The blessed rains brought the air quality much closer to normal and should have a mitigating effect on the fires in our region. Hooray for a more normal Sunday when OL Reign host KC Current in the NWSL semis. Be bold together and join the crowds.

NWSL

Juice Boxes and Post Game Stats: First Current Playoff Win - The Blue Testament
Stats and milestones from last weekend’s playoff game for the Current.

Kansas City Current attacker Claire Lavogez out with ACL tear - The Blue Testament
The French attacker will be missed by the Current as they try to continue advancing in the playoffs.

NWSL Playoff Quarter-Finals: Who would want to be a goalkeeper? - All For XI
Every goalkeeper involved this past weekend either came out as the hero or the unfortunate villain of their team.

Tobin Heath, Julie Ertz lead most intriguing 2022 NWSL free agents
As the NWSL heads into its first free agency period, stars like Tobin Heath, Debinha, Marta and Julie Ertz could look to make a move.

Dash sign Canadian stars Allysha Chapman, Sophie Schmidt to contract extensions | Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dash have signed two stars of the reigning Olympic Gold Medal-winning Canadian Women’s National Team to new contract extensions.

2022 NWSL Regular Season Best XI: G+ edition — American Soccer Analysis
Another year has come around and it’s time for everyone’s favorite discourse: end of season awards. We’re tired of all the lists that leave out the players who really deserve their dues, so we crunched the numbers and returned the top 11 players according to American Soccer Analysis’ Goals Added (g+).

MLS

Postseason Perfection: LAFC 3, LA Galaxy 2 - Angels on Parade
LAFC remain perfect against their rivals in the postseason, punch ticket to Western Conference Finals.

Philadelphia Union advance to Eastern Conference final with win over FC Cincinnati - Brotherly Game
The Union recorded its first win over Cincinnati when it mattered most as the team moves onto the Eastern Conference Finals.

Two Things CF Montréal Must Do to Win vs NYCFC - Mount Royal Soccer
A bit of tactics!

Scouting Report: 5 things you should know about CF Montréal when they play NYCFC in the MLS Cup Playoffs - Hudson River Blue
We scout the strengths and weaknesses of the best professional soccer team in Quebec ahead of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.

What we’re watching for as FC Dallas takes on Austin FC - Big D Soccer
If FC Dallas can maintain composure throughout the match, they should be able to take down their in-state rivals.

other men’s club soccer

United States soccer

Disciplined, Suspended, or Ineligible Individuals | USSF
The individuals listed are subject to measures imposed by the U.S. Center for SafeSport pursuant to its authority under the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and SafeSport Authorization Act of 2017.

other international soccer

FIFA rejects broadcast bids for 2023 Women’s World Cup
FIFA has told prospective broadcasters of the 2023 Women's World Cup that their bids have not yet been acceptable.

Gareth Bale: Fitness concern for Wales skipper one month before World Cup - BBC Sport
Gareth Bale's club coach plays down fitness worries as Wales captain misses LAFC play-off game four weeks before World Cup opener against USA.

Puget Sound soccer

Seattle’s OL Reign made the playoffs. Here’s how to root for them | Crosscut
The professional women’s soccer team is vying for the first championship of its 10-year history.

Jordyn Huitema is just getting started – Equalizer Soccer
Jordyn Huitema is 21 years old, but she certainly does not lack experience.

The OL Reign photographer who's been with the team through it all | Crosscut
Jane Gershovich has had a front-row seat to a turbulent decade for the Seattle pro women’s soccer team. Now she stands with them as they vie for a championship.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce embraces the unknown in NWSL, ocean life
Up for NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year in her first season as OL Reign starter, Phallon Tullis-Joyce has a second love: marine biology.

Seattle Sounders Stefan Frei is a goalkeeper and geometric abstract artist - Puget Sound Business Journal
Stefan Frei plays goalie for the Seattle Sounders and moonlights as a geometric abstract artist. Here's where you can find his work.

Puget Sound culture and D&D

The Tragic Singularity of Adar on THE RINGS OF POWER - Nerdist
On The Rings of Power, Adar is an elf who is not an elf and an orc who is not an orc, leaving him unwelcome by both good and evil.

Science Fiction Needs To Get Weirder…Fast | by J. Dianne Dotson | Medium
Science fiction collides with rapidly accelerated sci-tech breakthroughs that can and are pushing beyond what we thought possible in a short period of time.

Timelines in the World of the Everflow | Full Moon Storytelling
The timeline of the World of the Everflow is getting harder for me to track. There have been six campaigns with some overlap in both reality and at the table. In order for me to keep better track of events and so that the players and their characters have a better idea of events in the World of the Everflow, here’s a timeline.

What to Watch

Sure, there’s other soccer on TV this weekend. Here are a few select non-Reign games. For a full guide head to Live Soccer TV.

Friday

11:45 AM PT — Juventus men vs Empoli in Serie A action on Paramount+.

3:00 PM PT — Pumas UNAM women vs Atlas in Liga MX Femenil on ViX.

6:00 PM PT — Oregon St. men vs Washington on the Pac-12 network.

7:00 PM PT — Seattle U men vs Utah Valley on ESPN+ and at Redhawks Stadium.

Saturday

The USL Championship playoffs are on ESPN+ with games starting at 4:30 PM PT.

3:30 AM PT — Tottenham Hotspur women vs Manchester City in Women’s Super League on Paramount+

9:30 AM PT — Chelsea men vs Manchester United in EPL action on NBC and Universo.

6:00 PM PT — Club América men vs Toluca in the Liga MX semis on Univision and TUDN.

Sunday

Dedicate the day to the Playoffs and OL Reign

10:00 AM PT — CF Montréal vs New York City in the Eastern Conference semis on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

2:00 PM PT — Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave in the other NWSL semis on CBS Sports net and Paramount+ (maybe)

4:30 PM PT — OL Reign vs Kansas City Current at Lumen Field and on CBS Sports net.

5:00 PM PT — FC Austin vs FC Dallas in the Western Conference semis on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.