The Orlando Pride signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner on Dec. 1, 2023 on a deal through the 2025 season with an option for 2026. At the time, Orlando Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said the club expected Manner to challenge Anna Moorhouse for the starting goalkeeper role. Given that Moorhouse played every minute of the season and McKinley Crone dressed as the primary backup, that didn’t exactly happen.

However, Manner did get some minutes in her first year in Orlando in the Summer Cup, giving Head Coach Seb Hines a look at her under competitive match conditions.

Let’s take a look back at Manner’s first season with the Pride.

Statistical Breakdown

Manner did not play in the regular season, as Moorhouse played every minute of the season (and postseason) for the Pride in goal. However, Manner got the start in Orlando’s second game in the competition, a home match against CF Monterrey on July 28. The contest ended in a 2-2 draw before the Pride won 5-4 in penalties in the ensuing shootout.

Manner played 90 minutes, allowing two goals and making three saves, for a 60% save percentage. She only faced seven non-blocked shots, but five of them were on target. The Helsinki native completed 16 of 21 passes (73%), including four of 10 long balls. Following the draw, Manner made the difference in the shootout, stopping a shot by Merel Van Dongen, who was the only player of the 10 shooters not to convert.

Best Game

Having played in only one match, this is an easy choice. Manner’s debut was her only match of the year, meaning the 2-2 draw vs. CF Monterrey in the Summer Cup was also her best game of the 2024 season. The visitors took the lead twice in the match, but Manner kept her team in the game, allowing the Pride to equalize twice. Once the match moved to penalties, Manner did well to stop a shot from one of Monterrey’s most dangerous players, allowing her team to claim an extra point.

2024 Final Grade

With only 90 minutes to her credit across all competitions in 2024, Manner didn’t play enough to get a grade for the 2024 season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. Despite a small sample size, backup goalkeepers don’t always get a chance to play, so it’s good that the coaching staff got a look at the 27-year-old during a competitive match against international competition.

2025 Outlook

With Moorhouse signed through the 2025 season and McKinley Crone also under contract, Manner could remain and try to battle her way up the depth chart. However, if the prospects don’t look good for her to get playing time, there’s a chance that she and the club could mutually agree to part ways. Crone looked good in her limited time, but it’s always nice to have a more experienced option behind Moorhouse as well. Unless there are injuries, I would expect Manner’s minutes to be limited in 2025 as well, unless she can elevate her game and earn more looks.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Amanda Allen (11/28/24)
• McKinley Crone (11/29/24)

The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that defender Carrie Lawrence has announced her retirement. The defender joined the Pride in 2019, but a major injury derailed a promising professional career.

“Carrie means so much to this club but also means so much to the city of Orlando. To be a native of Orlando, play at UCF, and represent the Pride badge the way she has speaks volumes to the type of person she is,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Her perseverance to battle back from injuries and constant positive energy epitomize the kind of players we want to represent this club. We are so thankful for everything Carrie has done for us and can’t wait to continue to support her in any way she needs during this transition. We are proud to have Carrie a part of our Pride family and are so excited to see what she does in the next chapter of her life.”

The 27-year-old originally joined the Pride as a training player in 2019 and signed a short-term contract on Sept. 8, 2020 for the Fall Series. She impressed enough to earn a one-year deal on Jan. 5, 2021 with an option for an additional season. The team kept the young defender on its books following the 2022 season, signing her to a new two-year deal that expired following the 2024 season.

Unfortunately, Lawrence’s bright future soon turned sour. The defender tore her ACL during the team’s 2023 preseason camp, causing her to miss the entire season. By the time she returned for this year, the team had built a stronger defensive unit, leaving Lawrence on the sidelines. She got some playing time this year, but her most impactful performance was getting sent off against the Kansas City Current in July.

Lawrence’s professional debut came on Sept. 19, 2020 in a 0-0 draw with the North Carolina Courage. She played 90 minutes that day and had a goal-line clearance, helping the Pride’s defensive unit to a clean sheet. Her final appearance was a start on Oct. 11, 2024, a 2-0 loss to the Portland Thorns. She played 65 minutes in that game before being replaced by regular starter Emily Sams.

The Orlando native made 33 appearances with 23 starts in all competitions, recording 2,041 minutes and two assists. This year, the defender made 11 appearances in all competitions with five starts, recording 465 minutes and an assist.

