By Lesley Ryder
The soccer world erupted when Alyssa Naeher scored her 99th minute equalizer. Monday’s match was Naeher’s 200th appearance in the NWSL—the most for a goalkeeper. The Stars’ collective joy for this moment was palpable. After all, with just one win on the season, and a fourth head coach on the way, there hasn’t been much to celebrate. On Friday, just 4 days after their epic Seattle effort, the Stars face the North Carolina Courage—a team they haven’t beaten since 2021.
The Stars win on Monday appeared to come at a mighty cost. Natalia Kuikka, Shea Groom, and Jenna Bike all had to withdraw from the game to injury. Their injury status has yet to be updated. Kuikka and Bike missed significant time earlier this season with injuries, and Groom has seemingly just come into form after her ACL tear in Houston two seasons ago. According to last night’s availability report, all three players will be out for tonight’s match. The Stars will once again be short of on-field veteran leadership. Given the front office’s disdain for spending money on players, it’s unlikely reinforcements will arrive through the closing transfer window.
The injuries are blow to the Stars progress in the last few weeks. And yet, the Stars are a team full of hope, and belief, thanks in large part to interim coach Ella Masar.
“She's instilled a lot of confidence and all of us, just from the beginning, and especially me, just since she's been here,” Stars defender Taylor Malham said in the team’s pre-match availability. “I think just as a team, we've really taken that in.”
Masar understands the odds are against them tonight, but she is unfazed. “The beauty of this is that we keep proving stats wrong. I think for us, it's also like, this is why you coach… And this is why you want you prepare people all year to get this moment to step up.”
The short-handed Stars are fighting against their injured list, and a short turnaround from Monday’s match. Masar has faith in her team’s depth to pull them through. “We're going to ask people to step up on Friday. And I believe in them doing that, and I believe in the people that are there that will continue to carry on what we've been building.”
Awards Season
Alyssa Naeher earned Goal of the Week honors for her last-gasp equalizer on Monday, and Taylor Malham won assist of the week for her cross to Camryn Biegalski.