NWSL Team of the Week: Chicago Stars’ Alyssa Naeher gets double honors with late-game heroics

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The volume is cranked up on the second half of the 202 NWSL regular season. The weekend slate of matches offered multiple examples of the chaos NWSL matches can bring, with high-scoring draws and game-changing goals by goalkeepers as highlights during week 15. There are just 10 weeks remaining in the season, and the margins are getting narrower between teams, no matter the standings, so that means it’s time for another NWSL Team of the Week by Attacking Third.

Whether it’s first-place Kansas City Current or 13th-place Chicago Stars FC, there are nine NWSL clubs represented on our week 16 team. After weekly fixtures across the 2025 NWSL campaign, Attacking Third analysts select a best XI, head coach, and honorary captain based on performances across the weekend.  If you’re keeping track of who has been on our past lineups, make sure to look back at our best XI from week 15. 

Week 17 will be here quicker than a flash, and fans can watch select NWSL regular season matches across CBS platforms, including CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

Let’s break down the standout performers who defined NWSL’s triumphant return. Take a look at our best XI:

Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Stars FC)

Goalkeepers in NWSL make it difficult to narrow things down to one best keeper to rule them all, but this week, Chicago Stars FC keeper Alyssa Naeher is that player. Not only did she score a late-game equalizer, but more history was made by the veteran player as her positioning earned her a spot on our best XI not once, but twice. Make sure to check out where else she landed on our team of the week. 

Defender: Natalie Jacobs (Houston Dash)

The entire first half of the NWSL season presented some massive growing pains for Houston. Poor performances, conceding goals, not scoring, and a feeling of more of the same for another season. That’s not the case in the second half of the year, and Houston’s elevated performances have earned wins and a first time defensive best XI honor on our team of the week for Natalie Jacobs. She led the backline in tackles (three) and duels (10).

Defender: Ellie Jean (Racing Louisville FC)

Racing Louisville are maneuvering their long season a little bit differently than in years past. They were in playoff contention last before the summer break, and three weeks back into the second half of the season, and they’re still in the upper half of the table, two points shy of the playoff line. Scrappy games with chaotic finishes have played a role, and so has defender Ellie Jean.

“I think that she has been dynamite all season long,” said Lori Lindsey on Attacking Third. “if you look at one player on their team that has elevated their game, has been such a catalyst for their togetherness, and the way that they play. I feel like no doubt, Ellie Jean. So, want to sing her praises and [was] big part of why they got the tie on the road against Washington.”

Defender: Kayla Sharples (Kansas City Current)

Under tough heat warnings at home, Kayla Sharples helped anchor the backline against second-place rivals Orlando Pride. The centerback has emerged as the face of Kansas City’s defense and has become a staple of their stingy defense as a cleansheet leader. A hot summer delay be dammed, Sharlpes and the backline now lead the league with nine cleansheets.

Defender: Emily Sams (Orlando Pride)

Orlando have had their points come with more narrow scorelines this season, and defender Emily Sams is a huge factor week to week. She brings the crunch with her tackles whenever she’s on the hunt to snuff out attacks, and week 15 was no different.

“I thought she was like, insane. Sometimes I’m like, ‘How are your legs still attached?’ Which is always, like, perplexing. But [Orlando] had a little bit of a tactical adjustment where they went with, like, a tight back four,” Lindsey explained on Attacking Third.

“Usually, it’s Carson Pickett that they released on the left side. But this time they released Sams and against Izzy Rodriguez for Kansas City, who will be more of an attacker than a left back. I thought Sams timed her decisions of when to go and be aggressive against Rodriguez, also, while having to be mindful of taking care of Chawinga and at least limiting her impact. So, Sams, I thought, was tremendous, especially after they lost Banda; they knew they were going to have to defend because there wasn’t going to be as much of an outlet up top.”

Midfielder: Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)

Olivia Moultrie is only 19 years old, but she’s already a long-time Thorns legend who’s been with the club since she was 13 in its youth academy. She’s four years past her first regular season debut in 2021, and her week 16 goal for the Thorns levels her with Jaedyn Shaw (now 20 years old) for most NWSL goals by a teenager, a record Moultrie can potentially break this season. 

Midfielder: Kenza Dali (San Diego Wave FC)

The France international put on a master clinic in the midfield. She’s been a fairly consistent presence on our weekly lineups, and this time is no different. Her long-distance, no-hesitation finish on San Diego’s game-winner has her right back on our team of the week. 

“I love watching her, since she’s come to the NWSL and the goal that she scored … She was the one that created that build up, and then she continues her run to get in the box to receive it again, and ends up finishing it,” former player McCall Zerboni said on Attacking Third. 

“Midfielders that create their own goals. for me, that is just incredible … She’s not a massive goal scorer, but when she has that opportunity to get credit, [because] she’s always setting up others and doing all the dirty work, just chef’s kiss for me.”

Midfielder: Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current)

After a three-hour delay due to excessive heat, midfielder Claire Hutton still brought the extra gas for the midfield tank in week 15. The 19-year-old central midfielder had the best chance on goal for Kansas City and was ruled offside, but her efforts off the ball were equally impressive, too.

“She’s playing against Orlando Pride, a youngster, not even 20 years old, yet, playing against one of the top teams in the league, top midfield players in the world [Marta],” Zerboni explained. 

“She was shining. She stood out to me. She was clean, she was sharp, she was defensively solid, making her tackles, stringing passes together. I mean, she’s a standout, and she really shined the other night against Orlando for me.”

Forward: Jordan Huitema (Seattle Reign FC)

Sometimes it’s about how you make an impact with the time you’re given. Forward Makenzy Robbe was the difference maker for San Diego this week. Her late-game goal made her the 14th goal scorer on the Wave this season.

Forward: Sofia Cantore (Washington Spirit)

It hasn’t taken long for Sofia Cantore to make an impact with the Washington Spirit. The Italy international already made history as the first-ever Italian player to sign in NWSL and now she has her first goal in the league. An absolute cracker from distance by the 2025 UEFA women’s Euro semifinalist to introduce herself to NWSL audiences

Forward: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Stars FC)

Alyssa Naeher is no stranger to converting (and saving) penalties, but down a goal late in the game on the road in Seattle, the goalkeeper stood tall in the six-yard box on a set piece to score an equalizer. 

Coach: Ella Masar (Chicago Stars FC)

Interim-head coach Ella Masar cracks the best XI for a second consecutive week. The Chicago Stars are unbeaten in three games, the three wild draws coming under the guidance of Masar, with a reinvigorated sense of nothing left to lose. The self-belief has become contagious, and the 13th-place side have rapidly become the most frustrating team to play against if you’re a squad fighting against Chicago’s strangulating grit to stay in the mix. 

Honorary Captain: Kansas City Current fans

A three-hour delay due to heat meant that plenty of fans made the call best for themselves and their families on whether to stick around for a game or not. But even with a smaller crowd at kickoff, Kansas City faithful showed once more why they’re some of the best supporters in the league. Sticking it out for the players and each other is just part of the special season Kansas City are putting together.

This news was originally published on this post .

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