The July Team of the Month has been announced, led by the top two goal scorers in the league — Megan Rapinoe and Sam Kerr. Three members of the Houston Dash made the roster — Jane Campbell, Amber Brooks and Andressinha — as were three members of the North Carolina Courage — Taylor Smith, Abby […]

The July Team of the Month has been announced, led by the top two goal scorers in the league — Megan Rapinoe and Sam Kerr. Three members of the Houston Dash made the roster — Jane Campbell, Amber Brooks and Andressinha — as were three members of the North Carolina Courage — Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper and McCall Zerboni. The July Team of the Month was selected by the NWSL Media Association.[Youtube oembed has failed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9NJfnI8i5g] Take a look at the full best XI, which lines up in a 4-4-2 formation:

GK: Jane Campbell, Houston Dash

Rookie goalkeeper Jane Campbell made 18 saves in July, allowing just three goals as the Dash went 3-0-1 in their four games. Only July 22, she made four saves to earn the shutout as the Houston topped Boston 1-0.

D: Taylor Smith, North Carolina Courage

Taylor Smith helped a Courage defense that allowed just two goals over three games in July. According to Opta, she finished the month with 158 total touches, six tackles, nine clearances and four interceptions.

D: Abby Dahlkemper, North Carolina Courage

Abby Dahlkemper joined Smith on the stingy Courage backline in July, extending her consecutive minutes record in the process. She made 12 clearances over the three games, including a team-high seven a 2-0 win over the Reign on July 8. She also continues to lead the league in corner kicks.

D: Amber Brooks, Houston Dash

The Dash went unbeaten in July, going 3-0-1 and the defense was a big reason why, allowing just three goals in four games. Brooks made 18 tackles and 14 interceptions in the month.

D: Casey Short, Chicago Red Stars

As the Red Stars went 2-0-2 in July, the defense allowed just three goals and earned two shutouts. Short helped lead the backline with 22 clearances over the four games.

M: Marta, Orlando Pride

Marta tallied two goals and an assist in July to lead the Pride offense, which scored seven goals in the month. She finished the month with seven key passes and six chances created. She also led the team with an 88.6% percent passing accuracy in a 1-0 loss to the Red Stars on July 1.

M: McCall Zerboni, North Carolina Courage

McCall Zerboni played every minute for the Courage in their three games in July. In a July 8th game vs. Seattle Reign FC, she tallied a goal and helped create another score as the Courage topped the Reign 2-0. She also contributed on the defensive side of the ball with 21 tackles, five clearances and five interceptions.

M: Julie Ertz, Chicago Red Stars

Julie Ertz helped the Red Stars to a 2-0-2 record in July, logging 315 minutes over the four games. She tallied 10 tackles, 16 clearances and nine interceptions in the month.

M: Andressinha, Houston Dash

Andressinha earned Player of the Week honors for her performance vs. the Spirit on July 15 and earned a Goal of the Week nomination for her goal in that game. On July 22 vs. the Breakers, she posted a team-high 93.1% passing accuracy. Per Opta, she finished July with 10 chances created in four games.

F: Sam Kerr, Sky Blue FC

Sam Kerr scored in every July game as Sky Blue went 2-0-1, and finished the month with six goals in the four games. Her record-breaking hat trick — three goals in the game’s final 12 minutes — on July 8 gave Sky Blue FC a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over FC Kansas City. The following week, her late equalizer salvaged an important draw for Sky Blue vs. Chicago.

F: Megan Rapinoe, Seattle Reign FC

Megan Rapinoe earned Player of the Month honors after scoring five goals in July as Seattle went 2-1-0. Her hat trick vs. Sky Blue FC on July 22, including her 87th minute game-winning goal, gave the Reign a dramatic 5-4 to finish the month. 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.