The Wait Is Over

A First For Everything

Emily Sonnett and a number of younger Atlanta Storm players are at My Sister's Room for dinner and to watch the Orlando Pride/Boston Breakers match.

Danelle Lindo: How do we root in this game?

Riley Tennant: A draw would be best for us because we could get to within one point of both of these teams with a win tomorrow.

Brynn Finneran: Orlando gets everything from the league. I want to see Boston take them.

EJ Proctor: Having spent time with some of the Boston players last weekend, I think I'll pull for them.

Emily: Guys, why you doing this to me?!?! You KNOW my girlfriend plays for the Pride.

Maddie Klintworth: How serious are you and Lindsey?

Emily: So serious that we've started discussing wedding dates.

Riley: That IS serious! Has she proposed yet?

Emily: No, but I feel like it's coming soon. Maybe at national team camp next week, since we'll be around a lot of our friends and potential wedding party members.

Sarah Troccolli: Does anyone know why Commissioner Duffy is coming to town?

Emily: There is supposed to be a special announcement at halftime regarding us hosting the NWSL Cup next March. Amanda has asked me, Moe, Lindsey, and Ashlyn Harris to join her for the unveiling of the new trophy.

Maddie: Game is about to start.

The Pride took the opening kickoff and made a spirited charge on the Breakers back line, only for Megan Oyster to block an Alex Morgan shot. The forward pair of Kyah Simon and Midge Purce had trouble breaking down the Pride's back four and Jessie Fleming was being shut down by McCall Zerboni in the middle of the park. Rachel Hill took Allysha Chapman for speed down the right flank, but her cross to Lindsey Horan was picked out of the air by Steph Labbe. Neither team mustered much in the remaining 15 minutes of the first half and headed to halftime scoreless.

During the halftime break, Jenn Hildreth and Kate Markgraf came over to the Storm's table to talk with Emily briefly.

Jenn: Emily, do you have a minute or two for us to talk about tomorrow's pre-game and halftime events?

Emily: Sure, Jenn.

Emily followed Jenn and Kate to a private part of the restaurant and they discussed particulars. After their conversation, the three walked back to Emily's teammates, who she introduced to the two of them and invited the pair to join them for the second half.

Emily (to Kate): I think your nephew and his girlfriend are a great pair. Got to talk to them a little bit after last week's game in Boston.

Kate: He'd been chasing her in his mind for about ten years before moving to Boston for his job at the Cantu Center. I like Morgan, although I've yet to see the two of them together. I'm also a little worried that he's not committed to staying there, because he wants to latch on with a pro sports team at some point.

Emily: Do you have any games coming up with them?

Kate: I don't think we go there again until they play Orlando on June 25th.

The second half was a slug fest between the two Eastern Conference powers, with both defenses stout. Jenni Santacaterina picked up a knock just past the 80th minute, forcing John to insert Devin Schiller at right back and moving Julie to the center alongside Megan. A couple of minutes later, Devin took down Alex Morgan just outside the penalty box. Lindsey lined up the free kick, while Steph directed her three-person wall of Sam, Devin, and Morgan into position. Lindsey struck the ball and its flight was directed at the space between Devin and Sam's heads. Devin flinched to her right and the ball passed between the two straight into the upper corner, beating the slightly-screened Breakers goalkeeper. The insertion of Caitlyn DiSarcina after the Pride goal produced a couple of shots, but Ashlyn Harris was able to manage them and the Pride gave the Breakers their first loss of the season, 1-0.