USWNT blanks Japan 3-0 to cap friendly series

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USWNT blanks Japan to cap friendly series

The US sealed the deal on Friday, silencing Japan 3-0 to return to league play with a refreshed perspective after the 2-1 friendly series win.

• All three USWNT goals came in the second half, with defender Naomi Girma breaking the stalemate off a corner kick, before midfielder Rose Lavelle doubled the lead on a Trinity Rodman assist, and young defender Kennedy Wesley polished things off with her first-ever senior team goal.

• “We’ve been really clear about what’s important to us, the process is always of the highest order,” coach Emma Hayes said postmatch. “Have we made progress in these three games? A million percent.” (Watch full highlights)

Best of both: Friday’s lineup drew from the previous starting XIs — veterans coming off a win and a young squad smarting from a loss — to more effectively hold possession while also generating attacking power against an organized Japan.

• Defender Tierna Davidson earned her first start of the series as she works her way back from last year’s ACL tear, while Rodman teamed up with Alyssa Thompson and Sophia Wilson up front.

• “You can’t become elite without rehearsal, failure, and learning — it doesn’t go in a straight line,” Hayes continued. “Of course I want to win every game, but not at the expense of what we’re trying to build.” (See full recap)

Up next: FIFA’s next international window is set for June, with recent rumors linking the US to a showdown with 2027 World Cup host Brazil in São Paulo.

Free agency deals linger as WNBA training tips off

WNBA training camp officially tipped off this weekend, after a wild free agency period saw some big names go unsigned as the newly expanded 15-team league begins to hone its rosters.

• High-profile vets Natasha Cloud and Tina Charles remain available unrestricted free agents, with signings expected to continue through the next two weeks.

• “I’m okay. Just taking things in; even if they weren’t what I expected, and trusting I’ll be alright,” Cloud wrote on Sunday. (See full post)

Deep pockets: Cap space under the new CBA could play a factor, as some teams look to double down on already-rostered talent before hitting the market.

• Indiana made waves over the weekend by re-upping center Aliyah Boston on a four-year $6.3 million extension via the EPIC Provision, a rule that allows teams to fast-track All-WNBA rookie contracts to max deals.

• “Aliyah has just scratched the surface in terms of the player she can become,” said Fever COO and GM Amber Cox. “There is not a better person to go down in history as the first recipient of this type of groundbreaking agreement.” (See full report)

Oklahoma gymnastics goes back-to-back

Oklahoma flexed its gymnastics prowess on Saturday, dominating the NCAA final to win a second straight championship — officially taking four of the last five titles.

• After a packed weekend, the Sooners’ 198.1625 final score edged out LSU by .0875 while sitting 0.475 ahead of third-place Florida, with surprise finalist Minnesota finishing fourth.

• “They’re all incredibly special,” Oklahoma head coach KJ Kindler said after adding an eighth NCAA trophy to her collection. “You don't get immune to the feeling of having an accomplishment like this.” (Watch full highlights)

Big spotlight: Oklahoma’s individual performances also stole the show, as senior Faith Torrez shocked the field by winning the all-around competition in her 2026 all-around debut.

• “I had no intentions of doing this at the beginning of the season, middle of the season, but to be here and have everything kind of just play out as it did was really amazing,” Torrez said after besting frontrunners Kailin Cho (LSU) and Jordan Chiles (UCLA). (Watch full highlights)

Vancouver’s Jenn Gardiner nets PWHL-record 4 goals

Vancouver made PWHL history on Saturday, pulling off a dramatic 6-5 OT win over Seattle behind forward Jenn Gardiner’s record-breaking four goals.

• The single-game scoring record was hard-fought, with the lead changing three times in regulation before Gardiner secured the Goldeneyes’ OT winner.

• The 24-year-old’s efforts also saw her credited with the 2025/26 expansion side’s first-ever hat trick. (Watch full highlights)

Big picture: But it wasn’t enough to push No. 7 Vancouver into playoff contention, as the Goldeneyes joined the already-eliminated Torrent in line for prime draft positioning.

• “I’m just proud of the group and how we came back and we kept believing,” captain Ashton Bell said postgame. “To see that line do so well was pretty cool to watch.” (See full standings)

Report: NWSL considering calendar shift

The NWSL might be making moves, as ESPN reported the league is considering shifting its current spring-to-fall schedule to a Eurepean-style fall-to-spring framework.

• After FIFA competitions prompted two consecutive midseason breaks, interest in adopting a schedule that avoids major summer tournaments while bolstering the international transfer market appears to be growing.

• Any shift would likely follow the MLS, after the men’s US league voted to align its footprint with Europe’s next year. (See full report)

Potential fallout: However, players aren’t as supportive, as the NWSLPA voiced concerns about winter weather and facility availability negatively impacting teams.

• “The right question is not whether the league should flip the calendar, but whether the right conditions exist to do so responsibly. Right now, they do not,” the union told ESPN. (See full report)

Quote of the day

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark
on what she learned after spending much last season sidelined with injury.