The 2022 NWSL season began in Chicago, where the Red Stars took on the Philadelphia Charge. Goals from Steph McCaffrey, Sofia Huerta, and rookie Sophia Smith gave Chicago its first opening-day win in four seasons, 3-0. Following the match, Julie Johnston Ertz and DiDi Haracic fled Toyota Park to get to O'Hare for their 6:21pm flight to Washington, DC, where they would check into a nearby hotel and wait for their girlfriends, Christen Press and Shelina Zadorsky, to join them following their match in Germantown. They make it to the airport with just a few minutes to spare and go directly onto the plane. Once their bags are stowed and they are seated, the two Charge players have a short conversation.
Julie: How long have you and Shelina been together?
DiDi: Just under two years, most of it apart from each other.
Julie: That sucks, but you're, what, maybe 4 hours apart?
DiDi: 3 1/2 on a good day. What about you and Christen?
Julie: Eight years, give or take.
DiDi: And Zach?
Julie: Twelve.
DiDi: Which separation has been the harder for you, from Zach or from Christen?
Julie: For a long time, there was no difficulty in it since I'd see them more or less six months of the year non-stop. When Chrissy got moved to LA and I got moved to Philly, that balance of course changed. I miss her terribly, but I know that I can't just walk into Erica's office and demand she trade for her or that she deal me out there, since we each were gifted to our respective teams for a combination of on-field and off-field reasons.
The two of them drifted off into their personal head zones, thinking about what the upcoming night might bring with their lovers. Meanwhile, in Boston, the Breakers were finishing up their clinical destruction of Sky Blue. With goals from Rose and Sam, plus a brace by Kyah sprinkled in, Boston staked their claim to being the Beast of the East with a 4-0 win. Yael and Steph waited outside the gates at Jordan Field for Jill Loyden and Kailen Sheridan to come out so they could head to dinner at Grendel's Den.
Yael: No rubbing in the result, Steph, even though we made them look pretty bad out there.
Steph: Was I credited with a save at all in the match?
Yael: One, and that was on Kailen's punt that cleared the defense and bounded to you.
Steph reached down and grasped Yael's hand, squeezing it softly. Yael responded back with a similar squeeze and moved to interlock their fingers. Jill and Kailen made their way to their opposite numbers from the Breakers and they jumped into Steph's SUV for the short trip to Grendel's. Once they were seated and had ordered their drinks and appetizers, Yael asked Jill about her and Carli while Steph and Kailen look on.
Yael: How are you and Carli managing your relationship while she's still with Brian?
Jill: Very carefully. I don't try to do much with her in Jersey because the questions would be endless about her, him, us, and how Madden is taking to it.
Yael: So you go down to Philly more than she comes up, then?
Jill: Yes.
Yael: Ever been close to getting caught by the hubby?
Jill: Once, he was supposed to be playing in a golf tournament in New Jersey when rain washed out play on Friday before it finished. Carli thought his score at the time would be good enough to keep him playing through the weekend, so she asked me to come down for the weekend. Soft conditions on Saturday morning had everyone aiming for pins, however, and he was passed by several golfers and missed the cut, unbeknownst to Carli. When she sent him a good-luck text and didn't get a response back right away, she thought nothing of it. He called her maybe 10 minutes out from home and asked if he needed to pick up anything for dinner since he'd be home that night. She said yes, gave him a short list to occupy him for a few minutes in the store, and then we scrambled to get dressed and get me gone before he arrived.
Yael: That's cutting it close.
Jill: Why all the questions about Carli, me, and Brian?
Yael: Well, I just might need to get the two of your's advice in the near future on how to keep Aaron from catching to my sidechick here.
Jill and Kailen: NO WAY!!!
Steph: Funny, right?
Kailen: What happened with Georgia?
Steph: She broke up with me about a month ago. We got to a point where the commitment was there, but she didn't want to move forward on the big stuff. You know, marriage, kids, living together in one place.
Jill: Sorry to hear that, Steph. So the two of you are "something"?
Yael: Yes, Jill. I never expected it, and I'm sure she didn't expect to find someone so quickly after the breakup. We're not official official yet, since she still needs a little time to clean out the scar tissue from the loss, but we're "together" as much as you can be together in a situation like this.
Kailen: So the three of you are all carrying on behind some hapless spouse's back, while I'm living the free life without that issue.
Steph: Trust me, being unentangled isn't all some people believe it is. There's always a slight bit of jealousy over who's talking to who and whether the girl you're with one night will still be there in the morning. At least when you're hooking up with someone already in a relationship, you know who the competition is, as well as where the object of your desire's mind is regarding the three of you.
Yael (to Jill): Do you think it would be possible for us to get together with you and Carli when we're in Philly next week for our game with them?
Jill: I'm planning to visit her on Friday night with Madden for dinner. Maybe I'll see if Erin and Ella can bring Teri over and they could watch him while the four of us meet up for drinks somewhere.
Yael: I'd appreciate that. Things are advancing a little quicker than I expected, so getting some insight from friends who are dealing with the same issues would be helpful, I think.
Jill: I'm not even going to go into the ethics of a player/coach dating relationship, but you're both mid-to-late 30s by now, right?
Steph: We're both 35, and I'm actually the older one by a little less than a month.
