Can’t We Just Talk
Utah Royals FC was scheduled to play its second straight road match and second in just nine days against Reign FC on Wednesday, September 18. The match was canceled just hours before the match was set to begin as a series of rainy days lead to the baseball field turned soccer pitch unplayable. What was set to be a clash for sole possession of fourth place in the league standings has been rescheduled for Wednesday, September 24, adding yet another road trip to the team’s difficult month.
We’ll Be On the Way
North Carolina defeated the Houston Dash 1-0 on Tuesday to clinch the first spot in the 2019 NWSL Playoffs, marking the third straight year the Courage will make an appearance in the postseason. While currently in fourth place with 31 points Royals FC is still in need of points to secure its place in the playoffs, with 12 being the magic number. Any combination of 12 points either from wins or draw for Utah, or points dropped by Reign FC, will give the team its first postseason appearance. If the club is able to remain above the playoff line it will mark the first postseason appearance in franchise history and the third overall for Head Coach Laura Harvey.
Nothin’ Feels Better Than This
In the previous two matches against North Carolina URFC has had two separate goalscorers in FW Amy Rodriguez and FW Christen Press. However, the common denominator in both goals came MF Vero Boquete, who assisted on each score. Boquete leads the team in assists this season, having recorded four of the team’s 15. Fellow MF Gunny Jónsdóttirhas contributed three assists, while Press and MF Lo’eau LaBonta have each added two apiece, with the remaining four assists coming from DF Michelle Maemone, DF Kelley O’Hara, MF Erika Tymrak and FW Mallory Weber.
Inside the World of Beautiful People
GK Nicole Barnhart has thus far played every minute of this season, totalling 1800 minutes between the pipes. In addition, she is the only player to have appeared in just 20 matches reach the 1800 minute mark, there are nine other players who have recorded more minutes, but they have also appeared in at least one more match than Barnhart. Of those nine only five of them have played every minute in the same manner that Barnhart has.
