# 2017 Orlando Pride season

The 2017 season was Orlando Pride's second season. The team competed in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States.

## Squad information
### Roster

    As of July 3, 2017
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
| 3 | DF | Toni Pressley | United States |
| 4 | MF | Jamia Fields | United States |
| 6 | FW | Chioma Ubogagu | United States |
| 7 | DF | Steph Catley | Australia |
| 8 | FW | Danica Evans | United States |
| 9 | MF | Camila | Brazil |
| 10 | FW | Marta | Brazil |
| 11 | DF | Ali Krieger | United States |
| 12 | MF | Kristen Edmonds | United States |
| 13 | FW | Alex Morgan | United States |
| 14 | DF | Alanna Kennedy | Australia |
| 15 | FW | Rachel Hill | United States |
| 16 | DF | McKenzie Berryhill | United States |
| 17 | MF | Dani Weatherholt | United States |
| 19 | GK | Aubrey Bledsoe | United States |
| 20 | MF | Nickolette Driesse | Puerto Rico |
| 21 | DF | Mônica | Brazil |
| 23 | FW | Jasmyne Spencer | United States |
| 24 | GK | Ashlyn Harris | United States |

## Transactions
### 2017 NWSL College Draft

Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2017 college draft was held on January 12, 2017. Orlando had two selections.
| Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | College | Status |
| 3 | 22 | Danica Evans | FW | University of Colorado | Signed |
| 4 | 32 | Nickolette Driesse | MF | Penn State University | Signed |

### In

| Date | Player | Pos. | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| November 2, 2016 | Ali Krieger | DF | Washington Spirit | Traded second-overall spot in the Distribution Ranking Order to Washington |
| January 19, 2017 | Alanna Kennedy | DF | Western New York Flash | Trade for midfielder Sam Witteman |
| January 23, 2017 | Chioma Ubogagu | FW | Houston Dash | Trade for Orlando’s natural third-round pick in the 2018 NWSL College Draft |
| April 15, 2017 | Marta | FW | FC Rosengård | |
| May 20, 2017 | Rachel Hill | FW | UConn | Signed after college graduation. |
| May 20, 2017 | Caroline Stanley | GK | Sky Blue FC | Signed off waivers as a goalkeeper replacement for injured Ashlyn Harris. |
| June 21, 2017 | Alex Morgan | FW | Olympique Lyonnais Féminin | Officially added to the active roster. |

### Out

| Date | Player | Pos. | Destination club | Fee/notes | Ref. |
| June 21, 2017 | Christina Burkenroad | FW | IK Grand Bodø | Waived. | |
| July 3, 2017 | Laura Alleway | DF | Melbourne Victory | Waived. | |

### Staff

Executive :
| Owner and chairman | Flávio Augusto da Silva |
| Owner and president | Phil Rawlins |
| Owner | John Bonner |
| Chief executive officer | Alex Leitão |
| Coaching staff ||
| Head coach | Tom Sermanni |
| Assistant coach | Khano Smith |
| Goalkeeping coach | Lloyd Yaxley |

## Match results
### National Women's Soccer League
#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: August 12, 2017. Source: NWSLsoccer.com

#### League standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | North Carolina Courage | 24 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 38 | 22 | +16 | 49 | NWSL Shield |
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC (C) | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 37 | 20 | +17 | 47 | NWSL Playoffs |
| 3 | Orlando Pride | 24 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 45 | 31 | +14 | 40 | NWSL Playoffs |
| 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 24 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 33 | 30 | +3 | 39 | NWSL Playoffs |
| 5 | Seattle Reign FC | 24 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 34 | |
| 6 | Sky Blue FC | 24 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 42 | 51 | −9 | 33 | |
| 7 | FC Kansas City | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 29 | 31 | −2 | 31 | |
| 8 | Houston Dash | 24 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 23 | 39 | −16 | 24 | |
| 9 | Boston Breakers | 24 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 24 | 35 | −11 | 19 | |
| 10 | Washington Spirit | 24 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 30 | 48 | −18 | 19 | |