Jill: Surprised we haven't seen or heard of this yet in the league with younger women getting into the coaching ranks and more players staying in the game as long as the men do.
Kailen: This is all a little baffling. I'm guessing your bosses aren't aware of this.
Steph: No. Jill, both you and Steph McCaffrey said the same thing about the potential for player/coach relationships in the league, that players stay around longer and more women are seeking out ways to stay in the game after their playing days end.
Jill: Despite the BIG mistake she made at Boston College, she is rather insightful on life, even if you can't get her to talk much about what's in her head.
The foursome left Grendel's and headed their separate ways into the Boston night. Steph took Yael back to Jordan so she could pick up her car. They look at one another adoringly, with Steph getting a little shy from the constant eye contact. Steph thanks her for the evening, Yael congratulates her on the clean sheet, and Steph kisses Yael on the temple before putting one on her lips before they depart the parking lot.
***
Sarah Killion, Sam and Abby's UCLA teammate and Sky Blue FC midfielder, is over at the couple's Allston apartment hanging out with her friends following tonight's game.
Sarah: So when's the wedding?
Abby: October 16th in Chicago.
Sarah: Why Chicago?
Sam: It's the site of the NWSL final and we're expecting to play in it the day before.
Sarah: Ahhhh. I take it your "sisters" are standing up for you?
Abby: Yes. Steph will be with Sam and Kristie with me.
Sarah: Anyone else in the party yet?
Sam: Two of our teammates will be standing up for us. Beyond that, we haven't discussed how many more we want to include. Don't worry, girl, you're near the top of our list if we decide to go with a bigger party.
Megan and Bryan come in following their dinner date at Papa Razzi.
Sam: Speak of the devil. Megan, we were just talking about you, sort of.
Megan: Hope it wasn't anything bad.
Megan takes off her coat and gives Sarah a hug before giving Sam a slight growl.
Megan: Sam, Abby, Sarah, this is Bryan. Bryan, my UCLA posse.
Bryan shakes hands with the three of them and they all settle in around the kitchen island.
Abby: How was your date?
Megan: You really expect me to critique it in front of him? Besides, we're technically still on it.
Sam: True. I believe I saw you at Meet the Breakers on Monday night, Bryan.
Bryan: You probably did. I was near the back tending bar.
Abby (to Megan): You told me he was a librarian there.
Bryan: Both are true. BPL holds so many private events in their buildings that, instead of contracting out for help for every one of them, they offer the staff opportunities to pick up comp hours for helping out with some of them.
Abby: He also went to grad school with my trainer, Patrick.
Bryan: We started a year apart and were in completely different departments, so our paths never crossed in Milwaukee.
Sarah (to Bryan): What are your intentions with sweet, innocent Megan?
Bryan: Well, first is to find out if she likes me and I like her. That's what the whole concept of courtship is, when you break it down.
Sam: Don't tell me you were a soc major.
Bryan: Yes. In fact, I was teasing Megan that I would love to meet the four of you together and study the social rituals of ex-UCLA players.
Sarah: I think we might have a winner here. Anyone who can keep Oyster from prattling on at us about some little-known tribe in Utah and their traditions has a leg up when assessed by us.
Sam: Are you much of a women's soccer fan?
Bryan: A bit. I know the major players and do attend games locally when my schedule allows.
Abby: Doesn't sound like he's as fanboy as Patrick, but that's probably a good thing. I don't think Megan would be able to deal with someone like that.
Sam: And you're saying Morgan can?
Megan: I've been here the longest of us three, so I know her a bit better than the two of you. For all the cheeriness you see, she has a bit of a confidence problem and can be really reserved when her performances aren't up to her own standards.
Sam: In other words, having someone who will love you no matter what you do might be something she needs.
Bryan: He and I talked a bit on Monday. He does have a bit of fanboy crush going on for her, but considering who he's grown up around...
Abby cuts him off. "Bryan, he really doesn't like that getting around. I presume you know, then."
Bryan: Right. I'm sorry. Slipped that he isn't much for wanting people to know that part about him.
Sarah and Sam stare at one another, but let the subject drop.
Bryan: It's been a pleasure meeting all of you, but I have to be running. Megan?
Megan: I'll walk you out, Bryan. I'm going to stick around and catch up with Sarah.
Bryan and Megan walk down the stairs and after having a brief conversation, Bryan places a kiss on Megan's cheek and says he'll call her on Monday. She blushes and runs back up the stairs to spill all about the date to the other three.
***
Chicago 3 Philadelphia 0 (McCaffrey/Mewis, Huerta/DiBernardo, Smith/Witteman)
Boston 4 Sky Blue 0 (Lavelle/Andrews, Simon/Fleming, Mewis/Andrews, Simon/Duran)
Washington 1 Atlanta 2 (Williams/Huster; Press/O'Sullivan, Press/Elby)
North Carolina 1 Orlando 2 (Doniak/Mautz; Morgan pk, Horan)
Vancouver 3 Kansas City 1 (Rose/Andressa, Leon/Andressa, Schmidt; Groom/LaBonta)
Houston 1 Portland 4 (Beckie/Sullivan; Jordan/Corboz, Jordan/Corboz, Nadim pk, Quinn/Frisbie)
Seattle 2 Los Angeles 2 (Johnson/Stott, Yanez/Nairn; Williams, Sanchez/Williams)