2013 National Women's Soccer League season
1st season of the National Women's Soccer League
Football league season
The 2013 National Women's Soccer League season was the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. Including the NWSL's two professional predecessors, Women's Professional Soccer (2009–2011) and the Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003), this was the seventh overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league was (and is) operated by the United States Soccer Federation and received major financial backing from that body. Further financial backing was provided by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Mexican Football Federation . All three national federations paid the league salaries of many of their respective national team members in an effort to nurture talent in those nations.
The league started on April 13 with FC Kansas City hosting Portland Thorns FC . The last regular season matches were played on August 18, with the Western New York Flash topping the standings to win the NWSL Shield . This was followed by postseason playoffs, which culminated in a final on August 31.[ 2] In the final, Portland Thorns FC defeated the Western New York Flash 2–0 to win the inaugural NWSL Championship .[ 3] [ 4]
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Stadiums and locations
Locations of teams for the 2013 National Women's Soccer League season.
Note: All teams used Nike as kit manufacturer.
Player Acquisition
Players were acquired through the 2013 Allocation of national team players announced on January 11, the 2013 NWSL College Draft on January 18, and the 2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft on February 7, along with free agency, trading and loans.
The Portland Thorns received an allocation with a notably strong offensive record including Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair , the 2012 U.S. and Canadian Players of the Year and leading scorers for their national teams respectively, as well as a U.S. allocation (Morgan, Tobin Heath , and Rachel Buehler ) that accounted for 1/3 of their national team's assists in 2012.[ 9] [ 10] [ 11]
The regular season began on April 13 and ended on August 18. Each team played a total of 22 games: 11 at home and 11 away. Each team played
three other teams (based on an east/west geographical split) four times each: twice at home and twice away
two other teams twice each: once at home and once away
and the remaining two teams three times each: one twice at home and once away, the other vice versa
The four teams at the end of the season with the most points qualified for the playoffs. Two semifinal games were played on August 24, with the winners advancing to the league final to be played on August 31.[ 12]
Results table
[ 13]
Abbreviation and Color Key:Boston Breakers – BOS • Chicago Red Stars – CHI • FC Kansas City – KC • Portland Thorns FC – PORSeattle Reign FC – SEA • Sky Blue FC – NJ • Washington Spirit – WAS • Western New York Flash – WNYWin • Loss • Tie • Home Game
Club
Match
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Boston Breakers
WAS
WNY
CHI
WAS
KC
WAS
NJ
WNY
CHI
NJ
SEA
NJ
SEA
POR
NJ
POR
KC
WAS
WNY
POR
KC
WNY
1–1
1–2
4–1
1–1
2–0
3–0
5–1
2–2
1–0
2–3
1–2
3–2
1–1
0–2
0–0
1–2
3–0
2–5
2–2
2–1
1–0
2-1
Chicago Red Stars
SEA
POR
BOS
NJ
POR
WNY
POR
BOS
KC
KC
WNY
