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Welcome back to your weekly column from Sports Illustrated breaking down the women's soccer weekend through a U.S. women's national team lens.
Unfortunately, several prominent USWNT names are now on the injury radar following this weekend's action. The full extent of their conditions remains unclear. Lindsey Heaps was a late withdrawal from the Denver Summit's 2–0 midweek loss to the North Carolina Courage, and she subsequently missed the Summit's 2–1 weekend victory over the Utah Royals due to a knee concern. Mal Swanson entered as a substitute for the Chicago Stars but lasted just over 30 minutes before being substituted off with a knee injury of her own.
On a more positive note, the other two members of the USWNT's Triple Espresso attacking trio, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Wilson, both found the net for their respective clubs this weekend. Each player now sits on nine goals for the season, placing them joint-third in the Golden Boot standings.
Let's break down who saw their stock rise and fall over the past weekend.
Stock Up
Pietra Tordin
What a campaign young Pietra Tordin is putting together. The 22-year-old Portland Thorns attacker netted the first hat trick of her professional career — in just 37 minutes, no less — during a 4–3 victory over the Boston Legacy on Sunday. Those strikes push her season tally to seven goals. No player in the NWSL this season has more combined goals and assists than Tordin (15).
Tordin's raw numbers alone make her a legitimate NWSL MVP candidate. But what should catch the eye of USWNT head coach Emma Hayes is the caliber of Tordin's finishing. Each of her three goals demanded a different technique, and each was executed to near perfection. The first was a powerful, swerving direct free kick. The second, a delicately placed low curling finish. The third, an audacious chip over the goalkeeper after a blistering run through the center of the pitch. Tordin brings a complete package to the table. Well-established through the U.S. youth system, she is firmly knocking on the door of a senior USWNT call-up.
A CHIP. A HAT TRICK. A GOALKEEPER ASSIST. THIS GOAL HAS EVERYTHING.
Pietra Tordin completes the first-half hat trick ‼️ pic.twitter.com/2sRZHMQn6B
Emma Sears
Things have finally clicked into gear for Emma Sears and Racing Louisville. Sears bagged a brace to end a five-game scoring drought as Racing cruised to a 3–1 win over the Orlando Pride. The double gave her season a significant boost, lifting her 2026 goal tally to four.
Sears has dealt with some availability concerns of late, while Racing's first-half-of-season form has left much to be desired. Last weekend felt like a return to the fearless, dynamic dribbling that defines her game. A starting berth with the USWNT may feel distant, but the role of an explosive wide impact substitute remains well within her reach.
This angle of Emma Sears' goal 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/UOC6qpAA9G
Jordynn Dudley
For the second consecutive week, Jordynn Dudley is earning her recognition. The 21-year-old Gotham forward provided the assist for Jaedyn Shaw's match-winning goal in a 1–0 victory over the San Diego Wave. Continuing to expand her skill set, Dudley's standout quality was her composure in a tight, physical 50-50 challenge. She refused to surrender possession, pressed for the ball, and ultimately found the right moment to slip the pass into the perfect area of the pitch.
While Dudley's assist was the highlight, it was once again her all-around creative influence throughout the match that made her so difficult to contain. She created four chances and completed three dribbles against the Wave — the highest of any player in both categories. Off the ball, she was equally relentless, winning 10 of 11 duels. Even without a goal to her name, her importance to Gotham — and potentially the USWNT in the near future — cannot be overstated.
Jaedyn Shaw had that perfect bend on it 🤌
Jaedyn Shaw puts Gotham FC ahead 1-0! pic.twitter.com/EHvrEechBB
Stock Down
Jameese Joseph
The goal drought rolls on for the Chicago Stars forward. Following a 0–0 stalemate with Bay FC, Jameese Joseph has now gone 15 NWSL matches in 2026 without finding the net. One of the standout forwards from the winter friendlies, there is a growing sense that a move away from Chicago may be exactly what she needs to reignite her career trajectory.
Joseph was afforded just 57 minutes against Bay FC. While she led all players with three shots, the positions she occupied were rarely dangerous, as evidenced by a meager 0.13 expected goals figure. A 1-for-5 dribble success rate further highlighted her struggles to make things happen with the ball at her feet this past weekend.
Tara Rudd
For any defender, a 4–3 defeat is a difficult result to stomach. The Washington Spirit's breathless, near-comeback loss to the North Carolina Courage had drama at every turn. For Spirit center back Tara Rudd, the evening was defined by two costly errors and a breakdown in communication, as Washington conceded three goals within the opening 15 minutes.
For the Courage's opening goal, Rudd had her attention on Evelyn Ijeh but failed to direct Gabby Carle to cover the central channel. The following two goals, both finished by Ijeh, saw Rudd lose her mark before being dispossessed on the edge of her own penalty area, gifting the opposition an easy finish.
Perhaps Rudd's most damaging mistake arrived in the 95th minute when North Carolina netted its fourth. The footage clearly shows her running on empty, unable to match the pace of the Courage's attack. Natalie Jacobs exploits a vast pocket of space vacated by Rudd in the center, collects the ball, and seals the winner. A night to erase from memory for the USWNT hopeful.
🚨 CENTERBACK GOAL 🚨
Captain Natalie Jacobs in the FINAL minutes steals the lead back for the Courage! pic.twitter.com/5ThQezvXRn
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Avery Patterson
Much like the Houston Dash's overall form, the versatile Avery Patterson was once a firm favorite of Emma Hayes but is now looking increasingly unlikely to maintain her place in the national team picture. Following their latest 1–1 draw with the KC Current, the Dash have managed just two wins from their last 14 outings.
The Current nearly broke the deadlock in the 14th minute after Patterson failed to track Debinha on a give-and-go with Croix Bethune. After that effort was ruled out, the Current eventually found the net through a sharp counterattack that Patterson could do little to prevent. Going forward, Patterson will be left wondering what more she could have contributed. Over 90 minutes and 60 touches, she created just one chance and dragged a shot wide from inside the penalty area.