(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)
ORLANDO, Fla. – From Brazilian superstar Marta Vieira da Silva and former Washington Spirit defender Ali Krieger, the Orlando Pride have seen a surge in talent entering their second National Women’s Soccer League season. But there’s at least one familiar face who is on her way to outdoing her inaugural Pride season: head coach Tom Seramnni’s Energizer Bunny, forward Jasmyne Spencer.
So far this season, Spencer has recorded two goals and an assist in seven games and five starts. Compared to last season, Spencer tallied four goals and no assists. While the Bay Shore, New York, native is already on pace for a career season, she knows she still has more to do.
“I focused a lot on just being more productive and so far, so good,” Spencer said after training on June 1. “But I’ve got a lot to do still. Obviously, especially, we need to accumulate more points, so I gotta get the job done, and I’m just gonna keep bringing high energy and my aggressiveness and just try to be as ruthless as I can in the box.”
For the second-year Pride head coach, Sermanni sees a difference in the Pride’s ability to create chances. The additions of Marta and fellow Brazilian Camila Martins Pereira have been determining factors.
“I think that probably the difference is, this year, which is a great benefit for Jas, is we’re creating more chances,” Sermanni said after training on June 1. “And that gives her more opportunities in and around danger areas, whereas last year, every game is a real battle for us to create anything last year… And if she can get on a roll of goals, you know, and get on a run, and you know what it’s like—a striker, a lot of it is about confidence…and having somebody like Marta and Camila, who are excellent at that final pass.”
The proof has been in the pudding for Sermanni’s side. Camila currently leads the Pride in assists with two, tied with seven other players in the NWSL for third-most. As for Marta, she’s tied with Camila and Spencer for a team-high in goals with two and has an assist of her own.
But being at the top of statistical leaderboards has little significance when there’s only been one win to show for it. Through the first seven games of 2016, the Pride mustered a 4-3-0 record with 12 points. Orlando currently sits at No. 8 in the NWSL standings with a 1-3-3 record and just six points.
For Spencer, she’s having a difficult time identifying what the issues are.
“Yeah, it’s tough to say. I mean, I can’t even pinpoint one little thing,” Spencer said. “Maybe just cleaning up little mistakes that other teams are capitalizing on. You know, we’re creating a ton, we have good possession, we play good soccer. It’s just not—the ball’s not really falling for us yet, but we just keep plugging along, try not to get too frustrated, hold ourselves accountable a little bit more and just keep getting after it.”
Orlando has an opportunity, though, to take a step closer to the top half of the standings on Saturday when the Pride host the No. 7 Boston Breakers. A win by the Pride would give Sermanni’s squad sole possession of the seventh spot.
But for Sermanni, Saturday’s matchup doesn’t bear just a one-game significance. It’s a chance for his team to turn the season around.
“It’s not just the significance of this game. It’s the significance of turning our season around and getting results,” Sermanni said. “So, you know, there’s still another, I don’t know, 15 games or whatever to go. So you don’t pin everything on one game because if the result doesn’t go, you’ve got to get up and ready for the next game.
“But what is important is that we pick up points and we start moving up the table and we start getting in contact with the teams in the top half.”
The Pride host the Breakers on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
For more on the Orlando’s very own Energizer Bunny, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
