A Season Of Rebirth

NWSL Matchday Nine

On Friday afternoon, Janine Beckie camped out at the Hyatt Regency Houston waiting for her Canadian National Team buddies Becca Quinn and Jessie Fleming, plus the rest of the Utah Royals, to arrive from Salt Lake City for tomorrow's game against the Houston Dash. Once settled, the three of them and Quinn's partner, EJ Proctor, went down the street to Benihana for dinner. The four had a wonderful time catching up and discussing what each had planned for the upcoming international break, as Canada wouldn't be playing.

Becca: EJ and I plan to stay in Utah, because the US is playing Scotland at Rio Tinto next Tuesday and we've got plans to hang out with Christina Gibbons on Sunday after the team gets in from Portland.

Jessie: I'm heading back to London for a few days, see the family, spend time with Shelina (Zadorsky) and Lindsay (Agnew, both national teamers and members of the Washington Spirit), and enjoy the break in the schedule.

Janine: I think I'm going to trek up to Portland so I can see Lindsey (Horan) and Mal (Pugh, both like Janine natives of the greater Denver area) and their game against South Africa.

EJ excused herself from the table and went to the restroom. While there, she sent a text to Christina about the US' visit and asked if the two of them could meet up on that Monday morning as the arrival of Becca's Canadian BFF in Utah had started to put a slight strain on their relationship and she needed to talk out some of it with her former Duke teammate and close friend. After returning, the conversation picked back up and the four shared some sake before the Royals returned to the hotel.

***

Kristie Mewis invited Ali Krieger and Steph Labbe to join her and her housemates (Abby Dahlkemper and Cari Roccaro) at their place for dinner as she wanted to get her former Spirit teammates' advice on the whole Sammy situation and the new relationship ties that came out of it following Abby's arrival in Houston.

Ali: Abby, I've asked Tony (Gustavsson, interim USWNT coach) to room us together at camp next week, thinking you could probably use a bit of a breather from the younger players on the squad.

Abby: Thanks, Kriegs! Are you excited to be back in the fold?

Ali: Yes! Those two caps I need for 100 felt like they'd never come about with how Jill shuffled me out after Rio. I understand needing to turn the page a bit and blooding some new talent at right back, but couldn't she have done both?

Abby: Good question. Steph, I didn't get to talk to you when we played a couple of weeks ago. How was Canadian camp?

Steph: Another step in the right direction to FINALLY taking you Americans down for the first time since the 2001 Algarve Cup. Sinc wasn't even 18 at the time.

Kristie: Ladies, both of you have been around a bit. Am I doing the right thing concerning my relationship with Sam, and breaking up with Hoodrat (Steph McCaffrey) over it?

Steph and Ali looked at each other and wondered which one wanted to address it first. Once that was settled, the pair responded.

Steph: I don't know all the details of how things went down between you, her, Abby, and the others, just the on-field skirmish I saw involving her and Kelley (O'Hara). Shutting her out might be harsh, but not wanting to be with someone who would defend her choice to be duplicitous is a decent call.

Ali: When I learned about Ashlyn (Harris)'s side thing with Alex (Morgan), I was angry and fled as soon as I could, which led to me and Steph getting a little TOO drunk at her belated birthday party and saying and doing things that, although true and honest and heartfelt, should have happened while we were both sober.