Three OL Reign Players Named to NWSL Best XI of the Month, Presented by Mastercard for March/April

The National Women’s Soccer League announced today the 11 players named to the Best XI of the Month, presented by Mastercard, for the months of March and April by the NWSL Media Association and the NWSL’s on-air broadcast talent. Seven teams are represented in the league’s Top 11.

OL Reign has three players in the league’s March/April Best XI of the Month, which is tied for the most selections in the league. All three of OL Reign’s selections – goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, midfielder Jess Fishlock and forward Bethany Balcer – started in all five games throughout March and April.

Within the five games, goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce recorded 15 saves and two clean sheets, bringing her all-time total to 80 saves and 11 clean sheets. The 26-year-old tied the all-time club record for clean sheets and moved up to fourth all-time in saves in club history. Since the 2022 season, the goalkeeper hasn’t missed a game, appearing in 27 consecutive regular season games - not allowing more than three goals in any of those matches. Additionally, OL Reign is one of five teams to not allow more than three goals in a game in 2023. This award marks Tullis-Joyce’s second Best XI of the Month selection of her career.

Midfielder Jess Fishlock scored three goals throughout the five games played in March/April, tied for the second most in the league. The 11th-year veteran surpassed 40 goals all-time, earning her 40th and 41st goals against the Chicago Red Stars in Week 4. The brace marked the third of her career since the 2016 season. Fishlock is one of 10 players in league history to break 40 goals all-time and currently sits at ninth in total goals in league history. The Welsh international is tied for seventh in the league in shots (12) this season. Since the award began in 2017, Fishlock has been selected to the Team of the Month five times.

Forward Bethany Balcer earned the second Best XI of the Month selection of her career for recording three goals and one assist in five appearances. The fifth-year attacker is one of three players this season to register at least three goals and one assist. Balcer also recorded a brace against the Red Stars, joining teammate Jess Fishlock, marking the third brace of her career and first since 2021. Balcer reached 25 goals all-time, becoming the fourth player in club history to cross this milestone, joining forward Megan Rapinoe (48), Jess Fishlock (41) and midfielder Kim Little (32).

NWSL MARCH/APRIL TEAM OF THE MONTH PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD:

GK – Phallon Tullis-Joyce (RGN): Stopping 15 shots to help her team to a 3-1-1 regular season record through last month, Tullis-Joyce earned her 10th and 11th career shutouts of the regular season. The goalkeeper’s shutout performance against San Diego Wave FC on April 15 also earned her Week 3 Player of the Week honors.

D – Naomi Girma (SD): The reigning Defender of the Year picked up where she left off last season, winning defensive half possession a league high 35 times and garnering an 88 percent passing accuracy rating across six matches on the San Diego back line.

D – Emily Fox (NC): Settling in with her new club, the North Carolina defender won 21 duels, made 10 interceptions and assisted on the lone goal in the Courage’s 1-0 win over the Houston Dash on April 28.

D – Becky Sauerbrunn (POR): A mainstay on the Portland backline, Sauerbrunn appeared in four matches across March and April, recording seven blocks, three interceptions and an 80 percent passing accuracy rating.

D – Sam Staab (WAS): Staab’s solid play in the Washington Spirit’s defensive half helped her team to a spot in the top four of the league’s standings through two months. In addition, the defender etched her name in the NWSL history books last Saturday when she broke the league’s consecutive starts record, appearing in her 73rd straight match as the Spirit drew the Chicago Red Stars, 1-1, at SeatGeek Stadium.

M – Debinha (KC): The goals have come naturally to Brazilian international Debinha, who has scored four times through five matches with Kansas City, a league best among midfielders. Last Sunday, the midfielder recorded her fourth career multi-goal game in a regular season with a brace in the Current’s 2-0 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC.

M – Crystal Dunn (POR): Dunn scored two goals for the Thorns this month, including the opening goal in Portland’s 4-1 rout of Kansas City and the team’s lone goal in a 1-1 draw against Houston. Dunn has also won 26 duels and seven tackles.

M – Jess Fishlock (RGN): Scoring in every regular season to date, Fishlock has added three goals, including a brace, to her ledger in 2023. Of the trio of tallies, two have come as game-winners for the Seattle-based club.

F – Bethany Balcer (RGN): Balcer leads her team in scoring with three goals and an assist. In addition, the Hudsonville, Michigan native’s brace in OL Reign’s 5-2 win against Chicago is her third career two-goal game, and her first since 2021.

F – Sophia Smith (POR): The NWSL’s reigning MVP, Smith currently leads the league in total scoring with four goals and four assists. The forward also tops the league charts in shots on target with 16 and was the Week 2 Player of the Week following her hat trick performance in Portland’s 4-1 win over Kansas City.

F – Lynn Williams (NJNY): Williams jumped out to a fast start with her new club, tallying four goals, including three game winners, in six matches with Gotham FC. The two-time Player of the Week forward has also put 14 shots on target so far this season, good for second in the league.

Mastercard and the NWSL launched the Best XI of the Month awards platform with the First Team and Second Team honors for the 22 top players of the league after the 2021 season. Mastercard believes that our world is full of brilliant possibilities and unlocking the potential in every person across all parts of their life is what Priceless is all about. The development of the Best XI is a further commitment from the company to connect NWSL fans to the league and the athletes they love.
 
The NWSL Best XI 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, and the NWSL’s on-air broadcast talent.