Kansas City and Orlando march ahead
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Members of the Kansas City Current celebrate Sunday's win over Portland. (Craig Mitchelldyer/USA TODAY Sports)
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The Kansas City Current and the Orlando Pride extended their NWSL dominance this weekend, throwing down big wins to split a top-table standing at 32 points apiece.
- Orlando took down the struggling Utah Royals 6-0 on Friday, with both Barbra Banda and Marta registering braces in the win.
- The Current would not be denied, defeating the Thorns 4-1 in Portland on Sunday behind a brace from midfielder Lo'eau Labonta.
Big picture: Parity has been a longtime asset of the NWSL, but the gap between the top and bottom is markedly wider this season — despite expanding the playoffs to eight teams.
- With 14 games played, there's currently a daunting 16 points between playoff spots No. 1 (Kansas City) and No. 8 (Racing Louisville).
- Top three contenders KC, Orlando, and Washington have all shot past 30 points, while the three teams sitting just outside playoff position — San Diego, Angel City, and Bay FC — have mustered just 15 points.
- Weekend losses from Gotham and Portland have opened a slight window between the third and fifth spots.
- Both Seattle and Utah have yet to surpass 10 points this season, cementing their places at the rear of the league table.
Despite mercurial team performances, some national team headliners managed to stand out this weekend with the Olympics on the horizon.
- Sophia Smith earned Portland's lone consolation goal on Sunday, bringing her level with Olympic group stage opponent Banda at the top of the Golden Boot race with 10.
- USWNT stars Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman both scored this weekend, though Swanson's Red Stars suffered a loss to North Carolina while Rodman's Spirit trumped Gotham 2-0.
Bottom line: After last year's fierce divide, the NWSL is seeing a separation of quality in the early second half of the 2024 season. While some results might get lost in the shuffle, the final outcome could turn out to be something really special.
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New York rises to secure the WNBA's best record
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New York Liberty players embrace on the court during a game against the Las Vegas Aces. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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The New York Liberty have surged to a league-leading 15-3 record after this weekend's WNBA action, the best start in franchise history.
- Stats have been a team effort for New York, with Breanna Stewart leading in points (19.9), Jonquel Jones in rebounds (8.7), and Sabrina Ionescu in assists (6.4).
- Ionescu in particular has been a major contributor, notching her fifth career game with 25+ points and 10+ assists on Sunday.
Big picture: After jumping out to an initial 13-1 record, the Connecticut Sun have suffered two straight losses for the first time this season: first to Las Vegas and then to Seattle.
- The Sun are now tied for second place alongside the Minnesota Lynx at 13-3.
- Las Vegas's win over Connecticut began a two-win run for the reigning league champs, who look to regain their rhythm with the return of starting point guard Chelsea Gray.
Mid-table action was just as competitive, as the Chicago Sky earned their first win over the Indiana Fever thanks to a standout performance from rookie Angel Reese.
- Reese scored a career-high 25 points with 16 rebounds in the 88-87 victory, leading the Sky alongside guard Chennedy Carter, who added 23 points of her own.
- Caitlin Clark registered an impressive double-double in the loss, scoring 17 points and notching a franchise-record 13 assists.
- The loss snapped the Fever's four-game winning streak, the longest for the team since 2015.
The Dallas Wings have now sunk to the bottom of the WNBA standings, further extending their whopping 11-game losing streak.
- The Wings dropped two straight games to the Washington Mystics this weekend, who've won four out of their last five games following a franchise-worst 0-12 start.
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Olympic dreams come true as team trials play out
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Track & Field star Sha'Carri Richardson poses after winning the 100-meter event on Saturday. (Patrick Smith/Getty Image)
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- US sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson successfully punched her ticket to Paris after winning the 100-meter dash on Saturday, alongside Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry.
- Richardson, the reigning World Champion, will compete in her first Olympics after being disqualified in 2021 shortly before the Tokyo Games.
Swimming finishes strong: US stalwart Katie Ledecky won all four of her individual qualifying events, taking gold in the 200-meter, 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1500-meter freestyles.
- Ledecky said she's unlikely to compete in the 200-meter as an individual, but swam the race to qualify for the 4x200-meter relay.
Elsewhere, NCAA champion Katie Douglass also had an exemplary meet, qualifying for Paris in the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter breaststroke, and 200-meter IM.
- Two world records fell this week: Gretchen Walsh in the 100-meter butterfly, and Regan Smith in the 100-meter backstroke.
- Walsh will be joined in Paris by her sister Alex, who qualified for the 200-meter IM.
The final US Swimming Trials event was one of ultimate triumph, as 2016 Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel won the 50-meter freestyle.
- Manuel has battled overtraining syndrome in recent years, but returned to the pool to qualify for her third Olympics in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4x100-meter relay.
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WNBA All-Star voting: In the first WNBA All-Star fan voting returns, A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark ranked first and second in a potential 2024 WNBA All-Star Game lineup that showcased the rookie class's undeniably popularity.
A'ja Wilson logo: Nike revealed A'ja Wilson's new signature logo this weekend: a stylized A based on Wilson's signature that will feature on her signature collection, set to drop in 2025.
Women's PGA Championship: Claiming her first major tournament win at this weekend's Women’s PGA Championship, 34-year-old Amy Yang became the oldest golfer to win a women's major since 2018.
Olympic skateboarding: The US women’s Olympic skateboard team is set after this weekend's Trials, with Tokyo Olympians Bryce Wettstein (park) and Mariah Duran (street) joining rookies Ruby Lilley and Minna Stess (park), and Paige Heyn and Poe Pinson (street). |
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Written by Claire Watkins
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