Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit, NWSL Championship: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Win Club’s First League Title
The Pride defeated the Washington Spirit 1-0 to become NWSL champions.

The Orlando Pride finished their historic season tonight by capturing the club’s first NWSL Championship with a 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Barbra Banda gave the Pride the lead in the 37th minute and, despite defending almost the entire second half, held on to take the title.
Pride Head Coach Seb Hines deployed the same lineup that beat the Kansas City Current 3-2 Sunday afternoon to advance to this championship game. The back line in front of goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was Kerry Abello, Kylie Strom, Emily Sams, and Cori Dyke. Haley McCutcheon and Angelina were in the defensive midfield behind Ally Watt, Marta, and Adriana with Banda up top.
For the first time since 2019, the NWSL Championship was between the two teams with the best records in the league. Despite being the lower seed, Washington was the more aggressive team in this game and created multiple early chances. However, the Spirit struggled to put attempts on target, enabling the Pride to take the lead before halftime. The second half was all Spirit, as the Pride sat behind the ball, desperately holding onto the one-goal lead. They were able to keep the opposition at bay and Banda’s goal stood as the Pride claimed their first-ever league title. It caps a season in which the Pride took home both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship, becoming the first team to win the double since the 2021 Portland Thorns.
The Spirit got off to an attacking start, putting the Pride on their heels in the opening minutes. Rosemonde Kouassi received the ball on the left in the third minute and beat Dyke to create enough space for a shot. However, it was from a tight angle and right into the arms of Moorhouse.
The Pride went the other way and created their first chance of the game seconds later. Banda was able to get a shot off, but it was deflected out of play by Hal Hershfelt. The ensuing corner was cleared and the Pride didn’t cause any trouble for Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.
Orlando had a better chance in the 15th minute when the ball popped out to Banda and the striker turned her defender before sprinting down the field. She had Adriana on her left and Marta on her right, ultimately playing it wide to the Pride captain. Marta took a touch inside to find space to shoot between a pair of defenders, sending the ball into the arms of Kingsbury.
Ashley Hatch made an overlapping run in the 22nd minute, receiving the ball from Tara McKeown. Receiving it on the right, Hatch sent a low cross into the six-yard box. However, it was too close to Moorhouse, who collected it.
In the 33rd minute, Kouassi made a run to the top of the Pride box, swerving through multiple defenders before getting a shot off. She was aiming for the near post, and Moorhouse dove for the attempt, but it went just wide.
The Pride took the lead in the 37th minute from the only player that caused problems for the Spirit defense. It started when Angelina won the ball from Leicy Santos, pushing the Colombian in a physical battle to win possession. She then sent Banda down the right, and the Zambian took on defender Esme Morgan one on one. Moving inside to get enough space for a shot, she beat Kingsbury with her left foot to her near post for the opening goal.
“I think that was a great moment for me,” Banda said about her goal “As that ball came through me, I don’t hesitate. I always want to take on the defenders. So I saw that opportunity and I had to put the ball at the back of the net because I saw the positioning of the goalkeeper. So it was great for me.”
Kingsbury took responsibility for the goal in the Spirit’s postgame press conference, confessing Banda’s shot caught her off guard as she was expecting a cross from that position. The quick shot with her off foot fooled the former Pride shot stopper and got between her leg and the post for the game’s only goal.
Marta tried to create something on her own in the 43rd minute, using multiple stepovers to beat Casey Krueger. The Brazilian sent the ball towards goal from a tight angle, forcing Kingsbury to tip it wide for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was cleared and it remained a 1-0 Pride lead.
Strom conceded a corner kick in the 45th minute and the Spirit nearly found an equalizer. McKeown’s set piece was towards the penalty spot where Hatch and Dyke jumped for the ball. The forward outjumped the right back, getting her head to the ball and sending towards the corner. It was behind Moorhouse but off the post and the Pride barely survived the attack.
