2015 National Women's Soccer League season
3rd season of the National Women's Soccer League
Football league season
The 2015 National Women's Soccer League season was the third 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), it was the ninth overall season of FIFA and USSF-sanctioned top division women's soccer in the United States. The league was 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.
In January, Jeff Plush was named NWSL commissioner,[ 2] replacing Cheryl Bailey .
To accommodate the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup , the league announced it would take a two-week break from June 7–19, reduce the season to 20 games, and extend the playing calendar into September.[ 3]
For the second straight season, FC Kansas City defeated the NWSL Shield winners Seattle Reign FC 1–0 to win the NWSL championship.[ 4]
Teams, stadiums, and personnel
Stadiums and locations
Two teams, the Dash and Reign, do not make their stadiums' entire capacity available for home games, instead restricting ticket sales at a lower level. The full capacities of their venues are included in parentheses and italics .
Team
Stadium
Capacity
Boston Breakers
Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium
4,500
Chicago Red Stars
Village Sports Complex
3,600
Houston Dash
BBVA Compass Stadium
7,000 (22,039)
FC Kansas City
Swope Soccer Village [ 5]
4,000
Portland Thorns
Providence Park
20,438
Seattle Reign FC
Memorial Stadium
6,000 (12,000 )
Sky Blue FC
Yurcak Field
5,000
Washington Spirit
Maryland SoccerPlex
5,126
Western New York Flash
Sahlen's Stadium
13,768
Locations of teams for the 2015 National Women's Soccer League season.
Note: All of the teams use Nike as their kit manufacturer.
Player acquisition
Players were acquired through the 2015 Allocation of national team players on January 14[ 6]
and the 2015 NWSL College Draft on January 16,[ 7]
as well as free agency and trades.
Notable acquisitions and losses
Carli Lloyd , the scoring and assist leader for the US women's national team in 2014,[ 8] was traded from the Western New York Flash to the Houston Dash on October 16, 2014.[ 9]
Heather O'Reilly , the scoring and assist leader for the Boston Breakers in 2014,[ 10] was traded from Boston to FC Kansas City on October 27, 2014.[ 11]
Samantha Kerr , the leading scorer for the Western New York Flash in 2014,[ 10] was traded from Western New York to Sky Blue FC on November 24, 2014.[ 12]
Sophie Schmidt , a veteran Allocated Player for the Canadian women's national team , announced in January 2015 she would not play for either Sky Blue FC or the NWSL in order to focus on the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup .[ 6]
Morgan Brian , the two-time Hermann Trophy winner, was chosen No. 1 overall by the Houston Dash in the College Draft on January 16, 2015.[ 7]
Jessica McDonald , the leading scorer for the Portland Thorns in 2014,[ 10] was traded from Portland to the Houston Dash during the draft on January 16, 2015.[ 13]
Jodie Taylor , the leading scorer for the Washington Spirit in 2014,[ 10] was traded from Washington to the Portland Thorns during the draft on January 16, 2015.[ 14]
Abby Wambach , the scoring and assist leader for the Western New York Flash in 2013,[ 15] announced on March 18, 2015, she would not play for either Western New York or the NWSL in order to focus on the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup .[ 16] Her rights were subsequently traded to the Seattle Reign in exchange for Sydney Leroux .
Each team will play a total of 20 games, 10 home and 10 away.
Each team will play all opponents twice, once home and once away, plus four opponents an extra time, split two opponents at home and two away.
The four teams at the end of the season with the most points will qualify for the playoffs.
Results table
[ 17]
Abbreviation and Color Key:Boston Breakers – BOS • Chicago Red Stars – CHI • Houston Dash – HOU • 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
Boston Breakers
POR
HOU
WNY
CHI
POR
NJ
KC
WAS
SEA
WNY
KC
CHI
CHI
NJ
SEA
POR
WAS
KC
SEA
HOU
4–1
3–2
3–1
3–0
1–0
1–1
1–0
1–1
2–3
0–2
2–3
1–1
1–2
3–1
1–2
5–2
2–1
3–0
1–3
0–1
Chicago Red Stars
SEA
POR
NJ
BOS
HOU
KC
SEA
WNY
NJ
HOU
BOS
BOS
WAS
KC
POR
NJ
WAS
WNY
WNY
HOU
3–2
2–2
1–0
3–0
2–2
1–2
0–0
3–1
0–3
1–2
1–1
1–2
