Boston drops 2-1 to Orlando Pride

Starting XI: Abby Smith, Megan Oyster, Julie King, Allysha Chapman, Midge Purce, Angela Salem, Morgan Andrews, Rosie White, Amanda Frisbie, Katie Stengel, Ifeoma Onumonu

Boston started off against Orlando with five in the back, reflecting their clear awareness that the Pride presented a much bigger attacking threat than Houston, who they played earlier in the week. Frisbie, Chapman, King, Oyster, and Purce all lined up in the back, with Frisbie and Purce tasked with sweeping up as needed. Orlando switched Marta over to Purce’s side to smartly pressure the more vulnerably defender, leaving Frisbie most often available to work in space.

But if Boston started more brightly than expected, it was…