SEA
WNY
WAS
KC
WAS
SEA
POR
SEA
WAS
NJ
KC
1–1
0–2
4-1
1–1
0–2
2-1
0–2
1–0
0–2
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–0
0–2
3–3
1–0
4–1
3–3
3–1
1-0
3–3
1–2
FC Kansas City
POR
SEA
SEA
WNY
BOS
NJ
POR
SEA
CHI
CHI
WAS
NJ
POR
WAS
WNY
CHI
SEA
BOS
NJ
POR
BOS
CHI
1–1
2–0
0–1
2–1
2–0
0–1
4–3
0–1
0–2
1–3
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
0–0
3–3
2–0
3–0
0–1
2–3
1-0
1–2
Portland Thorns FC
KC
SEA
CHI
WAS
CHI
NJ
WAS
SEA
CHI
KC
SEA
NJ
KC
BOS
WNY
BOS
CHI
NJ
KC
BOS
WNY
SEA
1–1
2–1
0–2
1–2
0–2
0–1
2–0
0–1
0–2
4–3
2–0
0–0
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–2
3–3
3–1
2–3
2-1
0–0
1–2
Seattle Reign FC
CHI
POR
KC
KC
NJ
WAS
NJ
POR
KC
POR
WNY
BOS
CHI
BOS
WNY
WAS
KC
CHI
CHI
WNY
WAS
POR
1–1
2–1
2–0
0–1
2–0
2–4
0–3
0–1
0–1
2–0
1–1
1–2
3–1
1–1
3–2
2–1
2–0
4–1
3–1
1-0
1-0
1–2
Sky Blue FC
WNY
WAS
WNY
CHI
SEA
POR
SEA
KC
BOS
WNY
BOS
POR
KC
BOS
WAS
BOS
WNY
KC
POR
WAS
CHI
WAS
1–0
1–2
2–1
1–1
2–0
0–1
0–3
0–1
5–1
0–3
2–3
0–0
2–2
3–2
1–0
0–0
3–0
0–1
3–1
1–0
3–3
1–1
Washington Spirit
BOS
WNY
NJ
POR
BOS
SEA
POR
BOS
WNY
KC
WNY
KC
NJ
CHI
SEA
CHI
BOS
WNY
NJ
CHI
SEA
NJ
1–1
1–1
1–2
1–2
1–1
2–4
2–0
3–0
0–2
2–0
4–0
1–1
1–0
0–2
2–1
1–0
2–5
3–0
1–0
1–0
1–0
1–1
Western New York Flash
NJ
WAS
BOS
NJ
KC
CHI
BOS
NJ
WAS
CHI
SEA
WAS
CHI
KC
SEA
POR
NJ
WAS
BOS
SEA
POR
BOS
1–0
1–1
1–2
2–1
2–1
2–1
2–2
0–3
0–2
2–2
1–1
4–0
1–0
0–0
3–2
1–1
3–0
3–0
2–2
1–0
0–0
2–1
Scores listed as home-away
League standings
NWSL Championship
The top four teams from the regular season qualified for the championship playoffs. In the semifinals, the regular season winner hosted the fourth-placed team and the regular season runner-up hosted the third-placed team. The highest-seeded semifinal winner then hosted the championship final. All match-ups were one-game series (as opposed to home-and-away series).
Semi-finals
Championship
Attendance
Average home attendances
Highest Attendance: 17,619[ 17] (August 4, Kansas City at Portland)
Lowest Attendance: 688[ 1] (May 8, Chicago at Sky Blue)
Total Attendance: 375,846[ 14] (88 games total)
League Average: 4,271[ 14]
Playoff attendance
Semifinal 1, Portland at FC Kansas City: 4,016[ 18]
Semifinal 2, Sky Blue at Western New York: 7,316[ 19]
Championship, Portland at Western New York: 9,129[ 20]
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
Source:[ 21]
Top assists
Source:[ 21]
Goalkeeping
(Minimum of 540 Minutes Played)
Source:[ 21]
Individual awards
Monthly awards
Weekly awards
Week
Player of the Week
Club
Week's Statline
Week 1
Brittany Cameron [ 27]
Sky Blue FC
5 SVS, SHO
Week 2
Jessica Fishlock [ 28]
Seattle Reign FC
1 G (74')
Week 3
Heather O'Reilly [ 29]
Boston Breakers
2 G (16', 83'), GWG
Week 4
Sydney Leroux [ 30]
Boston Breakers
3 G (26', 74', 84'), GWG
Week 5
Abby Wambach [ 31]
Western New York Flash
2 G (34', 39'), GWG
Week 6
Christie Rampone [ 32]
Sky Blue FC
180min, 0 GA
Week 7
Lianne Sanderson [ 33]
Boston Breakers
3 A
Week 8
Lisa De Vanna [ 34]
Sky Blue FC
2 G (14', 56'), 1 A
Week 9
Abby Wambach [ 35]
Western New York Flash
1 G (82'), 1 A
Week 10
Lori Chalupny [ 36]
Chicago Red Stars
1 A
Week 11
Karina LeBlanc [ 37]
Portland Thorns FC
7 SVS
Week 12
Carli Lloyd [ 38]
Western New York Flash
3 G (3', 22', 56')
Week 13
Sydney Leroux [ 39]
Boston Breakers
3 G, 2 Games
Week 14
Karina LeBlanc [ 40]
Portland Thorns FC
5 SVS
Week 15
Erika Tymrak [ 41]
FC Kansas City
1 G (86'), 1 A