“After giving my whole life to this sport, I am extremely blessed and grateful to announce my retirement,” Lawrence said in the club’s press release. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be than Orlando. It’s been my home from the start of my professional career, and it gave me everything in return. Winning the shield and the championship this year is more than I could have dreamed. Most importantly this group of people made it that much sweeter. Orlando will forever be home!” 

Prior to joining the Pride as a training player, Lawrence played three seasons for the UCF Knights, making 49 appearances between 2016 and 2018. She scored four goals, added 11 assists, and was named second team All-American Athletic Conference during her senior year.

What It Means for Orlando

Lawrence was a key contributor to the Pride defense before her injury prior to the 2023 season. However, she soon found herself with a much lesser role as the team built up its back line, signing Brazilian international Rafaelle during the 2023 campaign and slotting in Kerry Abello in a new role at left back. Kylie Strom moved from left back to center back this year, making it even more difficult for Lawrence to find a spot on the field.

In all likelihood, the Pride weren’t going to re-sign Lawrence after this season, forcing her to find a new home. However, she’s currently engaged to Pride captain Marta, who has indicated her intention to play one or two more years — likely remaining in Orlando if she does so. This decision likely had a significant impact on Lawrence’s decision to retire from the game.

At one time, it looked like Lawrence would be a key piece of the Pride lineup moving forward, but the team has largely moved on without her, causing her to see limited minutes. As a result, this decision won’t have a tremendous impact on the Pride moving forward aside from opening a roster spot.

McKinley Crone’s previous contract expired at the end of the 2023 season. There were questions about what her future might be in Orlando when the club signed Finnish top flight goalkeeper Sofia Manner on December 1, 2023. However, the Pride signed Crone through the 2024 season on March 11, and the then-25-year-old (now 26) showed enough to earn a new multi-year contract through the 2026 season on Sept. 6.

While most expected Manner to challenge Anna Moorhouse for the starting spot and Crone to be the depth option primarily for training purposes, the Maitland native and University of Alabama product passed Manner on the depth chart as the usual bench keeper behind NWSL ironwoman Moorhouse and finally seeing her first professional minutes.

Let’s take a look at how Crone performed this season.

Statistical Breakdown

Crone did not play in the regular season. As mentioned above, Moorhouse played every minute of the season (and postseason) for the Pride in goal. However, Crone was given her first professional start in the Summer Cup on July 20 at North Carolina, playing all 90 minutes in the match and becoming the goalkeeper of record in the club’s first-ever penalty shootout, in which she stopped two of the Courage’s seven shooters — the first one she faced, Riley Jackson, and former Orlando midfielder Dani Weatherholt. Unfortunately, the Pride had two penalties saved and missed the net once to lose the shootout.

In her 90 minutes (plus stoppage time), Crone faced down 20 shot attempts from North Carolina (six on target), allowing just one goal and finishing with five saves on the day for a save percentage of 83.33%. She completed 25 of 35 passes (72%), including six of her 15 long balls (40%). Although it was her only appearance of the year, Crone acquitted herself well, dealing with a lot of pressure as the Courage held 66% of the ball and outshot the Pride by a wide margin. She did well under pressure, saving two penalties, including the first, giving her team a chance to go on and win the shootout.

Best Game

Having played in only one match, this is one of the easiest decisions we’ll make throughout our 2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review series. Crone was a key reason the Pride remained unbeaten in all competitions with the 1-1 draw at North Carolina on July 20. However, even if she’d played a lot more games, this match may have still won the honors as her best. She made some key saves to keep the Pride in it, including this 1-v-1 breakaway chance for Meredith Speck in the 24th minute.

Crone couldn’t do anything about Manaka Matsukubo’s tap-in off a perfect cross through the box in the 44th minute, but Celia’s goal in the 82nd kept the unbeaten streak alive, even if the defender missed the opportunity to win the shootout for Orlando as the last of the team’s five shooters. It was a solid first professional game for Crone.

2024 Final Grade

With only 90 minutes to her credit across all competitions in 2024, Crone didn’t play enough to get a grade for the 2024 season, receiving an incomplete from The Mane Land staff. However, Crone showed fans why she has been able to stick with the team, and it was no surprise she earned a contract to stay with the club for a while longer.

2025 Outlook

With Moorhouse signed through the 2025 season, Crone will likely serve as the primary backup again next year, unless Manner — also under contract through 2025 with a club option in 2026 — can show the coaching staff enough to surpass the local product as the No. 2. Crone has the confidence of her coaching staff and her teammates, and next season could be an audition to see if she has a future as the club’s primary shot stopper.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Amanda Allen (11/28/24)