Orlando Sentinel

The Pride shake up

- By Alicia DelGallo

their roster — including the addition of Brazilian superstar Marta — in bid to win big. See the season preview in Sports.

Over and over last stated: be competitiv­e.

Orlando Pride coach Tom Sermanni said it, as did many of the club’s executives and top players.

Last year was tough. They knew it would be, an inaugural National Women’s Soccer League season during an Olympic year. Top players came and went, and the team never really felt settled. This year is different. The Pride are different. And the goals are different. “Win a championsh­ip,” Spencer said. “Goal.”

“It’s very simple, just win, have a winning mentality, strive for success,” defender Ali Krieger said. “That is why we're all here.”

“To win,” defender Alana Kennedy said. “That’s the goal. That’s what we've been talking about and that’s what the team is here for. The recruitmen­t that we’ve had and the players that have stayed here, year, the goal clearly was forward Jasmyne Meet the Pride players, Morgan thriving in France, Scout the rest of the NWSL, Visit Orlando Pride pictures and video.

[the roster] has been made to win games.”

Kennedy and Krieger were among those new players recruited, both members of their respective national teams who round out a formidable defensive unit, while Spencer is one of last year’s returning standouts, along with leading scorer Kristen Edmonds, U.S. national team goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris and Australian star defender Steph Catley, among others.

Last season, Sermanni and the technical staff wanted to honor commitment­s made to inaugural players and give them all enough time to prove

 ?? STEPHEN M. DOWELL/STAFF PHOTOGRAPH­ER ?? Defender Ali Krieger trains at Orlando City Stadium Wednesday ahead of the Pride’s home opener.
STEPHEN M. DOWELL/STAFF PHOTOGRAPH­ER Defender Ali Krieger trains at Orlando City Stadium Wednesday ahead of the Pride’s home opener.

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