Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride at Houston Dash: Player Grades and Player of the Match
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The Pride’s first trip to Houston was a tale of two defenses, with both teams going back and forth for 81 minutes before the Pride finally broke the scoring drought to win, 1-0, on a Kristen Edmonds stunner. Here are my thoughts on the Pride players and my pick for Player of the Match in last night’s win. Be sure to vote for your player of the match in our poll below.
Starters
GK, Ashlyn Harris, 7.5 – Harris made several saves in the first half, with most coming off of corners. As most of the Dash’s shots were off target, Harris was not forced to make any major saves, easily scooping up all of the shots before the break. In the 63rd minute, Harris made a diving save, keeping a cross from becoming a shot. Two minutes later, Harris came out of goal to make yet another diving save. Harris’ biggest save of the night came in the 77th minute. While Harris was able to keep her third straight clean sheet, making five saves, most of the shots she faced were directly at her, not forcing her to come up big like in previous matches.
D, Steph Catley, 7 – Unlike the last few games, Catley was quiet for much of the first half, with most of the play out on the right side. However, Catley sent a nice volley in to Morgan in the 25th minute that was scooped up by Dash goalkeeper Lydia Williams. Catley immediately made an impact in the second half, going toe to toe with Rachel Daly to prevent a shot on goal. She continued to contain Daly for the remainder of the second half, helping keep the score sheet clean.
D, Toni Pressley, 5.5 – Failed to make a noticeable impact in the first half, allowing Monica to step up with Alleway out after sustaining a groin injury in warmups. In the 59th minute, Pressley missed a header, which led to a shot on goal for the Dash. Thankfully, the shot was wide. While she didn’t concede any goals, Pressley failed to make an impact on the field, letting through balls pass by and getting beat multiple times by Houston’s forwards.
D, Monica, 6.5 – Monica was originally slated to start in the midfield, but moved to center back due to Alleway’s injury. She made more of an impact in the first half than in previous games, including blocking a shot in the 32nd minute. Monica had a nice backheel in the 65th minute off of a free kick, but unfortunately the ball landed right in Williams’ arms. This may have been her best game yet in an Orlando Pride uniform, stepping up in the absence of Alleway.
D, Josee Belanger, 7 – Once again, Belanger made an impact on the flank, running up and down and creating multiple chances. In the 12th minute, she made an acrobatic save, preventing a Dash goal. Belanger was able to prevent a breakaway during the 23rd minute and quickly turned the ball around for an offensive attack. In the 37th minute, Belanger almost had an own-goal when a miscommunication led to a pass back to Harris instead of a clearance. Not her strongest performance for the Pride, but still a great showing for the Canadian.
MF, Kaylyn Kyle, 6.5 – Holding down the midfield, Kyle provided service to the forwards for most of the first half. She worked well with Morgan, providing some give-and-goes that almost led to clear shots on goal. Kyle was subbed out in the 56th minute for Sam Witteman.
MF, Lianne Sanderson, 7 – Sanderson sent a beautiful combination ball in to Edmonds in the sixth minute that led to Orlando’s first corner of the night. The English international played well in the midfield, serving the ball in multiple times for shots. She assisted Edmonds’ goal in the 81st minute and was subbed off minutes later for Maddy Evans.
MF, Becky Edwards, 6 – Edwards stepped into the starting lineup after the injury to Alleway forced Monica back into her usual spot on the back line, and contributed almost immediately, aiding in some defensive stops in the first 10 minutes. Edwards blocked a goal opportunity for the Dash in the 21st minute. She continued to make the defense look good, limiting the Dash’s chances and playing a major role in controlling Morgan Brian.
F, Kristen Edmonds, 9 (POTM) – Edmonds’ first opportunity came in the 12th minute off a cross from Morgan. The ball was lost in traffic and the Dash were able to scramble and clear the ball. For the remainder of the first half, Edmonds managed to make an impact all over the field, both defensively and offensively. She created multiple offensive opportunities and forced several turnovers. She scored the lone goal of the night in the 81st minute. The goal was from deep outside the box and was her first as a professional soccer player. It was by far Edmonds’ best game so far this season. She contributed in every aspect of the game and looked well-rounded.
F, Jasmyne Spencer, 6.5 – Spencer had an uneventful first half, but came out hard in the second half, looking for her first goal and keeping the Dash on their toes. She was subbed out in the 76th minute before she could capitalize on any of her chances.
F, Alex Morgan, 8 – Morgan almost had an assist in the 14th minute, sending a nice cross right into the box for Edmonds. Not two minutes later, the captain made a run straight towards goal and was brought down in the box, but no call was made and the goal opportunity went wanting. Morgan sent a header towards goal in the 79th minute that was once again blocked. With the exception of an ankle knock, Morgan looked at the top of her game, creating chance after chance for the Pride.
Substitutions
MF, Samantha Witteman (56′), 8 – After being on the field for less than 30 seconds, Witteman took a shot that sailed over the goal. She had another shot in the 70th minute, showing off some fancy footwork before sending the ball towards the net. Witteman worked well on the side, aiding in the defense and offense, making the most of the time she was given on the field. She was perhaps one of the best off-the-bench players this season. She immediately made an impact and continued to work hard until the final whistle blew.