Possession was evenly split in the first 45 minutes, but the Spirit created more shots (8-4). However, the Pride put more of their chances on target (3-1). While the Pride had more corner kicks in the first half (3-2), the Spirit had more crosses (9-8) and better passing accuracy (74%-70%).
Similar to the first half, the Spirit were the more dangerous team in the opening minutes of the second half. In the 47th minute, Kouassi got her head to a Trinity Rodman cross at the top of the six-yard box, forcing Moorhouse to push it away for a corner kick.
The short set piece resulted in Marta fouling Kouassi just outside of the box. Makenna Morris’ free kick found Hatch, who was left alone in the middle. The forward got her head to the ball and sent it towards the far post, but the attempt was wide.
The Spirit continued to put pressure on the Pride, creating a pair of chances in the 52nd minute through Morris and McKeown, but the Pride were able to clear the danger without conceding.
It looked like the Pride might double their lead in the 58th minute when Banda used her strength to turn McKeown and sprint into the Spirit third of the field. The striker slowed down as she approached Morgan and decided how to attack the center back. That gave McKeown time to get back and win the ball for Washington.
The Pride were finally able to cause some problems for the Spirit in the 61st minute when their press forced a turnover in Washington’s defensive third of the field. Watt took possession and played it back for McCutcheon, who lifted the ball for the far post. Unfortunately, she was unable to get around the ball and it sailed wide.
A minute later, Banda played the ball back for Marta, who sent a low shot towards the far post. Watt was making a run, stopping when the shot was taken. Adriana let the shot go through, and the ball bounced wide. It appeared like Watt also might have gotten on the end of it had she continued her run. Instead, it was a goal kick for the Spirit.
Hines made his first change of the game in the 66th minute, replacing Adriana with Summer Yates.
Hatch had several good chances in front of goal, and she had another in the 68th minute. McKeown received a loose ball on the right and sent the cross into the middle of the box. As she had all night, Hatch beat the Pride defenders to the ball, redirecting it on goal. However, the header was directly at Moorhouse.
Hines’ second change came in the 74th minute as Julie Doyle came into the game for Watt.
The Pride were on their back foot most of the second half, so it didn’t help when they needlessly gave the ball away in their own third. In the 85th minute, the ball slipped out of Abello’s hands as she threw it in, going straight to Kouassi. The attacker played it forward for Morris, whose cross was blocked by Sams.
Santos took possession and took a step forward before shooting, but Strom was there to block it. The ball went to Hatch at the top of the box, and the forward took a shot of her own. This time, McCutcheon was the one who got in the way, enabling the Pride to clear without Moorhouse having to make a save.
Hines made his final two changes of the game in the 86th minute, as the Pride looked to see out the win. They were defensive moves, as Carson Pickett and Morgan Gautrat came into the game for Abello and Angelina.
Kouassi was active in the final third all game and had a chance in the 88th minute. The Ivory Coast international cut to get past Pickett and shot for the near post, sending the attempt just wide.
The Spirit wanted a penalty as the game entered six minutes of stoppage time when Hatch dribbled around Gautrat and into the box. Gautrat extended her arm as Hatch entered the 18 and went to the ground. However, Hatch was already slipping and referee Alyssa Nichols determined that to be the case.
Rodman was sent down the right in the third minute of stoppage time before playing it back to Morris behind her in the box. The rookie sent her right-footed shot between a pair of defenders and towards goal, but it curled away from the target.
The Spirit felt they should’ve had a penalty again in the sixth minute of stoppage time when Kouassi won the ball from Banda and cut to split McCutcheon and Yates before going down. However, Kouassi seemed to go down easily and Nichols again let play continue.
The final chance for the Spirit came in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Kouassi’s shot was blocked and Gabrielle Carle crossed the ball towards the back post. Rodman and Dyke went up for the ball with the final touch going off the Pride right back.
