Top 5 Goals: NWSL, Barclays Women’s Championship, NCAA Soccer Week 3

Another wild week of women’s soccer from the United States and England has led to some incredible moments across the board. Whether it’s the college game, the NWSL, or the Championship, everyone is playing at a high level, which highlights how the game continues to grow at a rapid pace. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the Top 5 Goals from the NWSL Matchday 18, Barclays Women’s Championship, and NCAA Soccer Week 3. 

5. Mary McAteer – Sunderland

What a goal by @MaryMcAteer19 👏#BarclaysWC @SAFCWomen pic.twitter.com/ZtEdOKkcC8

— Barclays Women’s Championship (@BarclaysWC) September 3, 2023

The Championship gets an entire month in the spotlight before the FA WSL returns in October. The players are showing the gap between the two leagues isn’t as big as people might think. The quality from Mary McAteer is on full display here.

This ball must’ve gone at least ten feet in the air before coming down, making it a high degree of difficulty to hit on the volley. McAteer’s technique was sublime, keeping her knee over the ball and firing it into the far corner. What a finish from the 19-year-old Sunderland striker. 

4. Nya Harrison – Stanford Cardinals

WOW#NCAASoccer x 🎥 PAC 12 Insider / @StanfordWSoccer
pic.twitter.com/MgBgCaww2i

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 3, 2023

Nya Harrison is a GSN mentor. Naturally, we’re thrilled to see her score a goal like this. Part of it is on Duke for not stepping up to the ball because Harrison is a defender coming all the way from her own half.

Still, defenders don’t normally get the chance to go on a solo run like this. Harrison drove forward with fervor and purpose. She continued to take the space that was given to her and ended up beating the keeper from long range. That looked more like a striker’s finish than a defender’s–a goal to remember for Nya Harrison for sure. 

3. Mia Oliaro – North Carolina Tar Heels

SHEEEEEESH 😮‍💨😮‍💨#NCAASoccer x 🎥 ACCN / @uncwomenssoccer
pic.twitter.com/v9aQSqEYkb

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 3, 2023

The Tar Heels took on Arkansas in a top-ten showdown in a game that every college soccer fan had circled on their calendar. North Carolina was trailing before the freshman Mia Oliaro provided the equalizer. Oliaro did well to take a touch away from the goal first. The Arkansas defenders couldn’t step up as a result and gave Oliaro the space she needed.

Oliaro let it fly from long range, doing well to get her feet set before firing a clean screamer into the top corner. The hometown kid from Chapel Hill must be living a dream of scoring a goal like that and contributing to the Tar Heels this early on in her collegiate career. 

2. Thembi Kgatlana- Racing Louisville

What a finish from @Kgatlanathe1st! 😱@RacingLouFC goes in front thanks to a lightning quick double ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/D5vQ579W5U

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 3, 2023

Thembi Kgatlana has been an impact player for Racing Louisville, and her attacking prowess was on full display against the league’s best team, Portland. The quick feet and ability to operate in a tight space have always been fantastic from the South African. This was no exception, as all it took was a pause, quick hesitation, and a step to her right before firing the ball into the far corner. It always takes a virtuoso performance to beat a team like Portland, and Kgatlana was one of the players who achieved that over the weekend. 

1. Kenna Caldwell – Texas A&M Aggies

😱😱😱#NCAASoccer x 🎥 @AggieSoccer
pic.twitter.com/JsW9XqCLi2

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 1, 2023

This goal went viral. Some of you might have already seen this making the rounds on multiple WoSo social media accounts. One of the rare occurrences in soccer is a goal from a goalie, whether it’s from a corner kick at the end of the game or a long-range free kick. It’s always exciting to see.

In a situation like this, normally, the wind plays a factor and carries the ball. Not this time. The touch from Kenna Caldwell was literally perfect. You can see from the flight of the ball in the video it doesn’t hang in the air or move back and forth; it just dropped right into the goal. Almost like a hole-in-one, where the ball couldn’t be hit any better than that.

This had to take the top spot on the list. It’s something that has to be appreciated when it happens. 

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