Sports Illustrated named Angel City FC forward Ally Sentnor its Most Valuable Player in the National Women’s Soccer League for September. Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 26, she recorded four goals and two assists. Angel City have secured a playoff spot.
September award
Sentnor told Sports Illustrated: "The team told me during our morning meeting and film ... I had no idea. They put up [the announcement] as the last slide, and the girls are super great, we celebrate each other so well, and it was so fun to be on the receiving end of that."
Sentnor joined Angel City in June via a trade from Kansas City Current.
She said: "There is always an adjustment period, and I think I’m just adjusting and growing each game. I’m excited to have a preseason with the team next year, but all credit to these girls for really embracing me. I think the biggest thing was just them being so happy that I was here. That’s so important as a player to feel like the people really want you there. They want your qualities to be part of the team."
Changes around the break
Angel City parted ways with manager Alex Straus and named Leif Gunnar Smerud as interim around the same time as the CBA-mandated break.
Sentnor said: "I went into it almost like a new season, thinking, let’s see what we can do in this second half and let’s see what magic we can make. The vibes have been really coming through, and I commend this group for the incredible things we’ve done in the second half of the season. I just came in with a fresh mindset, ready to attack this second half."
Smerud's view and national-team data
Smerud told Sports Illustrated: "She has intensity in her game, so she has quick feet both in receiving and getting away from the opponent's face, and in her pressing, ... can be really good. She can get out of difficult situations. She controls the ball, and she has that agility and speed to do that. For us, that's been important. We like to press, we like to play through the lines when we can, so she's been really helpful for us to connect, play and to build."
In 23 appearances since 2024, Sentnor has scored seven goals and three assists for her country.
Sentnor said: "It’s always something that you want, to be called into your national team and help your country win trophies and games. The biggest thing for me right now is focusing on where my feet are and being happy with where I am, the people around me, my training every day, because I think if you can relax and feel that, feel the joy of your day to day, then things will fall into place where they should."
One match left before the playoffs
Angel City have one more match against the eliminated Boston Legacy, and that match will determine their final standings, including whether they get to host a home playoff match.
Sentnor said: "I’ve been on that side of being out of the playoffs and still having games to play, so it gives me that perspective that these teams aren’t going to just roll over and let us have [the win]. We are not taking this game lightly by any means. We’re going all in."