May 5, 2023 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) News Release
WEST COAST REPRESENT
OL Reign and Portland Thorns FC players dominated the opening Best XI of the Month roster for the 2023 season. Led by Player of the Month Sophia Smith, six players from the two squads made up the Best XI roster, combining for 12 goals, five assists and over 2000 minutes on the field. Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce registered 15 saves and a 1.00 goals against average through five matches en route to her first team of the month selection of the year.
San Diego Wave FC defender Naomi Girma was also named to the league’s top 11 for March/April, recording 27 clearances, six blocks and six interceptions for Wave FC across the five-match slate.
IRONWOMEN
Thirty-eight players have competed in every minute of the regular season in 2023, including 10 goalkeepers, 19 defenders, seven midfielders and two forwards. Of the 38 players, four achieved ironwoman status in the 2022 season, including Chicago centerback Kaleigh Kurtz, Washington defender Sam Staab – who broke the league’s consecutive regular season starts record with her 73rd straight appearance last weekend – and goalkeepers Katie Lund (LOU) and Phallon Tullis-Joyce (WAS).
Orlando defender Emily Madril, the only draftee from the 2023 NWSL Draft to appear in every minute of play so far this season, is expected to start in the Pride’s match against Racing Louisville FC Saturday at Exploria Stadium.
NAEHER SAVES THE DAY
Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is eight saves away from becoming just the second player in NWSL history to amass 500 regular season stops. Heading into this weekend’s match against NJ/NY Gotham FC, Naeher is 26 saves away from tying former goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris for the league saves record of 518. During her journey to 500, the Stratford, Connecticut native has earned 40 shutouts and in 2014 won the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award after making a record 106 saves in 24 games.
In addition to her standout career in the league, the veteran has also enjoyed an illustrious career as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, earning 90 caps and appearing on the grandest stages in soccer, including both the Olympics and the Women’s World Cup.
YOUTHS STILL SHINING
Both Angel City FC newcomer Alyssa Thompson and San Diego Wave FC striker Jaedyn Shaw, two of the league’s prominent youth corps, scored for their respective squads in last weekend’s matches. Shaw’s goal in San Diego’s 3-1 loss marked…