No. 1 Gotham & No. 3 Washington surge into NWSL semis

Gotham’s move can’t come soon enough, after poor pitch conditions overshadowed the Bats’ NWSL quarterfinal win.

Gotham & Washington surge into NWSL semis

Last year’s finalists are moving on, as No. 1 Gotham and No. 3 Washington advanced to the NWSL semifinals after Sunday’s big quarterfinal wins.

• The Spirit notched the round’s top performance, downing No. 6 Portland 4-1 behind a brace and assist from superstar forward Trinity Rodman.

• “It’s everything that we go through off the field, and coming together as a team,” said Rodman. “To be able to not just score, but have fun and be able to celebrate it.” (Watch full highlights)

Around the horn: Reigning champion Gotham ended No. 8 Seattle’s run 1-0, as veteran midfielder Jess Fishlock saw her 14-year Reign career come to a close.

• Jordyn Bugg’s fifth-minute own-goal gave the Bats the early lead, sending Gotham through despite finishing with zero shots on goal.

• “It’s about gritting it out and being the team that wins at the end of the day, which is something that we pride ourselves on,” said defender Mandy Freeman. (Watch full highlights)

Up next: Washington kicks off the semis against No. 7 Utah on Saturday at 12 PM ET (CBS), before Gotham hosts No. 4 Kansas City on Sunday at 3 PM ET (ABC).

SoCal clubs fall in tight quarterfinal tests

California clubs fell short this weekend, as back-to-back 1-0 quarterfinal shutouts saw No. 2 San Diego and No. 5 Angel City exit the 2026 NWSL playoffs.

• No. 7 Utah pulled off the round’s biggest upset, as the Royals defeated the Wave for the first time on Friday to mark the team’s inaugural playoff win.

• “That’s what it takes to win championships, and we channeled that energy today,” said goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn. “Don’t count us out.” (Watch full highlights)

Around the horn: No. 4 Kansas City ousted Angel City in extra time on Saturday, as the Current advanced off a controversial penalty kick.

• Michelle Cooper slotted in the game-winner after LA keeper Angelina Anderson was charged with an off-ball foul, ending ACFC’s semifinal hopes.

• “It’s a tremendously cheap penalty and at this level, this happens all the time,” Angel City manager Leif Smerud said. “To have a penalty like that against us seems very harsh.” (Watch full highlights)

Sarah Strong’s career-high 39 fuels UConn win

The Huskies aren’t backing down, as star forward Sarah Strong dropped a career-high 39 points to drive No. 2 UConn past No. 10 Iowa 91-79 on Sunday.

• Strong put up 26 points in the first half, adding 10 rebounds and three assists as her squad shook off Thursday’s upset loss to No. 5 Michigan.

• “After the [Michigan] game, we just had to do a lot of self-reflecting,” she said. “I know I messed up in every aspect.” (Watch full highlights)

Sizing up: The Hawkeyes kept the Huskies on their toes, leaning on guard Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright’s team-high 23 points and five assists.

• “I was really proud of the fight of our team,” said head coach Jan Jensen. “Really proud of how we bought in, and think we have a lot to build on.” (See full remarks)

Up next: UConn continues its ranked slate against No. 18 Ohio State on Thursday at 6:30 PM ET (FS1), before Iowa faces Northern Iowa at 8:30 PM ET (BTN).

NWSL drops 2026 awards finalists

The NWSL’s hardware race is on, as the league named its 2026 end-of-year award finalists this morning, kicking off the final round of fan voting.

• Temwa Chawinga (Current), Trinity Rodman (Spirit), Ashley Sanchez (Courage), Sophia Wilson (Thorns), and Janine Sonis (Summit) headline the five-player MVP field.

• Chawinga’s up for her third straight trophy, while Golden Boot winner Sanchez and quarterfinal hero Rodman are hot on her heels. (See full list)

How it works: The league factors in votes from players (40%), owners and execs (25%), media (25%), and fans (10%) to determine the regular-season honors.

• Defender, Goalkeeper, Midfielder, and Rookie of the Year are also up for grabs, while Juan Carlos Amorós (Gotham), Jimmy Coenraets (Royals), and Jonas Eidevall (Wave) vie for Coach of the Year.

• Winners take the stage in DC on November 18th at 6:30 PM ET (ESPN2), setting the stage for the 2026 NWSL Final. (See full schedule)

Sound off: Fan voting runs through this Wednesday at 8 PM ET. (Cast ballot)

Elena Rybakina exits WTA Finals

The WTA Finals are all shook up, as world No. 1 Elena Rybakina withdrew from this season’s year-end competition shortly before Sunday’s start.

• The defending champion left due to medical reasons, with replacement No. 10 Marta Kostyuk joining the eight-player field at Indian Wells.

• “I’ve had an incredible season, but my body is just not physically ready to compete,” Rybakina said. (See full report)

Off to the races: Kostyuk kicked off the round-robin tournament with a loss to No. 8 Linda Nosková, while No. 4 Coco Gauff took down No. 5 Jessica Pegula in three sets.

• 2025 runner-up No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka opens her campaign today against No. 7 Karolína Muchová, before No. 3 Mirra Andreeva faces No. 6 Elina Svitolina. (See full schedule)

Tune in: WTA Finals coverage continus today at 3 PM ET (Tennis Channel).

LA Golf Club rises above in WTGL debut

The WTGL has arrived, as TMRW Sports’ team-based indoor golf league debuted on Sunday to a sellout crowd inside Florida’s SoFi Center.

• LA’s Michelle Wie West, Alison Lee, and Gaby López took the inaugural 3-1 win, holding off New York’s Lydia Ko, Linn Grant, and Rose Zheng.

• “This format is so different,” Wie West said. “For two hours, LPGA fans can witness our players in a whole different light.” (Watch full highlights)

How it works: WTGL intends to bring viewers closer to top LPGA talent, featuring mic’d-up players teeing off on virtual ranges with $11 million on the line.

• The field is comprised of five five-player teams, with three players from each side squaring off across 10 15-hole regular-season matches. (See full rules)

Tune in: Catch the action as Detroit faces LA on Tuesday at 8 PM ET (ION).

Quote of the day

Wings guards Azzi Fudd & Paige Bueckers
clarifying their relationship status on Friday’s Fudd Around and Find Out podcast.