2019 Sky Blue FC season

The 2019 Sky Blue FC season is the team's tenth season as a professional women's soccer team. Sky Blue FC plays in the National Women's Soccer League, the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.[1]

Sky Blue FC
2019 season
President & CEOThomas Hofstetter
Head coachDenise Reddy
(until June 28)
Hugo Macedo
(caretaker, from June 28 until September 4)
Freya Coombe
(from September 4)
StadiumYurcak Field
Piscataway, New Jersey
(Capacity: 5,000)
NWSL8th
Top goalscorerCarli Lloyd (8)
Highest home attendance9,415 vs Reign FC, August 18, 2019
Lowest home attendance1,321 vs Portland Thorns FC, April 28, 2019
Average home league attendance3,338

Since the 2018 Sky Blue finished in last place and only won one game, 2019 offered opportunities for improvement. The off-season didn't get off to a promising start as two of the team's top draft picks, Hailie Mace (2nd overall pick) and Julia Ashley (6th overall pick) chose not to sign with the club. Mace signed with FC Rosengård and Ashley with Linköpings FC.[2][3] Sky Blue's third and fourth picks, Paige Monaghan (10th overall pick) and Julie James (11th overall pick) did however choose to come to preseason and were ultimately signed. During preseason training two Sky Blue players suffered season-ending injuries. Defender Mandy Freeman ruptured her Achilles tendon and midfielder Madison Tiernan tore her ACL and MCL.[4][5]

On April 9, 2019 General Manager and President Tony Novo resigned from his position, Sky Blue Vice-President Alyse LaHue was appointed to take over as interim general manager.[6] Kyra Carusa, Sky Blue's 19th overall pick in the 2019 Draft signed with Le Havre AC in France on April 25, making her the third Sky Blue draft pick to sign in Europe.[7]

On June 28, Denise Reddy was fired as the team's head coach. Her record as head coach was 1-8-24.[8] Goalkeeper coach Hugo Macedo filled in on a temporary basis until the club named Freya Coombe interim head coach on September 4.[9]

Sky Blue played their first ever game at Red Bull Arena on August 18 against Reign FC. They set a club record with 9,415 in attendance for the game, which finished in a 1–1 draw.[10] The positive feedback and high demand led the club to move their September 29 home finale to Red Bull Arena, where they drew 8,314 for a 1–1 draw against the Orlando Pride.[11]

Team

First-team roster

As of July 19, 2019[12] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  CAN Kailen Sheridan
3 DF  USA Caprice Dydasco
4 MF  USA Paige Monaghan
5 MF  USA Julie James
7 FW  USA Jen Hoy
8 DF  USA Erica Skroski
9 FW  JPN Nahomi Kawasumi
10 MF  USA Carli Lloyd
11 MF  CRC Raquel Rodriguez
12 DF  USA Gina Lewandowski
13 GK  BIH DiDi Haracic
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF  USA Kenie Wright
16 MF  USA Sarah Killion
17 DF  USA Domi Richardson
19 MF  USA Elizabeth Eddy
22 DF  USA Mandy Freeman
24 DF  CMR Estelle Johnson
28 MF  USA Imani Dorsey
29 DF  CAN Amandine Pierre-Louis
73 MF  USA Madison Tiernan
— MF  USA Nicole Baxter

Competitions

Preseason
March 16, 2019 Sky Blue FC 6–0 St. John's University Manalapan, New Jersey
3:00 p.m. Report
Stadium: Sportika Sports
March 23, 2019 Sky Blue FC 0–0 West Virginia University Manalapan, New Jersey
3:00 p.m. Stadium: Sportika Sports
March 29, 2019 Sky Blue FC 2–0 Rutgers University Manalapan, New Jersey
7:00 p.m. Hoy  9'
Monaghan  77'		 Report Stadium: Sportika Sports