Week 16
Megan Rapinoe [ 42]
Seattle Reign FC
2 G (6', 68'), 1 A
Week 17
Lauren Holiday [ 43]
FC Kansas City
2 G (23', 55')
Week 18
Diana Matheson [ 44]
Washington Spirit
1 G, 1 A in 2 Games
Week 19
Jen Hoy [ 45]
Chicago Red Stars
2 G (45', 92')
Annual awards
NWSL Best XI [ 52]
Position
First team
Second team
Goalkeeper
Nicole Barnhart
FC Kansas City
10 shutouts
Adrianna Franch
Western New York Flash
98 Saves
Defense
Christie Rampone
Sky Blue FC
1.20 GAA
Rachel Buehler
Portland Thorns FC
1.15 GAA
Defense
Leigh Ann Robinson
FC Kansas City
5 assists
Caitlin Foord
Sky Blue FC
NWSL youngest player
Defense
Becky Sauerbrunn
FC Kansas City
1.0 GAA
Ali Krieger
Washington Spirit
1 goal
Defense
Brittany Taylor
Western New York Flash
3 goals, 4 assists
Lauren Sesselmann
FC Kansas City
0.84 GAA
Midfield
Lori Chalupny
Chicago Red Stars
5 goals, 4 assists
Megan Rapinoe
Seattle Reign FC
5 goals, 1 assist
Midfield
Jess Fishlock
Seattle Reign FC
4 goals
Desiree Scott
FC Kansas City
1.00 GAA
Midfield
Lauren Holiday
FC Kansas City
12 goals, 9 assists
Erika Tymrak
FC Kansas City
6 goals, 4 assists
MF // FW
Diana Matheson
Washington Spirit
8 goals, 3 assists
Alex Morgan
Portland Thorns FC
8 goals, 5 assists
Forward
Sydney Leroux
Boston Breakers
11 goals, 2 assists
Lianne Sanderson
Boston Breakers
5 goals, 7 assists
Forward
Abby Wambach
Western New York Flash
11 goals, 8 assists
Christine Sinclair
Portland Thorns FC
8 goals, 2 assists
Statistics
Scoring
Hat-tricks
Discipline
Streaks
Longest winning streak: 5 games
Longest unbeaten streak: 10 games
Longest winless streak: 13 games
Longest losing streak: 9 games
Longest shutout: 435 minutes by Brittany Cameron for Sky Blue FC
Longest drought: 541 minutes for Washington Spirit
Other firsts
Home team record
(Regular season only)
8 wins, 8 losses, 6 ties – 1.364 PPG
28 goals for, 26 goals against – +2 GD
See also
References
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^ "NWSL Announces Inaugural Regular Season Schedule" (Press release). NWSL. February 12, 2013. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2013 .
^ Hays, Graham (September 1, 2013). "Portland blazes trail with NWSL title" . ESPN.com . Retrieved September 1, 2013 .
^ a b "NWSL CHAMPIONS: PORTLAND THORNS FC" . NWSL. August 31, 2013. Archived from the original on September 4, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2013 .
^ Stars, Red (February 12, 2013). "Red Stars Unveil 2013 NWSL Schedule, Venue" . Chicago Red Stars. Archived from the original on April 13, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2013 .
^ a b c d e f g h "NWSL opening day rosters announced" . The Equalizer. April 8, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2014 .
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^ Kassouf, Jeff (June 30, 2013). "Official: Last-place Spirit fire coach Mike Jorden" . The Equalizer. Retrieved August 5, 2014 .
^ Bird, Liviu (January 11, 2013). "Portland Thorns FC nabs cream of the crop in NWSL allocation" . The Equalizer. Retrieved August 5, 2014 .
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^ a b c DiVeronica, Jeff (February 7, 2014). "Flash to face Portland in home opener" . Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved August 4, 2014 .
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External links
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