Kingsbury came up as Rodman sent the ensuing corner kick into the box. The goalkeeper headed the ball towards the goal, but Gautrat was there for the block. Despite protests it was a corner kick, Gautrat’s clearance was blocked out of play by McKeown for a goal kick. That was all the Pride needed to see out the game.
The Spirit dominated the game statistically with the advantage in possession (58%-42%), shots (26-9), shots on target (5-3), corner kicks (8-3), crosses (25-11), and passing accuracy (79%-69%). However, the Pride were able to stay strong defensively and Banda’s first-half goal held up.
As the stats show, the Spirit dominated play in the second half, forcing the Pride to show the defensive prowess that led them to their 14th clean sheet this season. They’ve been more porous in recent games, but were solid in this one. It’s largely due to the play of center backs Sams and Strom, something the rest of the team noticed.
“Our back line was incredible today, but nothing that they didn’t do before. It was like that the whole season,” Marta said about the defending. “Like, Em (Sams) won the best defender of the year, and I think she deserves it. I’m a little bit sad because I did see Kylie in one of the teams, the best teams. But for us, for Orlando, both are so important. And both inside and outside the field, they just proved, they just show this kind of stuff every single game. And for me, they’re the best defenders in this league.”
“Tremendous,” Hines added about the center backs. “You know, I think you forget that Em is only a two-year pro. What she’s done this year is unimaginable. She’s won an Olympics, she’s won an NWSL Shield, she’s won an NWSL Championship, she’s (NWSL) Defender of the Year. You know, to replicate this year is incredible. And so, I’m very grateful for her trust in me and my experiences as a center back and Kylie as well. You know, (Strom) transitioned from a left back into center back. It’s not something that we planned at the start of the year, but it’s a testament to these players and doing a job for the best of the team.”
The Pride defense especially showed its abilities in the final 15 minutes. While the Pride defended most of the second half, the team was put under tremendous pressure in the final moments. It took some desperate defending, including diving in front of shots, to keep the clean sheet and come away with the win in 90 minutes.
“We’ve been put through those moments. If you ever watched us throughout the year, you know, you would have seen a team who’ve had to deal with those moments in the last 15 (minutes),” Hines said about his team’s defending. “And I’m not sure if this is still a record as well, but I think we’ve conceded the least amount of goals in that last 15. And so nothing changed in that last 15. You could see the players throw their bodies on the line, working together, tracking back, trying to stop the service to Orlando getting close to them, blocking shots. And so it’s no different to what we’ve done all season long, especially in this championship game.”
Despite the defensive performance, it’s no surprise that the game’s MVP award went to Banda. The Pride striker scored the lone goal and was a problem for the Spirit back line. The clean sheet was impressive, but it was a team effort.
This win is especially meaningful for Marta. The Brazilian joined the Pride in 2017, playing in the club’s first playoff game that season. She went through some terrible years and a complete roster overhaul, being the lone player from the club’s only successful campaign to experience the rebuild. After eight years with the Pride, she’s finally a champion.
Arguably the best player in the history of women’s soccer, Marta showed how much this win meant to her when being interviewed on stage after the game. “I f***ing wait eight years for this moment!” she yelled into the microphone.
“I’ve been in Orlando for so long, and then I see players come and then leave, come and leave,” Marta said after the game. “We had ups and downs. Some seasons we were okay, but not good enough. And I always ask myself what I’m looking for, because I’m still staying in Orlando. I was not satisfied with all of the other seasons, and I feel like I don’t want to leave this place without doing something really big, because it was like that in every single place that I’ve played.”
“I was just so happy for her,” Hines said about Marta finally winning the championship. “You know, she’s put everything into this club. She’s never played for any other team than Orlando Pride since she moved over to the U.S. So, I was just so happy for her to just share that moment. It’s a moment that she has been waiting for so long, and just to give her a hug at the end of the game, just meant the world to me. And obviously the club in general, because the players are working so hard for her to have that moment.”
