the addition of Bandamonium to the offense that I believe are the primary cause for the Pride going from a 2023 average of 1.23 goals scored per game to their current 2024 average of 1.87 goals per game — a 52% increase.

What is even better than a 52% increase in goals scored per game? A 52% increase in goals scored per game combined with a 56% improvement in goals allowed per game. The 2023 Pride conceded 1.27 goals per game, while this year’s version currently allows 0.57 goals per game, which is only ranked as the best goals-against average in NWSL history. I need someone to deepfake the famous “Not great, Bob!” line from Mad Men to have Pete Campbell say “Pretty great, Bob!” so I can use that in a future article.

The Pride brought back all of their primary defensive players from last season, and they also added college All-American draft pick Cori Dyke before the season and experienced NWSL defender Carson Pickett during the season, leading to iron sharpening iron claws sharpening claws and fierce competition for defensive minutes.

Emily Sams used the knowledge she gained from her rookie season in 2023 to come out blazing in 2024 and earn a call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team for the Olympics, and Anna Moorhouse built off what she learned in her first year as the primary starter in 2023 to set the single-season NWSL shutout record in 2024 with 13 (and counting). Kerry Abello developed chemistry with her back line teammates and a flair for making attacking runs up the left side of the field, while also demonstrating a complete disregard for the care of patients in a medical facility.

Bri Martinez, Haley McCutcheon, and Rafaelle all also came back to the Pride ready to compete for minutes, and Kylie Strom is the vice-captain of the team and unofficial captain of the defense when on the field. Of the minutes played in the back five (goalkeeper + four defensive positions) this season, 89% have been played by players who were on the team last season, and the continuity and competition clearly played a major role in the phenomenal defensive record through 23 games.

Looking at the 2024 Pride season, it is clear that this team executed on a vision that had been put in place long before the opening kickoff against Racing Louisville on March 16. Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter arrived in the beginning of 2023 and has been sprinting ever since, working to ensure that she and Head Coach Seb Hines built a strong culture, partnership, and strategic plan, and that Hines had the players he needed to take that plan and turn it into results.

The 2024 season has been a masterpiece in a plan turning into reality, with many of the players using their 2023 experiences to prepare themselves for excellence in 2024, and the additions of a few new faces, and feet, being the perfect extra spice added to the recipe.

The Pride have the Shield firmly in their collective grasp and now turn their sights to the playoffs. Single-elimination tournaments present different challenges than season-long competitions, but this Pride team was built to ascend over any and all obstacles.