ORLANDO, Fla. (May 27, 2016) – After a two-week hiatus, Orlando Pride (5-6-0, 15 points) returns to the pitch to host the Boston Breakers (1-9-1, 4 points) on Sunday evening at Camping World Stadium. The Pride will be looking for three points against the Breakers, which could catapult the Club into playoff position as it enters an important stretch of July games.
Sunday’s match can be watched live locally on Bright House Sports Network (Ch. 47/Ch. 1147HD). The game will also be streamed at orlando-pride.com/live or can be followed on Twitter through the Pride’s official account, @ORLPride.
“[Boston] is obviously a team that’s gone through a bad spell but you can get misled by some of the things that are going against them at the moment. It’s like anything: you get on a winning streak and things go for you, you get on a losing streak and things go against you,” Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “But I think they are going to be a competitive team. I sense they are going to dig in and see this as an opportunity for them because we’ve lost so many players [due to the Olympics]. I think it’s going to be a tough battle.”
The Breakers are currently at the bottom of the table, but the teams will enter the match with a new look as both clubs will be missing their international players due to Olympic call-ups.
The Pride will be one of the clubs most affected by the Rio Games, as six starters will be missing from the lineup until August. Missing will be forward Alex Morgan, defenders Steph Catley, Laura Alleway, Monica and Joseé Bélanger, and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris. However, the expansion side was constructed with this stretch of matches in mind.
“We knew [the call-ups were] coming along and part of the reason we’ve signed the players we have and why we try to get the balance in the squad that we’ve got, is to cope with it,” Sermanni noted.
With the international matches, the Pride will also recall amateur players Megan Dorsey, Sierra Lelii, Kim Reynolds and Allie Wisner.
Sunday will also mark the first match for newly signed goalkeeper Kaitlyn Savage. The 2015-16 W-League Goalkeeper of the Year joined the Pride on Wednesday, after Pride backup Aubrey Bledsoe suffered a fractured fibula earlier in the season.
With a bye last week, the Pride will be looking to rebound from a tough loss on June 26 against top-seeded Portland Thorns FC. The Pride held a 1-0 lead late in the match, but the Thorns scored two goals in the final 11 minutes, including a 90th minute match-winner, to hand the Pride their first home loss.
Forward Jasmyne Spencer scored her second goal of the season in the match with a long-distance shot that beat Michelle Betos. Spencer also scored in the Pride’s previous match, a late goal that helped Orlando beat Houston on June 23.
Boston comes to Central Florida on the heels of a 2-0 defeat at defending Shield winner Seattle Reign FC. The Breakers have just a single win so far this season, having been outscored 24-3 through 11 matches.
Tickets to all Pride home games are available at orlando-pride.com or by phone at 855-ORL-CITY.
Allie Wisner
Jersey Number: 15
Position: Forward
Height: 5-7
Born: October 12, 1990
Hometown: Bozeman, Mont.
Citizenship: USA
College: University of Utah
Pronunciation: Ale-EE WIZ-ner
Kim Reynolds
Jersey Number: 20
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-7
Born: November 24, 1987
Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
Citizenship: USA
College: University of Central Florida
Megan Dorsey
Jersey Number: 22
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6-0
Born: January 16, 1992
Hometown: Melbourne, Fla.
Citizenship: USA
College: University of North Florida
Pronunciation: Door-SEE
Sierra Lelii
Jersey Number: 24
Position: Forward
Height: 5-7
Born: May 4, 1993
Hometown: Seminole, Fla.
Citizenship: USA
College: Novasoutheastern University
Pronunciation: Lell-EE