In a season full of breaking records, the Pride had some more in this game. Moorhouse became the first international goalkeeper to win an NWSL Championship, Sams became the first player to win an Olympic goal medal and an NWSL Championship in the same year, Angelina became the first international player to record an assist in a NWSL Championship game, and Seb Hines became the first Black head coach to win an NWSL Championship.
“I appreciate it,” Hines said about being the first Black coach to win the NWSL Championship. “Obviously. I think it’s a historic moment for America, the NWSL. You know, my journey has been a different one. I started as a volunteer, I finished my career. I had a great playing career. I finished that journey and then transitioned to coaching. I want to be that role model for other people to get the opportunity that I got. It’s a big responsibility. I fulfilled a lot of joy in this, in this opportunity, and so I just want to continue to be an advocate for more Black coaches and create a more diverse league within the NWSL.”
Additionally, Banda scored four goals in three games during the postseason. That makes her the leading goal scorer in a single NWSL postseason in league history.
It’s not just an historic occasion for the Pride, but for the city of Orlando. The Pride are the first major professional sports team in the city to win a league championship. The NBA’s Orlando Magic have been to two NBA finals — losing in both — and Orlando City has never made it past the Eastern Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs.
“It’s massive. I obviously did my research. When I took this job on, I’d seen that Orlando had never won a championship between City, Pride, Orlando Magic, just to name a few,” Hines said about the accomplishment. “And so, yeah, I always wanted to have that open bus (ride) through the streets of Orlando. I think it’s a monumental moment for the city of Orlando, because they’ve been through so much since I’ve been here. You know, I’ve been here 10 years and I’ve seen a lot of things. Not only with the Pride, but Orlando in general. And so, to give back to the city is a massive achievement for everyone.”
This is only the beginning of the celebrations for the Pride. The city of Orlando has planned a parade that will start at 4:30 p.m. on Orange Avenue and arrive at City Hall for a celebration ceremony on Monday.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Offense through the Lens of Goal-Creating Actions
Can an analysis of the Pride’s offense in 2024 using goal-creating actions help project how they will perform in 2025?

We are one week away from the season opener for Orlando City and three weeks away from the season opener for the Orlando Pride, wrapping up what has felt like a long off-season. Oddly enough, both off-seasons were the shortest in club history, but they have felt extra long, probably because of the elongated conversations around several players and whether these players would stay in Orlando, leave Orlando, or come to Orlando.
At this point, the rosters are probably pretty close to being locked in to what they will be when the seasons open, but there still may be some final changes, and if there are, hopefully they will be positive ones for the teams in purple.
Several weeks ago, I wrote about how the Pride were bringing back all of their goals and nearly all of their minutes played from 2024, and while that has changed now with Adriana’s departure to Al Qadsiah FC in Saudi Arabia, the Pride are still bringing back most of their goals and minutes and will likely be among the favorites, if not the favorite, when sportsbooks start posting their NWSL futures odds. As of this moment, I cannot find anyone who has odds posted, and very few sites have released their season previews and power rankings, but I have a hunch that the defending champions, bringing back nearly every key contributor, will be near the top of those lists. And they should be because, and let’s revel in this once again, they are the defending champions!
The Pride are bringing back two players who combined for 28 goals in NWSL play last season. If we include the playoffs, then Barbra Banda scored 17 goals and Marta added 11, and they ranked second and fourth, respectively, for most goals scored. What interested me, however, was that they only combined together to create four of those goals as a partnership.
Using Opta’s tracking and fbref.com’s database of goals, I was able to create a ranking of the most prolific partnerships during the 2024 NWSL season. For every goal scored, Opta tracks what they call goal-creating actions, which are the two plays immediately preceding a goal that led to a player scoring a goal. For example, let’s flash back to the playoff semifinal when Banda gave the Pride a 3-1 lead against the Current by smashing a ball into the net harder than a home run off the bat of Elly De La Cruz (my son’s favorite baseball player). In related news, I am also excited for baseball season.
