CHICAGO – For a stretch in a given season in the NWSL, it was about as busy as it could possibly get.
Starting on May 28th and going through their match on June 18th, the Chicago Red Stars had six matches in a 22-day span. It’s easily the busiest stretch of their regular season which wasn’t helped by a previously postponed game being moved into early June.
Yet the club didn’t back down, and the unbeaten streak they started before this crowded part of the calendar continued even as they made their way through it.
A 1-1 draw with Kansas City Current on the road on Saturday extended the team’s seven-match run of getting at least one point. It started on May 22nd with a 4-2 victory over the Orlando Pride on the road and continued during the six-match stretch.
May 28th – vs Portland – Draw – 2-2
June 1st – at Washington – Draw – 1-1
June 4th – vs OL Reign – Win – 1-0
June 8th – vs Washington (Rescheduled from May) – Draw – 0-0
June 12th – vs Orlando – Win – 1-0
June 18th – at Kansas City – Draw – 1-1
“Oh my goodness, this has been the craziest stretch, but I’ve been so proud of the team through all of it,” said defender Zoe Morse after the draw with Kansas City last Saturday. “We’ve stuck through it all together.”
These results have bolstered the club’s record to 4-1-4 with their 16 points putting them in a tie for second place in the league with Portland. The expansion San Diego Wave FC are currently at the top of the standings with 18 points.
It was a stretch in which the team also dealt with a major injury as defender Kayla Sharples was lost for the year with a torn ACL, becoming the second on the team’s back line to suffer that injury. Tierna Davidson also tore her ACL during a training session in March.
At least the players get a long break since they don’t hit the pitch again until July 2nd in Harrison, New Jersey when they face New Jersey/New York Gotham FC.
“It is a mental break but we’re still in mid-season, so we’ve still have to stay into it,” said Morse. “Just rest our legs, get a little bit of time off, and then hit the ground running again.”
Just like they were during their busiest stretch of the season in which they still found ways to have success.