Four members of the Orlando Pride have been named to the NWSL August Team of the Month — including August Player of the Month Alex Morgan. She’s joined by teammates Marta, Steph Catley and Ali Krieger. The first-place North Carolina Courage and second-place Portland Thorns each have three players on the team. Sky Blue FC […]

Four members of the Orlando Pride have been named to the NWSL August Team of the Month — including August Player of the Month Alex Morgan. She’s joined by teammates Marta, Steph Catley and Ali Krieger. The first-place North Carolina Courage and second-place Portland Thorns each have three players on the team.Sky Blue FC forward Sam Kerr, the league’s leading goal scorer, is on the team for the fourth straight month. Marta makes her third consecutive appearance. [Youtube oembed has failed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84AdOZoHu1I] The August Team of the Month was selected by the NWSL Media Association. Take a look at the full best XI, which lines up in a 4-3-3 formation.

GK: Katelyn Rowland, North Carolina Courage

Rowland won all five games in August, recording a cleansheet in three. She allowed just three goals and made 14 saves as the Courage clinched a playoff spot. On August 13, in a 2-1 road win over the Reign, Rowland made five saves and earned a Save of the Week nomination for a second-half stop vs. Reign forward Nahomi Kawasumi. * * *

D: Steph Catley, Orlando Pride

Catley started and played every minute in four straight Pride August wins, earning an assist on Alex Morgan’s goal in a 3-0 win over the Spirit on August 8. She finished the month with 13 clearances, four interceptions, three blocks and a passing accuracy over 80% in every match she played in. * * *

D: Ali Krieger, Orlando Pride

Krieger played every minute in all five Pride games in August, leading a backline that only conceded three goals and went 4-0-1. She contributed 26 clearances and six interceptions, as well as a game-winning assist in Boston on Augut 19. * * *

D: Emily Sonnett, Portland Thorns FC

Sonnett recorded goals in back-to-back games as the Thorns went 4-1 in August. On the defensive side of the ball, she contributed 21 clearances and 12 interceptions. * * *

D: Taylor Smith, North Carolina Courage

Smith helped the Courage backline earn three shutouts and five wins in August, playing every minute along the way and contributing 18 tackles. * * *

M: Lindsey Horan, Portland Thorns FC

Horan tallied a goal and assist for the Thorns in August and created six chances as Portland went 4-1-0. She contributed 19 tackles and 14 interceptions. * * *

M: Marta, Orlando Pride

Marta scored three goals and added two assists, plus 13 chances created, in August as the Pride went undefeated. She also finished the month with an 89.8 passing accuracy, including a 58 for 61 performance vs. Sky Blue FC — when she also registered two goals and an assist in a 5-0 win. * * *

M: Sam Mewis, North Carolina Courage

Mewis won Player of the Week after recording two goals in Seattle on August 13 as the Courage won 2-1 at Memorial Stadium. She finished the month with three goals as North Carolina went 5-0-0. * * *

F: Sam Kerr, Sky Blue FC

Kerr set a new league record on August 19, becoming the first player to score four goals in one game. Her fourth and final goal was a 94th minute game-winning goal for Sky Blue over the Reign. The next week, she tied the single-season record, scoring her 16th goal of the season. * * *

F: Alex Morgan, Orlando Pride

Morgan was named the August Player of the Month after scoring seven goals and two assists in five games for the Pride. She recorded a goal in every game and became the first player to score three straight game-winning goals, completing her month with an 87th minute game-winning goal that won the Week 18 Goal of the Week. * * *

F: Hayley Raso, Portland Thorns FC

Raso was named the Week 18 Player of the Week after scoring twice in Seattle as the Thorns became the first NWSL team to reach 50 wins. She finished the month with three goals as the Thorns won four times in August. * * * The NWSL Team of the Month is selected each month of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis. For more information on the NWSL Media Association, follow them on Twitter.