In the video below, Banda is the goal scorer, and the prior two plays are a completed pass by Haley McCutcheon to Kylie Strom and then the assist on a completed pass from Strom to Banda. Opta tracks those as the two goal-creating actions for Banda’s goals, with Strom’s pass being the final action preceding the goal.
Staying in that same game, I am sure you remember Marta’s wondergoal (wondergoal is still underselling how great of a goal this was — this was an all-time great run down the field) that made the score 3-1. On that play, Banda received the assist, as she passed the ball to Marta, but the two goal-creating actions were actually both by Marta as she beat multiple defenders and the goalkeeper off the dribble to get herself into shooting position. Opta’s tracking shows this goal as scored by Marta, from two consecutive goal-creating actions of Marta take-ons. Yes Banda passed the ball to Marta, but this goal was created by Marta’s magic, and the GOAT taking on and beating multiple defenders.
Opta tracks the following seven different types of goal-creating actions:
- Fouled
- Interception (stealing a pass)
- Pass (live-ball)
- Pass (dead-ball)
- Shot
- Tackle (stealing the ball directly from the other team’s player)
- Take-On (beating a defender off the dribble)
During the 2024 NWSL season there were 502 total goals scored, including the playoffs and including own goals. Opta’s tracking does not have an assist for every goal, nor does it have a goal-creating action for every goal, and that makes sense for how soccer is played. Sometimes goals happen unassisted, as a player, usually a striker, makes a tackle or interception themselves and then is in on goal and scores unassisted, or a player wins a loose ball in the box and slots it home, or a player finishes a rebound and the official scorer does not give the asisst to the player who took the original shot.
Opta’s tracking shows 481 non-own goals in 2024, with 312 of those goals (approximately 65%) having an assist. Of those 481 non-own goals, 447 (approximately 93%) had a primary goal-creating action, and this also makes sense, as it is much more likely, based on the list of goal-creating actions, that there was one of those than there was a true assist. I am much more interested in the goal-creating actions than I am the assists, as I believe they are better descriptors of how goals happened.
Looking at the Pride, which I know is really why you are here, the following table lists the player combinations that led to more than two goals during 2024:
Player Combination | Goals |
---|---|
Adriana and Barbra Banda | 5 |
Barbra Banda and Marta | 4 |
Ally Watt and Barbra Banda | 4 |
Adriana and Marta | 3 |
Barbra Banda and Julie Doyle | 3 |
For these counts it does not matter who created the goal and who scored it, these were the two Pride players involved in the final product. It may be a bit of a surprise to see that the top combination was Adriana and Banda, but Adriana scored three goals in 2024 that came directly from a foul on Banda (5/11 vs. Bay FC), a rebound from a Banda shot (6/30 vs. Angel City), and a foul on Banda (10/20 vs. Gotham). Banda scored two goals that resulted from an Adriana live-ball pass (5/19 vs. Seattle) and a rebound from an Adriana shot (7/6 vs. Kansas City). Adriana and Banda’s five goal combinations tied them for fourth in all of NWSL in 2024, with the combination of Esther González and Yazmeen Ryan of Gotham FC leading the league with seven.
It is a fair criticism of this statistic to say something along the lines of, “Well, Adriana did not intend to miss her shot and for Banda to score the rebound, so who really cares if it was an Adriana shot or someone else’s shot that Banda rebounded?”. Conversely, Adriana had to put a shot on target and have struck it well enough that it could not be saved and held, and Banda had to beat other players to the ball to score it, and both players had to have earned the right to be on the field at the same time.
I do not think goal-creating actions are the be-all, end-all, but I do think they tell more of a story than just assists. As another example, the action that immediately preceded five of Banda’s 17 goals was her winning a take-on against her defender. That total led the league in 2024, and she and Portland’s Sophia Smith were the only two players with more than three take-ons that led directly to goals in 2024. Two of those five goals for Banda had teammates credited with assists, but just as with the Marta goal against Kansas City when Banda was credited with the assist, the goals really came more from the effort by Banda as the goal scorer rather than from the pass that gave her the ball initially.