F, Jamia Fields (76′), 5.5 – Fields came on in the 76th minute for Spencer. Most of her touches looked slightly off, failing to connect with Morgan and missing passes from the midfielders.
MF, Maddy Evans (86′), N/A – Evans didn’t have much time to contribute, coming on in the 86th minute. Her most memorable moment was when she brought down a Dash player, giving up free kick.
What did you think about the Pride performances in Houston? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to vote for your Player of the Match.
Polling Closed
Player | Votes |
Kristen Edmonds | 78 |
Samantha Witteman | 5 |
Alex Morgan | 23 |
Ashlyn Harris | 22 |
Other | 8 |
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Sign Goalkeeper McKinley Crone to New Contract
The Pride have signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone through 2026.
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The Orlando Pride announced this afternoon that the club has signed backup goalkeeper McKinley Crone to a new contract. The deal runs through the 2026 NWSL season.
“Mac has played an important role in our goalkeeping corps, continuing to push our group each day while investing in herself both on and off the pitch,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “We are very excited for her to continue her career with us here in Orlando, where we can continue to support her development as a player. We believe she can become a competitive goalkeeper in this league, and we look forward to providing her with the resources and environment to reach her potential.”
Crone went undrafted in 2023 before joining the Pride as a non-roster invitee during preseason. The Maitland native continued with the Pride as a training player and was awarded with a National Team Replacement Player contract on June 27, 2023 when Marta and Adriana departed for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 25-year-old signed a second National Team Replacement Player contract and was signed for the remainder of the season on Sept. 13, 2023.
Her play in training and during her call-ups earned Crone a NWSL contract for the 2024 season. She only made the team sheet once in 2023, but became the regular backup this year. Anna Moorhouse was called up to the England National Team when the NWSL went on break for the Olympics, opening a spot for Crone. She made her professional debut in a 1-1 draw with the North Carolina Courage on July 20 in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The young goalkeeper made five saves on six shots while conceding once and helping the Pride maintain their unbeaten record this year in all competitions.
“To be staying here in Orlando, the place I grew up, means everything to me. Being given the chance to represent this city as well as this club has been a huge honor, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to continue living out my dream,” Crone said in a club press release. “What we are building here is really special and I can’t wait to continue to be a part of it for years to come. This club and this city mean so much to me and I will do everything I can to help bring championships to the City Beautiful. Roll Pride!”
Prior to joining the Pride, Crone played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Alabama. Her final three seasons for the Crimson Tide saw her make 66 starts, play 9,519.77 minutes, and concede 70 goals while making 229 saves. She had a goals-against average of 1.10 and saved 76.6% of the shots she faced. She finished her collegiate career with Alabama’s record for single-season wins (10), career shutouts (23), and career wins (41).
What This Means for Orlando
Crone has worked her way from a non-roster invitee last preseason to the team’s primary backup. When the club signed Finnish goalkeeper Sofia Manner during the off-season, it was expected the newcomer would be behind Moorhouse. However, Crone has been on the team sheet for every game this season, while Manner only appeared during the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.
During the summer break tournament, Crone’s five saves topped the Pride’s goalkeeping group, which saw Crone, Manner, and Moorhouse start one game each. In addition to equaling Moorhouse with a team-best one goal conceded, she saved two penalties in the shootout, more than Moorhouse and Manner.
Crone’s role as the primary backup this season and her play in the Summer Cup makes her the obvious choice for the same role next year. For this reason, it was a matter of when and not if the Pride would attempt to sign her to a new contract. With Moorhouse and Manner already signed through the 2025 season, the Pride now have their goalkeeping corps for next year.
Orlando Pride
Finding Glory? The Orlando Pride “Just Keep Winning”
As Orlando’s NWSL rivals stumble, the Pride have shown no signs of slowing down.
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Nearly two months ago, the Orlando Pride defeated the Kansas City Current 2-1 for a gritty road win to enter the Olympic break on top of the league table and favorites for the NWSL Shield. If any fans were anxious about the Pride’s form dipping in their return to action, they should now let go of those fears.
While Orlando has continued to rack up points with stingy defense and timely goals, the other credible contenders for the shield, the Current and the Washington Spirit, have both dropped points. Now, there are just eight matches remaining in the regular season, and the Pride have a six-point lead in the table. So, to paraphrase the ever-optimistic Dory from Finding Nemo (and also from the sequel, Finding Dory), “just keep winning.”
Since returning from the break, Orlando has won at the last-place Houston Dash and against fourth-place NJ/NY Gotham FC at home. The latter match featured 12 Olympians, and could have passed for a gold medal rematch due to Gotham’s U.S.-heavy squad and Orlando’s Brazilian contingent. Both the Dash and Gotham games were ones Orlando would be disappointed not to win, but winning is never a given in a league as competitive as the NWSL. Just ask the Current, who started the season unbeaten through 15 matches and set the pace at the top of the table, only to lose three straight and drop to third. On the other end of the table, both Utah Royals FC and Seattle Reign FC are on two-match winning streaks, showing just how quickly things can change for better or worse.
