Four OL Reign players named to May’s NWSL Team of the Month

With the first month of the 2022 NWSL regular season now in the books, the league announced a set of accolades recognizing standout performances in May. OL Reign is well-represented in the Team of the Month with four players named to it, more than any other club.

Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, defenders Alana Cook and Sofia Huerta, and midfielder Rose Lavelle were selected to the list by members of the NWSL Media Association. If it sounds like you’ve heard of this OL Reign quartet appearing on a best team before, that’s because you have. The same four were voted into the NWSL Challenge Cup All-Tournament Team earlier in May.

No doubt Tullis-Joyce, Cook, and Huerta made Team of the Month because of OL Reign posting four-straight clean sheets in May. Anchoring OL Reign’s back line, Cook has showed why she is a world class talent. With Huerta, well, as we all know, Sofia Huerta crosses are absolute money. Two of them set up match-winning goals and the one from last Sunday versus San Diego Wave FC put Huerta just behind Racing Louisville’s Jessica McDonald (28) on the league’s all-time assist leaderboard with 27.

As you’ve seen in the clip above, midfielder Rose Lavelle benefitted from one of those Huerta crosses, but she’s also started every match in May for Laura Harvey’s squad, claiming two goals and being every bit of the little magician as advertised in OL Reign’s midfield and generating 24 of the club’s 97 shots in May, according to FBref.

Things actually got quiet for Phallon Tullis-Joyce towards the end of the month in terms of activity in goal, which is a good thing and a reflection of her teammates in front of her contributing to the clean sheets. That said, she picked up two NWSL Save of the Week honors during the month that were instrumental in the streak of clean sheets.

Additionally, Tullis-Joyce came in third on NWSL Player of the Month voting, behind Angel City FC defender Vanessa Gilles and the winner, San Diego Wave FC forward Alex Morgan. While some of us already knew Tullis-Joyce was someone to watch, coming out of the NWSL Challenge Cup as one of the standout players and as a fan favorite has left quite an impression in NWSL media circles. There’s still plenty of time and room to board the Phallon Tullis-Joyce hype train.

The complete list of NWSL May awards is below.

NWSL Player of the Month: Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave FC
NWSL Rookie of the Month: Naomi Girma, San Diego Wave FC

NWSL Team of the Month (4-3-3 formation)
Forwards: Alex Morgan (SD), Rachel Daly (HOU), Mallory Pugh (CHI)
Midfielders: Taylor Kornieck (SD), Rose Lavelle (RGN), Savannah DeMelo (LOU)
Defenders: Vanessa Gilles (LA), Naomi Girma (SD), Alana Cook (RGN), Sofia Huerta (RGN)
Goalkeeper: Phallon Tullis-Joyce (RGN)