The Wait Is Over

Ladies' Day in Beantown

At 9:00 AM Central Time on Monday, March 7, 2022, the following transactions became official:

Atlanta Storm - Acquired forward Christen Press on loan from Los Angeles for the time period of March 15 to May 15, 2022; Placed midfielder Morgan Brian on the 45-day injury list (periorbital hematoma). 

Boston Breakers - Acquired forward Kyah Simon on loan from Perth Glory of the Australian W-League for the 2022 NWSL season; Placed defender Abby Dahlkemper on the 45-day injury list (concussion symptoms), retroactive to March 1st. 

Chicago Red Stars - Signed midfielder Kristie Mewis.

Portland Thorns - Traded defender Emily Sonnett to Atlanta for midfielder/defender Rebecca Quinn and their first-round pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft; Traded forward/midfielder Lindsey Horan to Orlando for midfielder Daphne Corboz and a second-round pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft.

***

Training for the Boston Breakers was winding down and head coach John Herdman pulled his #1 goalkeeper, Stephanie Labbe, to the side.

John: Something's wrong, I can tell. You're not your normal self today, Steph.

Steph: It's personal, and something I don't want to get into right now.

John: Door's open if you want to talk, you know that.

Steph: I know. Thanks, boss.

John walked over to his assistant coach, Yael Averbuch, who had been running training on the other side of the field.

John: Steph's off her game today, but she won't tell me what's bugging her. Maybe you'd have more success than I did in finding out.

Yael: I can try, because I might know what it could be.

Training ended and all the players headed for the locker room. Yael stopped Steph on her way in, asking her to see her when she finished showering and changing. Meanwhile, Yael called Clare Herdman to see if she was free for lunch. Finding out that she was, they made plans to meet at Lulu's, which is near Jordan Field. Steph stopped by Yael's office and was invited to join her and Clare for lunch. Steph accepted and the two of them walked out to Yael's car for the short trip to Lulu's.

Clare arrived ahead of the other two and got a table toward the back of the restaurant. Steph and Yael walked in, saw Clare, and headed back to join her.

Clare: Steph, how are you adjusting to Boston?

Steph: It takes some getting used to, just as DC did.

Clare: How's Rio handling the new digs?

Steph: Seems to be good. We haven't gone too far away from the apartment on our morning walks yet, but I think we'll start to explore a bit this week, for him to maybe find some pals in the neighborhood and for me to get more accustomed to the area.

Yael: Both of us were new to the area last year and had just a little more time than you to acquaint ourselves with Boston before the season started.

Clare: How did Georgia do in Beijing?

Steph: Crashed out in qualifying rounds in her event.

Clare: That's too bad. When will she be coming to Boston?

Steph thinks for a few seconds before responding.

Steph: That's not happening. She and I, well mostly she, decided to end our relationship.

Yael: Can I ask why?