NWSL Power Rankings: Orlando Pride top, Naeher makes history

It’s Monday, and another week of NWSL action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.

Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 7 to come up with this week’s order of all 14 teams in the league. Let’s dive in.

Previous ranking: 1
Next match: Saturday, May 10 vs. NC Courage, 7.30 p.m. ET

Orlando collected their second loss in three games after falling 1-0 to Portland on Saturday. While the Pride did produce offensive opportunities, the Thorns (who ended Orlando’s record 24-game unbeaten streak last season) held them off with tight defending and Mackenzie Arnold’s four-save performance. They’ll look to recover with another tough challenge on the road, as they head to North Carolina to play the Courage next weekend.

Previous ranking: 2
Next match: Friday, May 9 vs. Racing Louisville, 8 p.m. ET

Gotham outshot Chicago 14-4, and 5-1 to on target, but there was no getting past Stars keeper Alyssa Naeher on Sunday. Naeher’s five saves helped see Chicago to a 0-0 draw in New Jersey, marking the first time since March 28 that Gotham’s failed to score.

Previous ranking: 3
Next match: Sunday, May 11 vs. Bay FC, 1 p.m. ET (Stream live on ESPN+)

One week after collecting their first loss of the year, Kansas City suffered a second straight defeat in Seattle. A few injuries to key attackers affected their offensive threat: the team’s record-setting top-scorer Temwa Chawinga came off the bench in the 61st minute after being listed “questionable” in the availability report. And Michelle Cooper remains absent with an injury to her lower leg. They fired off 13 shots but only got three of them on target, all of which were saved by Reign keeper Claudia Dickey.

Previous ranking: 5
Next match: Saturday, May 10 vs. Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. ET

San Diego’s rookie defender extraordinaire Trinity Armstrong scored a 95th-minute match-winner to clinch a 2-1 victory against Bay FC on Sunday evening. The 17-year-old center-back has been stellar for the Wave in her first seven games for the SoCal squad, as a key member of an impressive rookie class for the third-placed Wave.

Previous ranking: 7
Next match: Saturday, May 10 vs. San Diego Wave, 10 p.m. ET

Eight months since ending Orlando’s record-setting 24-game unbeaten run in 2024, Portland stymied Orlando once again with a 1-0 victory at Providence Park on Saturday. Mexico international Reyna Reyes whipped in a strike from the top of the penalty box in the 16th minute to seal the win, marking her second career goal and first this season. Matildas keeper Arnold made some key saves, including four total, and Portland’s stolid backline of defenders helped keep the clean sheet.

Previous ranking: 6
Next match: Sunday, May 11 vs. Houston Dash, 8 p.m. ET

Seattle became the second consecutive team to defeat Kansas City this season. Keeper Dickey (who has the highest post-shot xG minus goals against in the league) made three key saves to seal her second clean sheet of the season. Lynn Biyendolo provided the decisive goal in the 37th minute (her first for Seattle) to secure a 1-0 win in Washington. Seattle keeps their score lines low (they’ve scored seven goals in seven games, but only allowed six at the other end), and are now undefeated in their last three games.

Previous ranking: 4
Next match: Saturday, May 10 vs. Chicago Stars, 12.50 p.m. ET

The Washington Spirit’s injury list is the lengthiest in the league. Absent multiple key starters (and 2024 Rookie of the Year Croix Bethune still working her way back to full fitness), the Spirit are putting out temperamental performances that don’t speak to their full potential. English defender Esme Morgan scored a brace at home against Angel City on Friday, but it wasn’t enough for the Spirit in a 4-3 loss. The Spirit have conceded seven goals (out of 10 total this season) in two straight defeats. They play 14th-place Chicago Stars and 13th-place Utah Royals in their next two matchdays, providing a solid opportunity to turn things around.

Previous ranking: 9
Next match: Friday, May 9 vs. Utah Royals, 10.30 p.m. ET

After starting the year undefeated in four games, Angel City suffered two straight defeats against Gotham and Orlando in weeks five and six. But they’re back in the win column after pulling off a 4-3 victory on the road in Washington D.C. They concede quite a bit (no team in the top 8 has allowed more goals) but they can certainly score. NWSL’s Rookie of the Month Riley Tiernan was outstanding once again, and leads Angel City (as well as the NWSL rookie class) in goals, as she collected a brace against the Spirit, including the stoppage-time match-winner, bringing her season total to five goals in seven games.

Previous ranking: 10
Next match: Saturday, May 10 vs. Orlando Pride, 7.30 p.m. ET

North Carolina had a shaky start to the season, but they’re gaining momentum. After beating the formerly undefeated Kansas City Current in dramatic fashion last weekend, North Carolina picked up a second straight win on Saturday, beating Utah Royals 2-0. Utah isn’t the toughest test in the league, but after starting the year winless in five matchdays, it’s another positive step for a solid squad. Ashley Sanchez, who scored the matchwinner against the Current, also opened their account in Utah.

Previous ranking: 8
Next match: Sunday, May 11 vs. Kansas City Current, 1 p.m. ET (Stream live on ESPN+)

Bay looked set to secure a 1-1 draw against San Diego on Sunday (with another goal from 21-year-old rookie Karlie Lema), until Armstrong’s 95th minute match-winner sealed victory for the Wave. They were out-possessed and outshot, but slightly unlucky in the result. They face a few tough challenges ahead as they look to gain momentum this season: Kansas City’s up next, with Angel City waiting after that.

Previous ranking: 12
Next match: Friday, May 9 vs. Gotham FC, 8 p.m. ET

Emma Sears and Kayla Fischer were back on the scoresheet for a second straight week in Louisville’s 2-1 win over Houston Dash. Five of Louisville’s eight season goals have come in their past two games (with Sears scoring 50% of their total), as the club finishes week seven with some more offensive momentum.

Previous ranking: 11
Next match: Sunday, May 11 vs. Seattle Reign, 8 p.m. ET

It seems Houston got the memo that they weren’t producing enough offensively. In their first six matches, the Dash registered the fewest total shots (54) in the league. They fired off 12 against Louisville, 18% of their total this season. Avery Patterson gave them an early lead, but they conceded twice at home in a 2-1 defeat.

Previous ranking: 14
Next match: Friday, May 9 vs. Angel City FC, 10.30 p.m. ET

Mandy McGlynn made five saves in a 2-0 loss against the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, marking one of her best performances of the year, though it wasn’t enough to get a point from the Courage. Ally Sentnor, 21, continues to shine for the Royals in her second year in the league though she may need some more support as the Royals are still in search of a second victory after seven matchdays.

Previous ranking: 13
Next match: Saturday, May 10 vs. Washington Spirit, 12.50 p.m. ET

A few days after firing their head coach Lorne Donaldson, the Chicago Stars pulled off a 0-0 draw against fourth-place Gotham in New Jersey. Naeher was immense in the draw, making five saves to keep a clean sheet against a team that scored 11 goals in their last four games before this weekend. With that, the United States legend has secured 50 clean sheets in the NWSL regular season, just the second goalkeeper in league history to reach that milestone.