Regular season
April 13, 2019 1 Washington Spirit 2–0 Sky Blue FC Boyds, Maryland
19:00 Staab  59'
Crosson  90+2'		 Report Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex
Attendance: 2.373
April 20, 2019 2 Sky Blue FC 0–1 Houston Dash Piscataway, New Jersey
18:00 Lloyd  80' Report
Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 1,394
April 28, 2019 3 Sky Blue FC 2–2 Portland Thorns FC Piscataway, New Jersey
18:00
Report
Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 1,321
May 4, 2019 4 North Carolina Courage 0–0 Sky Blue FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 McCall Zerboni  87' Report Paige Monaghan  34' Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 5,039
May 11, 2019 5 Sky Blue FC 2–3 Washington Spirit Piscataway, New Jersey
15:00 Rodriguez  32'
Dorsey  80'		 Report Matthews  22', 68'
Dougherty Howard  27'
DiBiasi  55'
Nielsen  54'		 Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 1,330
May 18, 2019 6 Reign FC 2–1 Sky Blue FC Tacoma, Washington
16:00 James  13' (o.g)
Taylor  78'
Onumonu  90+8'		 Box Rodriguez  10'
McCaskill  45+1'		 Stadium: Cheney Stadium
Attendance: 3,036
May 25, 2019 7 Sky Blue FC 0–1 Portland Thorns FC Piscataway, New Jersey
18:00 Box Purce  69'
Brynjarsdottir  87'		 Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 1,472
June 15, 2019 8 Utah Royals FC 1–0 Sky Blue FC Sandy, Utah
22:00
Box
Stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium
Attendance: 5,777
June 22, 2019 9 Sky Blue FC 1–2 Orlando Pride Piscataway, New Jersey
19:00
Box
Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 1,644
July 6, 2019 10 Chicago Red Stars 1–2 Sky Blue FC Bridgeview, Illinois
20:00 Colaprico  83' Report
Stadium: SeatGeek Stadium
Attendance: 2,374
July 12, 2019 11 Sky Blue FC 1–0 Utah Royals FC Piscataway, New Jersey
19:30 James  42'
Flores  77'
Pierre-Louis  88'
Hoy  90+2'		 Report Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 1,842
July 20, 2019 12 Orlando Pride 1–0 Sky Blue FC Orlando, Florida
19:30
Report Stadium: Exploria Stadium
Attendance: 9,415
Referee: Danielle Chesky
July 24, 2019 13 Sky Blue FC 0–1 Washington Spirit Piscataway, New Jersey
19:30 James  50' Report Hatch  54'
Huster  90+2'		 Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 5,003
July 28, 2019 14 Houston Dash 1–0 Sky Blue FC Houston, Texas
19:00 Daly  22' Report Dorsey  68' Stadium: BBVA Compass Stadium
Attendance: 3,510
August 4, 2019 15 Portland Thorns FC 1–1 Sky Blue FC Portland, Oregon
23:00 Sinclair  39' (pen.) Report Dorsey  69'
Pierre-Louis  73'  90+2'		 Stadium: Providence Park
Attendance: 19,070
August 7, 2019 16 Utah Royals FC 3–0 Sky Blue FC Sandy, Utah
22:00 Press  27', 29'
Rodriguez  28'		 Report Hoy  60'
Wright  60'		 Stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium
Attendance: 7,715
August 14, 2019 17 Sky Blue FC 2–1 Chicago Red Stars Piscataway, New Jersey
19:00 Monaghan  71' (Lloyd), 90+3' (Lloyd)
Wright  56'		 Report Kerr  90+1' (Nagasato)
Nagasato  62'
Naughton  64'		 Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 2,558
Referee: Thomas Snyder
August 18, 2019 18 Sky Blue FC 1–1 Reign FC Harrison, New Jersey
13:00 Eddy  36' Report Taylor  38'
Long  84'		 Stadium: Red Bull Arena
Attendance: 9,415
August 24, 2019 19 Houston Dash 1–2 Sky Blue FC Houston, Texas
20:30 Ohai  90+4' Report Dydasco  9'
Lloyd  26', 41'
Skroski  34'
Lewandowski  49'
Sheridan  83'		 Stadium: BBVA Stadium
Attendance: 4,102
September 7, 2019 20 Sky Blue FC 1–2 North Carolina Courage Piscataway, New Jersey
15:00 Lloyd  13' (p)
Rodriguez  79'		 Report Skroski  1' (og)
Dunn  57'		 Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 2,895
September 15, 2019 21 Sky Blue FC 0–3 Chicago Red Stars Piscataway, New Jersey
17:00 Rodriguez  78' Report Brian  31'
Kerr  33'
Nagasato  80'		 Stadium: Yurcak Field
Attendance: 2,871
September 21, 2019 22 Reign FC 0–1 Sky Blue FC Tacoma, Washington
22:00 Box
Report		 Dorsey  43'
Lloyd  50'  77'		 Stadium: Cheney Stadium
Attendance: 6,189
September 29, 2019 23 Sky Blue FC 1–1 Orlando Pride Harrison, New Jersey
11:00 Dorsey  45+2'
Monaghan  56'
Lloyd  88'		 Report Zadorsky  18'
Edmonds  42'		 Stadium: Red Bull Arena
Attendance: 8,314
October 12, 2019 24 North Carolina Courage 3–2 Sky Blue FC Cary, North Carolina
19:00 McDonald  16'
Debinha  28'
McDonald  81'		 Report Lloyd  26'
Richardson  86'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Attendance: 9,195