1–1
2–2
2–1
1–1
1–2
0–0
0–2
1–1
Houston Dash
WAS
NJ
BOS
KC
CHI
POR
NJ
POR
WNY
WAS
CHI
KC
WNY
KC
WAS
NJ
SEA
SEA
BOS
CHI
2–0
1–1
3–2
0–2
2–2
0–1
1–1
0–0
2–0
1–0
1–2
1–1
0–1
3–2
3–1
0–2
1–2
0–3
1–0
1–1
FC Kansas City
NJ
WAS
SEA
HOU
WNY
WNY
CHI
BOS
POR
SEA
WAS
BOS
HOU
HOU
CHI
WNY
POR
BOS
WAS
NJ
0–1
3–1
1–0
0–2
0–1
0–0
1–2
1–0
1–1
2–1
3–0
2–3
1–1
3–2
2–2
4–0
3–0
3–0
0–0
2–3
Portland Thorns FC
BOS
WNY
CHI
WAS
BOS
HOU
WAS
HOU
KC
NJ
NJ
SEA
SEA
WNY
BOS
CHI
KC
NJ
WAS
WNY
4–1
1–0
2–2
2–2
1–0
0–1
2–1
0–0
1–1
2–1
1–0
0–1
3–0
0–2
5–2
2–1
3–0
1–0
3–3
2–3
Seattle Reign FC
WNY
CHI
KC
WAS
NJ
CHI
NJ
BOS
KC
WNY
WNY
WAS
POR
POR
BOS
HOU
HOU
BOS
NJ
WAS
5–1
3–2
1–0
3–1
1–1
0–0
3–0
2–3
2–1
1–1
4–2
3–0
0–1
3–0
1–2
2–1
0–3
3–1
1–1
1–2
Sky Blue FC
KC
HOU
WAS
CHI
SEA
WAS
BOS
HOU
SEA
CHI
POR
POR
WNY
BOS
WNY
HOU
CHI
POR
SEA
KC
0–1
1–1
1–3
1–0
1–1
1–0
1–1
1–1
3–0
0–3
2–1
1–0
3–3
3–1
1–2
0–2
1–1
1–0
1–1
2–3
Washington Spirit
HOU
KC
NJ
SEA
POR
NJ
WNY
POR
BOS
HOU
KC
SEA
CHI
HOU
BOS
WNY
CHI
KC
POR
SEA
2–0
3–1
1–3
3–1
2–2
1–0
3–2
2–1
1–1
1–0
3–0
3–0
1–1
3–1
2–1
1–1
1–2
0–0
3–3
1–2
Western New York Flash
SEA
POR
BOS
KC
KC
WAS
CHI
HOU
BOS
SEA
SEA
NJ
HOU
POR
NJ
KC
WAS
CHI
CHI
POR
5–1
1–0
3–1
0–1
0–0
3–2
3–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
4–2
3–3
0–1
0–2
1–2
4–0
1–1
0–0
0–2
3–2
Scores listed as home-away
League standings
Tiebreakers
The initial determining factor for a team's position in the standings is most points earned, with three points earned for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. If two or more teams tie in point total, when determining rank and playoff qualification and seeding, the NWSL uses the following tiebreaker rules, going down the list until all teams are ranked.
If two teams tie:
Head-to-head win–loss record between the two teams.
Greater goal difference across the entire season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
Greatest total number of goals scored (against all teams).
Apply #1–3 to games played on the road.
Apply #1–3 to games played at home.
If teams are still equal, ranking will be determined by a coin toss.
If three or more teams tie, the following rules apply until only two teams remain tied, at which point the two-team tiebreakers listed above are used:
Points per game against all other tied teams (total all points earned in games against tied teams and divide by games played against tied teams).
Greater goal difference across the entire season (against all teams, not just tied teams).
Weekly live standings
Considering each week to end on a Sunday
Statistical leaders
Top scorers
As of September 6, 2015[ 18]
Top assists
As of September 6, 2015[ 18]
Goalkeeping
As of September 6, 2015[ 18]
(Minimum of 900 minutes played)
NWSL Playoffs
The top four teams from the regular season will compete for the NWSL Championship.
Semi-finals
Championship
Individual awards
Monthly awards
Weekly awards
Annual awards
NWSL Best XI [ 52]
Position
First team
Second team
Goalkeeper
Michelle Betos
Portland Thorns FC
45 saves
Nicole Barnhart
FC Kansas City
8 shutouts
Defender
Lauren Barnes
Seattle Reign FC
1,800 minutes
Stephanie Cox
Seattle Reign FC
1,800 minutes
Defender
Julie Johnston
Chicago Red Stars
1.10 team GAA
Kendall Fletcher
Seattle Reign FC
2 goals, 2 assists
Defender
Amy LePeilbet
FC Kansas City
1,800 minutes
Arin Gilliland
Chicago Red Stars
1.10 team GAA
Defender
Becky Sauerbrunn
FC Kansas City
1.00 team GAA
Leigh Ann Robinson
FC Kansas City
1,800 minutes
Midfielder
Jess Fishlock
Seattle Reign FC
8 goals, 2 assists
Danielle Colaprico
Chicago Red Stars
1,776 minutes
Midfielder
Kim Little
Seattle Reign FC
10 goals, 7 assists
Lauren Holiday
FC Kansas City
2 goals, 2 assists
Midfielder
Allie Long
Portland Thorns FC
10 goals, 4 assists
Carli Lloyd
Houston Dash
4 goals
FW // MF
Crystal Dunn
Washington Spirit
15 goals, 3 assists
Keelin Winters
Seattle Reign FC
1,654 minutes
Forward
Christen Press
Chicago Red Stars
10 goals, 2 assists
Sofia Huerta
Chicago Red Stars
6 goals, 3 assists
Forward
Beverly Yanez
Seattle Reign FC
9 goals
Megan Rapinoe
Seattle Reign FC
5 goals, 5 assists
References
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External links
Official website
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International
Club competitions
CONCACAF Champions League
National teams