## NWSL Playoffs

The top four teams from the regular season will compete for the NWSL Championship. Final seeding to be determined by 10:30 pm EST Saturday, Sept. 30th.
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Championship | Championship | Championship |
| 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 4 | | | |
| 3 | Orlando Pride | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Orlando Pride | 1 | 2 | Portland Thorns FC | 1 |
| | | | 1 | North Carolina Courage | 0 |
| 1 | North Carolina Courage | 1 | 1 | North Carolina Courage | 0 |
| 4 | Chicago Red Stars | 0 | | | |

### Semi-finals
## Media

The NWSLsoccer.com website and the Go90 app have the exclusive rights to streaming all games live on each of their platforms. In addition, the league has partnered with the Lifetime Network to air a "Game of the Week" on Saturdays for the 24-week Regular Season. The Pride were selected for 7 matches on the slate. The dates are:
Sat., Apr. 15 / 3 p.m. kickoff / Portland Thorns FC vs. Orlando Pride
Sat., Apr. 22 / 4 p.m. kickoff / Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit
Sat., June 24 / 3:30 p.m. kickoff** / Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash
Sat., July 22 / 3:30 p.m. kickoff** / Chicago Red Stars vs. Orlando Pride
Sat., Aug. 12 / 7:30 p.m. kickoff** / Orlando Pride vs. Sky Blue FC
Sat., Sept. 2 / 3:30 p.m. kickoff**/ Orlando Pride vs. Boston Breakers
Sat., Sept. 9 / 3:30 p.m. kickoff** / Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign FC
The NWSL announced on August 17 that the Game of the Week on Lifetime for Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3:30 p.m. ET featured the Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns FC at Orlando City Stadium. Lifetime also aired their away match at FC Kansas City on August 26.
** New schedule adjustments issued on June 12 by the NWSL and Lifetime Network airtimes revised for player safety due to extreme temperatures and allowance for hydration breaks.

## Honors and awards
### NWSL Awards
#### NWSL Team of the Year

| Team | Position | Player |
| Best XI | Defender | Ali Krieger |
| Best XI | Forward | Marta |
| Second X1 | Defender | Steph Catley |
| Second X1 | Forward | Alex Morgan |

### NWSL Monthly Award
#### NWSL Player of the Month

| Month | Player | Month's Statline | Ref. |
| August | Alex Morgan | 7 Goals; 2 Assist; 13 Shots on Goal; 11 Chances Created | |
| September | Marta | 2 Goals; 13 Chances Created; 85% Passing Accuracy | |

#### NWSL Team of the Month

| Month | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
| June | Ali Krieger | Marta | |
| July | | Marta | |
| August | Ali Krieger Steph Catley | Marta | Alex Morgan** |
| September | | Marta Alanna Kennedy | |

### NWSL Weekly Awards
#### NWSL Goal of the Week

| Week | Result | Player |
| 2 | Won | Danica Evans |
| 3 | Won | Camila |
| 9 | Won | Camila |
| 13 | Won | Toni Pressley |
| 16 | Won | Marta |
| 18 | Won | Alex Morgan |
| 22 | Won | Alanna Kennedy |

#### NWSL Save of the Week

| Week | Result | Player |
| 1 | Won | Ashlyn Harris |
| 2 | Won | Monica |
| 4 | Won | Ashlyn Harris |
| 9 | Won | Aubrey Bledsoe |
| 10 | Won | Steph Catley |
| 12 | Won | Aubrey Bledsoe |
| 13 | Won | Aubrey Bledsoe |
| 17 | Won | Ashlyn Harris |
| 18 | Won | Ashlyn Harris |
| 22 | Won | Ashlyn Harris |

### Other awards

Orlando Pride forward Marta and defender Ali Krieger have been named to the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Best XI, announced on October 12.