WEEK 6 REVIEW: NWSL PITCH NOTES
WEEK 6 REVIEW: NWSL PITCH NOTES
Below is a roundup of notes from Week 6 of NWSL regular season action.
GOALS GALORE
Twenty-one goals were scored across the league’s Week 6 matches this past weekend, tying the league’s scoring totals from Week 2. Notably, the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns FC traded tallies in a high-scoring affair before ending in a 3-3 draw. The Courage scored 33 seconds into the match, tying for the fourth-fastest goal in NWSL history, and Crystal Dunn notched a brace for her third and fourth goals of the regular season. Elsewhere on the east coast, forward Trinity Rodman recorded a goal and an assist, and first-year midfielder Paige Metayer became the fifth rookie – and the first undrafted one – to score, as the Washington Spirit secured a 3-1 win over San Diego Wave FC at Audi Field. On the west coast, Angel City FC earned the club's first win at home with a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Current. May/April Rookie of the Month Alyssa Thompson continued her scoring effort with the opening goal of the game, and internationals Claire Emslie and Jun Endo tacked on goals of their own to secure the victory. Current forward Cece Kizer registered a goal and an assist in Kansas City’s comeback effort.
100 GOALS IN
The 2023 regular season reached the 100-goal mark on Sunday thanks to NJ/NY Gotham FC defender Jenna Nighswonger, who opened the scoring in her club’s 2-1 road win over the Chicago Red Stars. Of the league’s first 100 tallies, 13 have come from headers, 15 from the penalty spot and 88 from inside the 18-yard box. Goal No. 100 also marked the first of Nighswonger’s career. The Rancho Cucamonga, California native is the sixth rookie to score a goal so far this season, joining forwards Messiah Bright, Penelope Hocking, Ally Schlegel and Alyssa Thompson and midfielder Paige Metayer in the feat.
COURAGE COUNTRY SHOWED OUT
Last Saturday’s seesaw match between the Courage and the Thorns was played in front of 7,070 fans, marking North Carolina’s largest regular-season crowd since August of 2018 and the fifth largest regular-season crowd in club history.
RAZOR-THIN MARGINS
Just five points separate the top half of the NWSL standings after six weeks of regular season action. After a dominant 2-0 win over the Houston Dash, OL Reign sits atop the table with 13 points and a 4-1-1 record, having not lost a match since Week 1. Portland Thorns FC, the Washington Spirit and NJ/NY Gotham FC claim the second, third and fourth spots with 12 points each (based on goal differential), and west coast expansion sides San Diego Wave FC and Angel City FC round out the top six with nine and eight points, respectively. OFF THE PITCH
A MASTER ON AND OFF THE FIELD
Over the weekend, Orlando Pride defender Celia received her Master of Business Administration degree from Washington State University. The Alcaudete, Spain native, who was one of four NWSL players to participate in a two-week professional development program hosted by Nationwide at the Fortune 100 company’s headquarters in Columbus, Ohio during the offseason, received her undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Alabama, where she also played college soccer and was the first player from the school to be drafted in the NWSL.
STAR-STUDDED SUPPORT
Angel City FC co-founder and award-winning actress Natalie Portman joined the NWSL broadcast talent ahead of Sunday’s match against Kansas City to discuss the club’s upcoming documentary series. The three-part series premieres May 16 on HBO and will follow the expansion club’s establishment and its first season in the NWSL. WEEK 6 MATCH RESULTS
May 6, 2023
Washington Spirit vs. San Diego Wave FC | 3-1 Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC | 1-0 North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns FC | 3-3 OL Reign vs. Houston Dash | 2-0
May 7, 2023
Chicago Red Stars vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC | 1-2 Angel City FC vs. Kansas City Current | 3-2