Jess Fishlock and Megan Rapinoe Named to NWSL Team of the Month

The National Women’s Soccer League has named OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock and forward Megan Rapinoe to the NWSL Team of the Month for August. Fishlock and Rapinoe helped OL Reign to a 3-1-0 record through the month of August. 

Started in 2017, the Team of Month award recognizes the 11 players who have performed the best in a given month of the NWSL season. The NWSL Team of the Month is selected each month of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis. This month’s team features players from six of 10 teams in the league. 

Fishlock started all four of OL Reign’s matches in August and played a total of 336 minutes. She scored one goal and added three assists, including an assist again OL Reign’s biggest rivals, the Portland Thorns, at Lumen Field on August 29th. The hardworking midfielder has received this honor four time before, in May of this year, as well as June 2019 and April and June 2017. 

Rapinoe, who was just named NWSL Player of the Month for August, returned to OL Reign from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics earlier in the month and played two games with the team. She started both of those matches played 172 minutes. Described as a player who can be counted on to show up in big moments, Rapinoe did just that, as she netted two goals in each of the games she played in, in addition to earning one assist. Rapinoe has received this honor four times before, in March and July 2018 and June and July 2017. 

NWSL Team of the Month in August: 

GK – Casey Murphy (NCC): Murphy earned four clean slates en route to an unbeaten 3-0-1 record for the Courage in August, making 19 saves throughout the month, including nine in the team’s 4-0 win over Kansas City.  

D – Caprice Dydasco (NJNY): Named to every team of the month so far this season, Dydasco once again showed her ability to both defend the back line and jump into the attack, completing 62 percent of tackles in and tallying an assist in Gotham’s 2-1 loss to Portland. Dydasco sits second in the league in assists.  

D – Ali Krieger (ORL): Another mainstay on defense, Krieger played in every minute of action throughout August, and contributed an assist in Orlando’s 2-0 win over Chicago.  

D – Emily Menges (POR): Menges was once again solid in Portland’s defensive half this month, completing 85 percent of passes in the back and 70 percent of tackles to help the Thorns to a 3-1-1 ledger in August.  

D – Carson Pickett (NCC): The league’s assist leader with five on the season, Pickett was integral in the Courage’s offense this month, contributing two assists in North Carolina’s 4-0 rout of Kansas City.  

M – Jess Fishlock (RGN): Fishlock was solid in the midfield for her club throughout August, marked by her one goal-two assist performance in the Reign’s 5-1 win over Houston on August 7. The midfielder also tallied an assist on the opening goal in the club’s 2-1 victory against the Portland Thorns.  

M – Denise O’Sullivan (NCC): Appearing in every minute of every game during August, O’Sullivan contributed over 360 minutes to the Courage attack with a passer rating of 87 percent, helping the team to an unbeaten month with a 3-0-1 record.   

M – Angela Salem (POR): Salem’s presence in the Portland midfield helped the Thorns to a 3-1-1 record during the month, which included a highlight-reel goal in Portland’s rivalry game against OL Reign. The midfielder also earned a season-high three shots in Portland’s 2-1 win over Gotham.  

F – Nadia Nadim (LOU): In an incredibly productive month for the Racing forward, Nadim notched two goals and an assist throughout the month, including the opening goal in a 1-1 draw against Gotham FC and the game-winning goal in a 3-1 victory over Kansas City.  

F – Ifeoma Onumonu (NJNY): Comfortably in contention for this season’s golden boot, Onumonu tallied four goals across the month of August for a total of seven on the year, including a brace in Gotham FC’s 3-2 setback against OL Reign on August 21. The forward also tallied Gotham FC’s only goals in a pair of draws against Houston and Louisville.  

F – Megan Rapinoe (RGN): The August player of the month, Rapinoe returned from the Tokyo Olympics in style, tallying two braces and four goals throughout the month, including the game-winning goals in OL Reign’s wins over Gotham FC and Portland.