Regular-season standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 North Carolina Courage (C) 24 15 4 5 54 23 +31 49 NWSL Shield
2 Chicago Red Stars 24 14 2 8 41 28 +13 44 NWSL Playoffs
3 Portland Thorns FC 24 11 7 6 40 31 +9 40
4 Reign FC 24 10 8 6 27 27 0 38
5 Washington Spirit 24 9 7 8 30 25 +5 34
6 Utah Royals FC 24 10 4 10 25 25 0 34
7 Houston Dash 24 7 5 12 21 36 −15 26
8 Sky Blue FC 24 5 5 14 20 34 −14 20
9 Orlando Pride 24 4 4 16 24 53 −29 16
Source: NWSL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(C) Champion.
Results summary
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
22 5 4 13 17 30  −13 19 2 2 7 10 17  −7 3 2 6 7 13  −6

Last updated: September 22, 2019.
Source: NWSLsoccer.com

Results by round
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324
GroundAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHAHHAHA
ResultLLDDLLLLLWWLLLDLWDWLLWDL
Position898888889999999988888888
Updated to match(es) played on September 22, 2019. Source: NWSLsoccer.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

    Statistical leaders

    Player transactions

    2019 NWSL College Draft
    Source: National Women's Soccer League[13]
    Round Pick Nat. Player Pos. Previous Team
    Round 12Hailie MaceFUCLA
    Round 16Julia AshleyDUniversity of North Carolina
    Round 210Paige MonaghanFButler University
    Round 211Julie JamesMBaylor University
    Round 319Kyra CarusaFGeorgetown University
    Round 428Kaylan MarckeseGUniversity of Florida
    Round 429Kenie WrightMRutgers University
    Round 434Sabrina FloresDUniversity of Notre Dame

    In
    Date Player Positions played Previous club Fee/notes Ref.
    January 10, 2019 Caprice Dydasco DF Washington Spirit Acquired in Trade with the Washington Spirit for the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft [14]
    January 10, 2019 DiDi Haracic GK Washington Spirit Acquired in Trade with the Washington Spirit for the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft [14]
    January 10, 2019 Estelle Johnson DF Washington Spirit Acquired in Trade with the Washington Spirit for the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft [14]
    January 14, 2019 Nahomi Kawasumi FW Reign FC Acquired in Trade with Reign FC in exchange for Shea Groom [15]
    April 10, 2019 Gabi MF Esporte Clube Iranduba da Amazônia Signed. [16]
    May 7, 2019 Gina Lewandowski DF Bayern Munich Signed. [17]
    June 11, 2019 Elizabeth Eddy MF North Carolina Courage Acquired in a trade with the North Carolina Courage in exchange for McKenzie Meehan [18]
    July 19, 2019 Nicole Baxter MF Asarums IF Signed. [19]

    Out
    Date Player Positions played Destination club Fee/notes Ref.
    November 14, 2018 Amanda Frisbie DF Klepp IL Signed with Klepp IL in Norway. [20]
    November 20, 2018 Rebekah Stott DF Avaldsnes IL Signed with Avaldsnes IL in Norway. [21]
    January 9, 2019 Katie Johnson FW Chicago Red Stars Traded to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft and the highest second-round pick in 2020. [20]
    January 12, 2019 Christina Gibbons DF Retired [22]
    January 14, 2019 Shea Groom FW Reign FC Traded to Reign FC in exchange for Nahomi Kawasumi [15]
    March 8, 2019 Caroline Casey GK Retired [23]
    June 11, 2019 McKenzie Meehan FW North Carolina Courage Traded to the North Carolina Courage in exchange for Elizabeth Eddy. [18]
    June 19, 2019 Savannah McCaskill FW Chicago Red Stars Traded to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for a First and Second Round draft pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft [24]
    July 14, 2019 Gabi MF Released [25]
    July 19, 2019 Sabrina Flores MF Sevilla Released [25][19]