On a different note, those top combinations I showed tally up to 19 of the 54 goals scored by the Pride in 2024. The Pride benefitted from three own goals, meaning they scored 51 goals themselves, so those top combinations did not even account for half (37%) of the team’s goals last season. That is the sign of a team that is diverse in its attack, and even though Adriana is gone, they bring back everyone else who was involved in all of their goals, plus they will have Grace Chanda, Simone Charley, and Prisca Chilufya as additional offensive options in 2025. Losing Adriana will hurt, but I think the Pride will have her departure covered.
Goals are exciting, and of course are how teams win games, so as watchers and analyzers of soccer, we spend a lot of time thinking about how they happened. I like goal-creating actions as a statistic but I know on many goals there are different plays that happened in succession that led to the goal, and the goal-creating action stat only shows the final two plays. Those final two plays are critical though, so I think it is a good statistic to analyze, just in conjunction with others as well.
It is no accident that Banda was all over that list of top Pride combinations, she led the league in goal-creating actions and goal-creating actions plus goals, and with her available for the full season in 2025 I expect that she is going to be right near the top again this season, if not the league leader for the second consecutive season.
I cannot wait to watch the Pride’s offense this year. I think they are going to be creating goals and goal-creating actions at an even higher rate than last season.
Vamos Orlando!
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Acquires Spanish International Oihane Hernandez
The Pride have acquired Spanish right back Oihane Hernandez from Real Madrid Femenil, signing her to a two-year deal.

The Orlando Pride defensive signings continue, but this time it’s a new player instead of a new contract. The club announced the signing of Spanish international defender Oihane Hernández this afternoon to a two-year contract through the 2026 season with a mutual option for 2027.
“Oihane is a technically gifted defender who excels in both defensive organization and distribution from the back,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “She brings world-class experience and a championship mindset from her time with Spain’s national team. Oihane’s ability to perform in high-pressure situations and her tactical understanding and ability to read the game will be invaluable assets as we continue building a championship-caliber roster. We’re delighted to bring her to the City Beautiful.”
The 24-year-old has been a regular for the Spanish Women’s National Team and was a member of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup champions.
“I’m excited to join the Orlando Pride and begin this new chapter in my career,” Hernández said in the club’s release. “The club’s vision and ambition really influenced me to make the move to Orlando. “I am impressed by the professional environment and the enthusiasm of the staff, teammates, and passionate fanbase. I am ready to give everything for the badge and build on the team’s success.”
Hernández joins the Pride from Real Madrid Femenino for an undisclosed fee. The right back spent the last two seasons at Real Madrid, making 31 appearances and recorded a pair of assists. Prior to moving to the Spanish capital, she played for Athletic Club Femenino in Bilbao, representing the club from 2019 to 2023. She made 109 appearances for the club, scoring three times.
Internationally, Hernandez came up through the youth ranks with Spain, playing in the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, the 2017 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship, and the 2018 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship. That led to her making her senior team debut on Sept. 2, 2022 in a World Cup qualifier against Hungary.
During the 2023 World Cup run, Hernandez played in six games for the eventual champions. She started in the round of 16 and quarterfinals before coming off the bench in the World Cup Final against England.
More recently, Hernandez played for Spain in four games of the 2024 Summer Olympics. She won a bronze medal in that tournament.
What It Means For Orlando
Hernandez comes in to be the starting right back for the Pride. It’s interesting that the signing comes on the same day that the club awarded Cori Dyke a new contract. During her 2024 rookie season, Dyke became the Pride’s starting right back, taking over when Brianna Martinez was injured and playing well in the stretch run and postseason.
