NWSL Announces September/October Best XI of the Month, Presented by Mastercard
Women's Soccer

NWSL Announces September/October Best XI of the Month, Presented by Mastercard

Liam White

National Women's Soccer League

October 14, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) News Release

NEW YORK - 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 September and October by the NWSL Media Association. Headlined by Player of the Month Debinha, seven teams are represented in the league’s Top 11, including three selections from OL Reign, two from the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns FC, and the Chicago Red Stars, Kansas City Current, Racing Louisville FC and San Diego Wave FC with one selection each.  


GK – Katie Lund (LOU): Earning her first Best XI of the Month selection, Lund broke the NWSL single-season saves record in Louisville’s regular-season finale, finishing with a league-high 112 saves in 22 matches.

D – Alana Cook (RGN): Appearing in every minute of play for OL Reign in September and October’s regular season contests, Cook’s stout defense helped her team to its third NWSL Shield in club history and the first since 2015.

D – Naomi Girma (SD): A four-time Best XI of the Month selection, Girma was solid on the San Diego backline, helping her team to its first playoff berth and earning her second Rookie of the Month distinction this season.

D – Hailie Mace (KC): Mace appeared in all but 10 minutes of play throughout September and October and enjoyed a two-goal stretch, including the game-winning tally in a 1-0 victory over NJ/NY Gotham FC on September 11.

D – Carson Pickett (NC): Earning her fourth Best XI of the Month honor this year, Pickett was an integral piece for the Courage both defensively and offensively, finishing the regular season tied for first in the league in assists with six feeds.

M – Sam Coffey (POR): The league’s Rookie of the Month in June, Coffey has continued her on-field production through the summer, scoring a goal and an assist in her final two matches of the regular season.

M – Vanessa DiBernardo (CHI): Appearing in all but five minutes of play in Chicago’s last five games, the midfielder contributed a crucial assist in the Red Stars’ 2-0 win-and-in victory over Angel City FC on October 2.

M – Rose Lavelle (RGN): Lavelle was hugely productive in the Reign midfield and tallied back-to-back goals in September to help extend the team’s unbeaten streak to seven games.

F – Debinha (NC): In her final five matches of the season, the Brazilian international tallied an astonishing seven goals, including two braces and a hat trick, to lead the league in scoring throughout the month of September. The forward finished third in the 2022 NWSL Golden Boot race with 12 tallies.

F – Megan Rapinoe (RGN): Last month’s Player of the Month, Rapinoe picked up right where she left off, scoring three game-winning goals and registering 14 shots to lead OL Reign to the NWSL Shield and a first-round bye in the 2022 NWSL Playoffs.

F – Sophia Smith (POR): Finishing second in this year’s Golden Boot race, Smith enjoyed a productive stretch of play in the Thorns’ final five games of the regular season, tallying three goals, including her league-leading fourth brace of the year.

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 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.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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