Orlando Pride

2025 Orlando Pride Season In Review: Kerry Abello

The left back wasn’t able to “Vamos!” as much in 2025.

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5 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

The Orlando Pride selected Kerry Abello 24th overall in the 2021 NWSL Draft, but she didn’t sign her contract until Jan 28, 2022, as she decided to return to Penn State for a fifth season. On Feb. 23, 2023, the Pride re-signed Abello to a new two-year contract through 2024 with an option for 2025, and on March 1, 2024 they re-signed her to a new three-year contract through the 2026 season.

Like many of her teammates, Abello’s 2025 fell short of her 2024 season, when she was named to the NWSL Best XI Second Team. That is not entirely surprising given how the team and the players performed in 2024, but it is still somewhat disappointing. Let’s take a look at Abello’s 2025 season. Vamos!

Statistical Breakdown

Abello made her 2025 debut in the NWSL Challenge Cup against the Washington Spirit. She started at left back and played the full 90 minutes. Abello completed 28 of her 40 passes (76%). She had 56 touches and did not take any shots or have a goal contribution. Defensively, she recorded a tackle and two interceptions.

In the NWSL regular season, Abello played 23 games (18 starts) and recorded 1,552 minutes. She completed 680 of her 863 passes (78.7%) but did not record an assist. She scored one goal on 10 shots, three of which were on target. Defensively, Abello recorded 31 tackles, eight interceptions, 34 clearances, and one block. She committed 14 fouls, drew six on the opposition, and picked up two yellow cards.

The defender started both playoff games, recording 180 minutes. She completed 48 of her 65 passes (73.8%) without a key pass or an assist. She took one shot but she did not score a goal. Defensively, Abello made five tackles while recording one interception, one block, and seven clearances. She committed three fouls, drew one on her opponents, and was not booked in the postseason.

Abello did not appear for the Pride in the Concacaf Women’s Champions Cup, though she was on the bench for the Pachuca match.

Best Game

Oftentimes we will designate a defensive player’s best game as one when they score a goal. Kerry Abello did score a goal this season, and it was a doozy. The problem is she scored an own goal a few minutes earlier, so I will not in good conscience make the 3-2 win over the Washington Spirit her best game. However, here is that goal.

Instead, I will give it to her defensive performance in the 1-0 win over the Portland Thorns on Oct. 11. In her 90-plus minutes of action, Abello recorded 71 touches and completed 39 of her 50 passes (78%), including three of her six long balls (50%) and 10 passes into the final third. She also took one shot that was blocked. Defensively, she shined with five tackles, two clearances, and four recoveries. Additionally, she won seven of her eight duels (88%) and her only aerial duel (100%). She did what a defender is supposed to do — keep a clean sheet.

She also earned Player of the Match on SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride Podcast for her efforts in the 2-0 loss to Racing Louisville on June 6, and the 1-0 loss to Angel City on Aug. 21, but I still felt the Portland game was her best.

2025 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Abello a grade of 6 out of 10 for the 2025 season. This is a drop from the 7 out of 10 she received for her 2024 performance. It’s still an improvement over her 5.5 out of 10 from 2023, and 5 out of 10 from 2022. As you can see, it’s not that she had a bad year, but rather a slight regression from her best professional year in 2024.

2026 Outlook

Abello is signed through the 2026 season, and I expect that she will remain with the club. She showed in 2024 that she can contribute consistent defense on a championship squad. There may be some competition for the starting role depending on who the Pride bring in on defense. The addition of Hailie Mace on the right might push Cori Dyke over to the left. There’s also the possibility that Kylie Nadaner moves out from center back to the left creating competition for the spot.

Abello will be playing for a new contract or auditioning for her next stop if she doesn’t re-sign. I expect she’ll up her game in 2026 as the Pride look to return to the mountain top. As of now, I still have her as the presumptive starter at left back though there’s a lot that can happen between now and the start of the new season.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

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