    Awards

    NWSL Team of the Month
    Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Ref
    April Kailen Sheridan [26]
    July Kailen Sheridan [27]

    NWSL Goal of the Week
    Week Result Player Ref.
    6 Nominated Raquel Rodriguez [28]
    13 Nominated Jennifer Hoy [29]
    16 Nominated Imani Dorsey [30]
    18 Nominated Paige Monaghan [31]
    23 Nominated Carli Lloyd [32]
    24 Nominated Carli Lloyd [33]
    25 Nominated Domi Richardson [34]

    NWSL Save of the Week
    Week Result Player Ref.
    2 Won Kailen Sheridan [35]
    3 Won Kailen Sheridan [36]
    4 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [37]
    5 Nominated DiDi Haracic [38]
    6 Nominated DiDi Haracic [39]
    7 Nominated DiDi Haracic [40]
    9 Nominated DiDi Haracic [41]
    10 Nominated DiDi Haracic [42]
    12 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [43]
    14 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [44]
    15 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [45]
    16 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [46]
    17 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [47]
    18 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [48]
    21 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [49]
    23 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [50]
    25 Nominated Kailen Sheridan [51]

    References
    1. "About Sky Blue Soccer". skybluefc.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
    2. "U.S. WNT prospect Hailie Mace joins Swedish club FC Rosengård". February 13, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    3. "Julia Ashley To Play Pro Soccer Abroad". January 22, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    4. "Mandy Freeman Out Indefinitely with Achilles Tendon Injury". March 26, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
    5. "Madison Tiernan Out Indefinitely with ACL and MCL Injury". March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
    6. "New Leadership for Sky Blue FC". April 9, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
    7. "Twitter: GeorgetownWsoccer". April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
    8. "Sky Blue FC fires coach Denise Reddy". June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
    9. "Sky Blue FC Names Freya Coombe Interim Head Coach". September 4, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
    10. "@Skybluefc". August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
    11. Yang, Stephanie. "Sky Blue home closer shows a complete turnaround from last year". All For XI. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
    12. "2019 Roster". Sky Blue FC. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
    13. "List: Every pick of the 2019 NWSL College Draft". National Women's Soccer League. January 10, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    14. "Washington Spirit trade three players to land the third pick in the 2019 NWSL Draft". January 10, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    15. "Sky Blue FC acquire Nahomi Kawasumi in trade for Shea Groom". January 14, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    16. "Sky Blue FC Signs Brazilian Midfielder Gabi". April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
    17. "Sky Blue FC Signs Veteran Defender Gina Lewandowski". May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
    18. "Sky Blue FC Acquires Elizabeth Eddy in a Trade with North Carolina Courage". June 11, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
    19. "Sky Blue Sign Midfielder Nicole Baxter as National Team Replacement Player". Sky Blue FC. July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
    20. "Sky Blue FC trade Katie Johnson". January 9, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    21. "Ferns pair sign deals in Norway". November 20, 2018. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    22. "Sky Blue FC defender Christina Gibbons announces retirement". January 12, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    23. "Caroline Casey to Step Away From Soccer to Pursue Medical Career". March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    24. "Red Stars acquire McCaskill in exchange for 1st-, 2nd-round picks". June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
    25. Pardeep Cattry (July 14, 2019). "Sky Blue boasts new energy following second consecutive win". Pro Soccer USA. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
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    27. "July Team of the Month". August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
    28. "Week 6 Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League twitter. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
    29. "Week 13 Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League twitter. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
    30. "Week 16 Goal of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
    31. "Week 18 Goal of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
    32. "Week 23 Goal of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
    33. "Week 24 Goal of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
    34. "Week 25 Goal of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
    35. "Week 2 Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
    36. "Week 3 Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League twitter. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
    37. "Week 4 Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League twitter. May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
    38. "Vote: Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League. May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
    39. "Vote: Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League twitter. May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
    40. "Week 7 Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League youtube. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
    41. "Week 9 Save of the Week Nominees". National Women's Soccer League twitter. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
    42. "Week 10 Save of the Week nominees". NWSL twitter. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
    43. "Week 12 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
    44. "WEEK 14 SAVE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES". NWSL. NWSLSoccer.com. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
    45. "Week 15 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
    46. "Week 16 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
    47. "Week 17 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
    48. "Week 18 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
    49. "Week 21 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
    50. "Week 23 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
    51. "Week 25 Save of the Week nominees #NWSL 2019". YouTube. NWSL. Retrieved 17 October 2019.

    See also
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