This move creates more depth at a position that was already well stocked. Prior to this move, the players that would likely play right back other than Dyke were Martinez, Haley McCutcheon, and Emily Sams. However, this move allows McCutcheon to remain in the defensive midfield and Sams to remain at center back, where she won the NWSL Defender of the Year last season.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Extend Contract of Defender Cori Dyke through 2027
The Pride extend a second defender through 2027 in as many days with a new deal for Cori Dyke.

Just a day after locking down defender Emily Sams through 2027, the Orlando Pride have done the same with defender Cori Dyke. The Pride announced this morning that Dyke’s contract has been extended through the 2027 season. This extension comes on the heels of an outstanding rookie season, in which she stepped into the starting right back role down the stretch, helping Orlando win the NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2024.
“Cori has consistently demonstrated her value both on and off the field since joining the Pride, and we’re thrilled to secure her future with the club,” Orlando Pride Vice President and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her tactical intelligence, versatility, and leadership qualities make her an integral part of what we’re building here in Orlando. Beyond her technical abilities, Cori embodies the culture and commitment to excellence that we strive for. This extension is a reflection of the hard work and dedication she brings to this organization every day and we’re excited to see her continue to grow and contribute to our team’s success.”
The Pride selected Dyke in the second round (No. 22 overall) in the 2024 NWSL Draft out of Penn State. She signed a one-year contract on March 11, 2024. However, she impressed enough to inked a new deal through 2025 with an option for 2026 on July 10, 2024. Dyke has impressed the club in her short time with Orlando, earning yet another new deal.
The 24-year-old native of San Jose, CA made 21 appearances (11 starts) in the Pride’s 26 NWSL regular-season games during her rookie campaign, logging 1,095 minutes. She didn’t score a goal, but she notched one assist. Dyke attempted one (off-target) shot and completed 425 of her 542 pass attempts (78%) in her first professional season. Defensively, she finished with 20 tackles, 11 interceptions, and 23 headed duels. In the Pride’s playoff run, Dyke started all three games, playing 254 minutes, helping Orlando lift its second trophy of the season.
Dyke also appeared in two of the Pride’s three matches in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup last year, starting both and recording 180 minutes.
The Pride recorded a clean sheet in 12 of Dyke’s 26 appearances a year ago, including in the NWSL Championship match against Washington.
Dyke played in 108 games (all starts) for the Penn State Nittany Lions in her college career, recording 9,069 minutes, nine goals, and nine assists. She played as a central midfielder for the first four years in college, but moved to center back for her final season. Despite moving to the back line, the 2023 season was her most productive offensively, as she recorded five goals and six assists.
Dyke received several accolades during her five collegiate seasons. As a freshman, she was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and Freshman Best XI First Team by Top Drawer Soccer. During her final season in the midfield, she was named to the 2022 Big Ten Women’s All-Tournament Team. Dyke moved to center back for her senior season and was named Big Ten Defender of the Year. She was also named All-Big Ten First Team and the United Soccer Coaches named her a second-team All-American and first-team All-North Region.
On the international stage, Dyke has represented the U.S. Women’s National Team from the U-14 through U-23 levels, helping the U-19 team win a CFA Tournament in 2017.
What It Means for Orlando
Carter locking up players she believes will be part of the team’s core moving forward is nothing new. Dyke was thrown into a difficult position as a rookie and helped keep some of the league’s best attacking players quiet in the second half of the 2024 season and throughout the playoffs. She provides plenty of versatility with major college experience in central midfield and at center back in addition to having shown her ability to play fullback at the professional level last season.
Any time you can extend the contract of a young, talented player, it can only be seen as a positive. Dyke’s role in 2025 remains to be seen, as the team is getting players healthy again and defender Carson Pickett is going through a full training camp under Seb Hines. The back line would be just fine if it remained as it was at the end of 2024, but there is some belief that it can be even better in 2025. Where Dyke fits in will be revealed when the season starts, but she is an excellent option whether starting or providing depth and pushing her teammates to be better.
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