The Utah Royals won again this weekend, downing the Denver Summit 2-1. Afterward, the players celebrated in the huddle with smiles all around.<\/p>\n
Was it the win that sparked the joyous mood? Of course, in part. But it was also because coach Jimmy Coenraets gave the team a couple of days off.<\/p>\n
Coenraets even joked that he announced the team\u2019s break before Mina Tanaka could ask, because she\u2019s always the first to inquire about days off. <\/p>\n
Certainly, the league-leading Royals deserve it.<\/p>\n
A look at the stats<\/h2>\n
Utah currently sits atop the NWSL standings, helped by a Portland loss this weekend. The Royals are 7-2-2, and a riding a club record nine-game unbeaten streak.<\/p>\n
The Royals have won more games this season than they did all of last season, when they finished 6-13-7 and in 12th place. They\u2019ve allowed opponents just eight goals, tied for second fewest in the league, while scoring 16. <\/p>\n
Against the Summit, Kiana Palacios scored her first goal as a Royal and Mina Tanaka converted a penalty kick. Tanaka has contributed to the game-winner in five of Utah\u2019s seven wins this season. <\/p>\n
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Building a winning culture<\/h2>\n
So what\u2019s the secret? The players point to chemistry. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think truthfully, we keep talking about likability, but I do think when you\u2019re out on the pitch, you just, you don\u2019t want to make a mistake, you don\u2019t want to let anybody down, but also if somebody does make a mistake, we\u2019re the first ones to step up, and someone will take care of business one way or another,\u201d forward Cloe Lacasse said.<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s also a sense that this Royals team isn\u2019t afraid of hard work. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was speaking to CeCe (Delzer) after the game, and we just shared a moment, like, look, where we\u2019re coming from, like, look where we\u2019ve been, where we\u2019re coming from, how we\u2019re building on everything,\u201d Coenraets said. \u201cAnd her answer was clear, just keep this going until the end of the season, just do what we have at practice every single time, as much as sometimes it ain\u2019t fun, but we got to do what we got to do, and it\u2019s resolving into something at the minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark\u201d<\/strong> is out now!<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Howard Megdal\u2019s newest book is here! \u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar\u201d captures both the historic nature of Clark\u2019s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible, including interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder (who also wrote the foreword), C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and many others.<\/p>\n The wins are making a difference, and not just in terms of the table. Attendance in Sandy for the Denver match was 19,274, more than double Utah\u2019s season average, which sat around 8,000 a game prior to Saturday\u2019s win.<\/p>\n \u201cI think when we have a lot of people that came out today, it definitely feels like it\u2019s a different type of game, and so hopefully by winning today those people will come out more and watch us play, because obviously it motivates us to keep on going and to keep on fighting till the end,\u201d Palacios said. <\/p>\n Up next for Utah is a road game at second-place Portland, and then the men\u2019s World Cup break. Obviously, a victory would be a satisfying way to head into summer vacation.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the focus is, for me, it\u2019s just to have fun and not put that pressure upon us, like, \u2018Oh my, if we win, we\u2019re gonna be first place,’\u201d Palacios said. \u201cI think, honestly, just playing how we play, and just giving it our all.\u201d<\/p>\n Your business can reach over 3 million women\u2019s sports fans every single month!<\/strong> Is this NWSL\u2019s red card era? <\/a><\/p>\n Ad Age on how the NWSL plans to capitalize on the men\u2019s World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n Is Seattle leading the pack on the Sam Kerr sweepstakes?<\/a><\/p>\n NWSL exploring inter-league matches<\/a><\/p>\n This is sad: Spokane Zephyr shuts down<\/a><\/p>\n North Korea women win Asian Champions League final<\/a><\/p>\n Barcelona defeats Lyon to win the Women\u2019s Champions League<\/a><\/p>\n Club America downs the Washington Spirit for the CONCACAF Champions Cup<\/a><\/p>\n Imani Dorsey is at Duke, promoting sustainability in athletics<\/a><\/p>\n Lindsey Heaps is the \u201cheart and soul\u201d of women\u2019s soccer<\/a><\/p>\n Nice profile of the Portland Cherry Bombs<\/a><\/p>\n Mondays: Soccer<\/strong>
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\nMaking an impact<\/h2>\n
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Here at The IX Basketball<\/a> and The IX Sports<\/a>, our audience is a collection of the smartest, most passionate women\u2019s sports fans in the world. If your business has a mission to serve these fans, reach out to our team at BAlarie@theixsports.com<\/a> to discuss ways to work together.<\/p>\n
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\nLinks<\/h2>\n
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By: Annie Peterson,\u00a0@AnnieMPeterson<\/a>,\u00a0AP Women\u2019s Soccer<\/em>
Tuesdays: Tennis<\/strong>
By: Joey Dillon,\u00a0@JoeyDillon<\/a>,\u00a0Freelance Tennis Writer<\/strong><\/em>
Wednesdays: Basketball<\/strong>
By: Howard Megdal,\u00a0@HowardMegdal<\/a>,\u00a0The\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>IX Sports<\/em><\/strong>
Thursdays: Golf<\/strong>
By: Marin Dremock,\u00a0@MDremock<\/a>, The IX Sports<\/strong><\/em>
Fridays: Hockey<\/strong>
By:\u00a0@TheIceGarden<\/a>,\u00a0The Ice Garden<\/strong><\/em>
Saturdays:\u00a0Gymnastics<\/strong>
By: Jessica Taylor Price,\u00a0@jesstaylorprice<\/a>, Freelance\u00a0Writer<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nRelated<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n