The Wait Is Over

It's Showtime

Dalen Cuff: Year Ten of the National Women's Soccer League wraps up today. For the two teams in the final, it has been a long-and-winding road to get to this day. The Boston Breakers, a founding member of WUSA, WPS, and NWSL, steps onto this stage seeking to end the longest title drought in women's soccer and bring home the first championship of its 22-year existence. On the opposite side sits the Chicago Red Stars, playing its 14th season of top-level football. Six months of grit, grind, and determination has now boiled down to 90 minutes. The top team in the regular season facing the only opponent in the league not to lose to them this year. Breakers. Red Stars. The 2022 NWSL Championship game, next on Lifetime.

The pre-game coverage of the NWSL Championship began with Dalen's voiceover of highlights from the two clubs' histories and their April 23rd match in Boston. Once the introductory montage finished, Dalen welcomed viewers and introduced the star-studded cast present for today's game.  After a quick wraparound from the four field reporters (Julie Foudy, Kate Markgraf, Jordan Angeli, and Karina Leblanc), Dalen laid out what would be upcoming on the pre-game show. As the show was heading to commercial, a shot of Kristie, Steph, Sam, and Abby was shown with the foursome in good spirits. Julie asked if she could get an interview with the four of them when they went live again. Sam told her to give them a few minutes, as there was something that she and Abby wanted to tell the other two off-camera.

Abby (to Kristie and Steph): Since things will probably be very hectic the next 24 hours or so, this is as good a time as any to give you your matrons-of-honor gifts.

Sam handed a box to each of them, which they opened. Inside were replica Chicago Red Stars jerseys with their numbers and the names "Aunt Hoodrat" and "Aunt Kratchet" on the back. Also, there was a onesie in each box with their son's initials on the back and the phrase, "Aunt ________'s cutest nephew". The two exploded with delight at this pregnancy announcement and embraced the expectant parents.

Sam: We're going to make the worldwide announcement of it after the game should we win. Stow those somewhere so nothing is tipped off.

Kristie and Steph went back to the locker room briefly to get their gifts under cover. When they returned, they were met by Julie, Sam, and Abby.

Jenn Hildreth: There are a couple of new names in today's first XIs. Let's go down to Julie Foudy on the field for an explanation.

Julie Foudy: Thank you, Jenn. Clearly, you recognize all four of these players, but today, two of them won't be in the starting lineup as they were one week ago in the conference finals. Can I have Kristie Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper turn around to show us why?

Kristie and Abby turned their backs to the camera to reveal "McCaffrey 19" and "Mewis 13" on the back of their jerseys.

Julie: Kristie and Abby, why the name changes?

Kristie: Steph and I got married in March, just after I came to Chicago. We wanted to wait until the end of the season to announce it publicly, but when we found out that our opponents today would be the Breakers, Abby and I talked about having our married names on our jerseys for the final.

Julie: Abby, you're not actually getting married until tomorrow. Why jump the gun on this?

Abby: Not really jumping the gun, as we are married in every sense but the legal document. I wanted to win this title today with Sam's name on my back, just as Kristie wants to with Steph's on hers.

Julie: I saw the four of you hugging and some tears shed just before we came back on the air. Can you tell the viewers what that was about?

Sam: You'll have to wait until after the game to find out.