Denver Summit FC's Janine Sonis Shines as Expansion Club Stuns NWSL

Attacking Third analysts highlight the standout performances from Week 4 of the 2026 NWSL season.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:51pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in the style of Pablo Picasso, depicting an NWSL soccer match as a series of overlapping planes and shapes in vibrant colors, without any recognizable players or field markings.An abstract, cubist interpretation of the dynamic action and energy of an NWSL match, capturing the league's talent and competitive spirit.Denver Today

The 2026 NWSL regular season is in full swing, and the Attacking Third team of the week is back to highlight the top performers from the past week's action. This week's Best XI includes standout players like Angel City's Angelina Anderson, Denver Summit FC's Janine Sonis, Seattle Reign FC's Phoebe McClernon and Nerilia Mondesir, and Portland Thorns FC's Olivia Moultrie and Reilyn Turner. Angel City head coach Alex Strauss earns Coach of the Week honors, while San Diego Wave FC's Kenza Dali is named Honorary Captain.

Why it matters

The NWSL Team of the Week highlights the emerging stars and veteran leaders driving their clubs to success in the early stages of the 2026 season. These players' performances not only impact their teams' results, but also showcase the depth of talent across the league and the competitive parity that makes the NWSL one of the world's top women's professional soccer competitions.

The details

Standout performers this week include Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson, who made 14 saves against the Houston Dash, and Denver Summit FC outside back Janine Sonis, who was crucial in her team's upset of a top NWSL club. Seattle Reign FC centerback Phoebe McClernon and forward Nerilia Mondesir also made the Best XI, while Portland Thorns FC's Olivia Moultrie continued her goal-scoring form and teammate Reilyn Turner scored with a highlight-reel header. Angel City's Alex Strauss was named Coach of the Week, and San Diego Wave FC's Kenza Dali earned Honorary Captain honors.

  • The 2026 NWSL regular season is currently underway.

The players

Angelina Anderson

The Angel City goalkeeper stood tall with 14 saves against the Houston Dash.

Janine Sonis

The Denver Summit FC outside back was crucial in her team's upset of a top NWSL club.

Phoebe McClernon

The Seattle Reign FC centerback led her team in clearances against Racing Louisville.

Nerilia Mondesir

The Seattle Reign FC forward scored the game-winning goal against Racing Louisville.

Olivia Moultrie

The Portland Thorns FC midfielder reached a milestone, becoming the youngest player to score 20 career NWSL goals.

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What they’re saying

“I feel like one of the things that we said going into that game was that the outside backs for Denver were gonna have to do double duty. Because they go forward a lot as part of their attack, specifically Sonis, but she was also going to have to turn back around and do the defensive work against Trinity Rodman or [Rosemonde] Kouassi, or whoever was playing against her right in that moment. And thought she held her own, was excellent, and one of the reasons why this team is soaring is because of her experience.”

— Lori Lindsey, Attacking Third Analyst

“Big turnaround for them, I think, after that, what they would say, probably is, was one of the most underwhelming performances [against Portland]. But then two shutouts and no Jordyn Bugg, who has been out, and it will still be out for a little bit longer, I believe. So McClernon is holding down, helping shut things down on that back line.”

— Lori Lindsey, Attacking Third Analyst

What’s next

The NWSL regular season continues, with teams looking to build on their early-season form and secure playoff positioning.

The takeaway

The NWSL's depth of talent is on full display, with emerging stars and veteran leaders driving their clubs to success in the opening weeks of the 2026 season. The league's competitive parity ensures that any team can pull off an upset, making the NWSL one of the most exciting women's professional soccer competitions in the world.