Orlando, however, leads the league and is not slowing down, because the Pride have avoided the trap games and off nights that can bite most teams. It is a testament to values instilled in the squad by Head Coach Seb Hines, now the winningest coach in Pride history, that the players have remained focused and ready for each match. Following the win over Gotham, Orlando’s fifth straight, center back Kylie Strom put it simply, “at the end of the day, we have to stick to our principles, and we did exactly that.”
Strom was referring specifically to the team’s defensive performance, but around the pitch, players are staying true to the other key principles that got them here. In recent matches, defense, as well as squad depth and versatility, have set this club apart from the competition.
Defensively, the numbers speak for themselves. Orlando now has five clean sheets in its past six NWSL matches and has only conceded 12 times in 18 matches. During the previous six matches, the Pride have started seven different players in the back four positions, and that does not include Rafaelle, who has been struggling with leg injuries this season. One of the players deputizing due to injuries to Rafaelle and Bri Martinez is Cori Dyke, who despite only starting three matches to this point in her debut season, is beginning to thrive in the environment the staff and other players have created.
Dyke exemplifies how squad depth has also been key to this defensive run. Despite a couple of injuries, the Pride still have not trailed in a match since the first month of the season, nor have they conceded a goal past the 75th minute. This stat could only be achieved because the roster is ready top to bottom to do the dirty work of defending, whether the players on the pitch are regular starters, or late game specialists. Also, it never hurts to be able to bring on Orlando’s newest addition, veteran defender Carson Pickett, to help see out games.
Orlando’s depth and versatility have also shown for the attack in recent weeks. While outsiders may wrongly view the Pride offense as a one-player “Barbra Banda show” due to her team-high 12 goals, the Dash and Gotham games demonstrated how lethal Orlando can be even without a goal from Banda. Against Gotham, it was Adriana who contributed two great goals within 20 minutes to put the game out of reach right after kickoff. Despite a slower start to 2024 following her electric debut campaign, Adriana now sits on five goals for the season. This tally brings her level with Marta, who has hit her highest individual goal mark since 2019, and Summer Yates, who subbed on and scored her fifth of season, a game winner, against the Dash.
Again, Yates’ goal highlights how the Pride players continue to perform well, whether they start or come off the bench. Goals are not the only way Pride attackers have contributed from the bench either, though Julie Doyle did almost have the goal of the season on Sunday if not for the offside flag. Doyle was also critical to seeing out the win and clean sheet because she drove the ball into the opposition half and toward the corner flag repeatedly to kill time and disrupt the flow of the match. Watt performed much the same role after her introduction as well, ensuring that Gotham did not have as many chances to score towards the end of the match.
At the end of the day, these are the types of contributions that Orlando will need to keep winning and maintain their lead at the top of the table. This includes the way the defense doesn’t let the opposition breathe, no matter who is playing. It includes timely goals from the entire Pride roster and not just Banda. And, it includes players in each position remaining focused and doing what they have done to be in the position they are in today. That position is one where they finally have daylight between them and their rivals at the top.
While there are still eight matches to go, the Pride will know that if they can take care of business against the teams outside of the top four in the NWSL, such as this weekend’s against the Chicago Red Stars, the path for other teams to catch them will get much trickier.
Orlando Pride
Orlando Pride Loan Amanda Allen to Lexington SC
The Pride have sent Canadian international forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC.
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The Orlando Pride announced today that the club has sent forward Amanda Allen on loan to USL Super League side Lexington SC. The loan is for the 2024-25 USL Super League season, which runs through May, and includes a right to recall.
“Amanda has shown her potential and maturity during her time here in Orlando and we’re happy to find an opportunity for her to get more minutes on the field,” Pride Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter said in a club press release. “Amanda has played an important role so far this season and we are happy to be able to give her the opportunity to compete in Lexington. We look forward to watching her play and will continue to support her from afar during this loan spell.”
The Mississauga, Ontario, native joined the Pride on April 3, 2023 on a three-year deal running through the 2025 season. She made her debut on May 6, 2023 against Racing Louisville FC, becoming the youngest player to play for the Pride at 18 years, two months, and 15 days old.
In her two years in Orlando, Allen has made 17 appearances with two starts while recording 293 minutes with one assist in all competitions. That includes 11 NWSL regular season appearances, three Challenge Cup appearances, and three NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup appearances. Her assist came in this year’s season opener in a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville when she found Summer Yates for the late equalizer.
Allen has spent time with the Canadian National Team and the youth squads. The 19-year-old forward is currently at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she started in the team’s first two group games.
What This Means for Orlando
The Pride have two primary forwards this season in Barbra Banda and Ally Watt, with the other forwards usually being left on the bench or out of the matchday squad. Even veteran and Argentina international Mariana Larroquette has found it hard to see the field. The club views Allen as part of the future of this team, but she was unlikely to see much more time this year in the regular season or postseason.
This loan gives the 19-year-old an opportunity to see first-team minutes at a high level, as the USL Super League is a first division league. The team was already heavy on forwards, resulting in the waiving of rookie Alex Kerr on Aug. 29. This move clears more space at the position while stating that Allen is part of the future of the team.
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