National Women’s Soccer League Announces September/October Best XI of the Month, Presented by Mastercard

18 October 2023By: NWSL Editor

NEW YORK (October 18, 2023) -

The National Women’s Soccer League announced today the 11 players named to the Best XI of the Month, presented by Mastercard, for the months of September and October by the NWSL Media Association and the NWSL’s on-air broadcast talent. Seven teams are represented in the league’s Top 11, including three selections from Angel City FC, two players from the Houston Dash and San Diego Wave FC and one each from Portland Thorns FC, the Kansas City Current, NJ/NY Gotham FC and the North Carolina Courage. GK – Jane Campbell (HOU): Campbell was a brick wall in net for the Dash, recording 37 saves and two shutouts across five matches in September and October, allowing just four goals. The ironwoman keeper tallied at least six saves in all five matches, including a nine-save performance against San Diego Wave FC in Week 18. D – Caprice Dydasco (HOU): Dydasco played all but one minute in the Dash’s five matches across September and October, anchoring a defense that allowed just four goals, recording 36 possessions won and 112 accurate passes. D – Naomi Girma (SD): Girma played every minute for the Wave in September and October, leading her club to four shutouts and just two goals allowed in five matches. Girma recorded 38 possessions won and was a key playmaker in San Diego’s offense with 284 accurate passes. D – Sarah Gorden (LA): Sarah Gorden played every regular season minute for Angel City, recording the second ironwoman season of her career, to push her club to its first playoff appearance. Gorden recorded 42 possessions won across five matches in September and October, including 13 in Week 20. D – M.A. Vignola (LA): Vignola was part of an aggressive Angel City offense, recording six shots across four matches, including four shots on target. Vignola scored the opening goal and also had an assist in Angel City’s playoff-clinching win in Week 22. MF – Sam Coffey (POR): Coffey played every minute for the Thorns across five matches, anchoring Portland’s attack as a playmaker with 192 accurate passes, recording her league-leading eighth assist on Hina Sugita’s game-winning goal in Week 21. A strong defensive presence, Coffey also tallied 43 possessions won. MF – Debinha (KCC): Debinha scored in three consecutive matches to lead the Current in scoring, including a goal and an assist in Kansas City’s six-goal performance against the Chicago Red Stars in Week 21. With her stellar scoring month, Debinha finished the regular season ranked third in the Golden Boot race. MF – Savannah McCaskill (LA): McCaskill recorded two goals and an assist across five matches, including a goal in both of Angel City’s final two regular season matches. Along with an assist, McCaskill also notched the game-winning goal in the Week 21 win against the Houston Dash. F – Esther González (NJNY): Esther scored twice in five minutes during her home debut for Gotham FC in Week 19, in just her second NWSL match. She recorded the first brace by a Spaniard in the league since 2014. F – Kerolin (NCC): A goal in North Carolina’s UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final victory highlighted an electric month for Kerolin. In five regular season matches in September and October, the Brazilian forward tallied two goals and two assists, notably notching a goal and two assists in Week 18 to force a draw against Gotham FC and scoring the equalizing goal in the Courage’s pivotal Week 20 draw with OL Reign. F – Jaedyn Shaw (SD): Shaw recorded two goals and an assist in her five matches for the Wave. With her goal in San Diego’s Shield-clinching victory, the 18-year-old forward set a record for most career NWSL regular season goals by a teenager (9). Mastercard and the NWSL launched the Best XI of the Month awards platform with the First Team and Second Team honors for the 22 top players of the league after the 2021 season. Mastercard believes that our world is full of brilliant possibilities and unlocking the potential in every person across all parts of their life is what Priceless is all about. The development of the Best XI is a further commitment from the company to connect NWSL fans to the league and the athletes they love. The NWSL Best XI of the Month is selected each month of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis, and the NWSL’s on-air broadcast talent.