Defensively postured, Sweden extends the U.S. to penalty kick before prevailing, 1-1 (4-3) in a quarterfinal Olympic match at Brasilia. “I thought we played a courageous game,” Solo says afterward. “I also think we played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today. I strongly and firmly believe that.”

Hope Solo stands tall against France as the United States advances to the Olympic Games quarterfinals by blanking France, 1-0, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Solo makes three strong saves in the first half, including a 26' stop on Marie-Laure Delie in a 1-on-1, point-blank situation. She denies Delie again in a similar plot just before halftime. Carli Lloyd scores in the second half and Solo earns her second shutout of the tournament and record 102nd of her USWMNT career.

Never mind that Nelson Valdez hadn't scored in a year, the Paraguayan veteran striker comes off the bench to score in the 88th minute for the Sounders to beat Sporting Kansas City, 1-0, in a first-round playoff knockout match at CenturyLink Field. Sporting KC is the stronger side for much of the match, forcing Stefan Frei to make seven saves. Seattle's sole shot on-target comes when a driven Joevin Jones cross is head home by Valdez. His last (and only) Sounders goal in league play came 364 days earlier, in a knockout win over LA.

Scoring the opener and setting-up the winner, Clint Dempsey stars in America's 2-1 quarterfinal win over Ecuador before 47,322 at CenturyLink Field. In terms of prize money, it's the most important game to ever be played in Seattle, with the victor assured of earning $1 million to reach the semifinals. Dempsey puts the USMNT ahead in the 22nd minute on a header from the penalty spot. In the 65th minute he drives a ball that Gyasi Zardes nods in for a 2-nil lead. Brad Guzan makes two stops, notably a kick-save in first-half stoppage time. The U.S. goes on to take fourth place. Seattle's DeAndre Yedlin misses the game after being sent off vs. Paraguay June 11.

Woodinville's Joe Matthews is named 2016 USYSA Girls Recreational Coach of the Year. Matthews stresses player safety, having fun and developing soccer skills while empowering players to make decisions and communicate among themselves during a match. In addition, Matthews and his team volunteer at the local community kitchen.

Sigi Schmid's 8-year tenure as the only coach in Sounders FC history comes to an end with his dismissal. Seattle is 6-12-2 and has won just once in seven league games. In the club’s first 7-plus seasons, Schmid had gone 115-79-56 and won four U.S Open Cups and a Supporters’ Shield. He was runner-up for 2014 MLS Coach of the Year. Brian Schmetzer is named interim head coach. It's the first time any Seattle pro club has fired a coach during the season.

Washington moves to the NCAA tournament's third round for the third time in four years by scoring three second-half goals in a 4-1 win over New Mexico on Montlake. The Lobos, who beat UW in a 2013 quarterfinal, strike first. But after Justin Schmidt scores directly from a 28' corner kick, the No. 14 Huskies shift into gear. Scott Menzies, Elijah Rice and Beau Blanchard hit the net in the first 20 minutes after switching ends. Denver eliminates Washington, 2-1, on Nov. 26.

Stephen Jinneman scores to lift Western Washington over 19th-ranked Dixie State (Ut.), 3-2, in the Vikings' first-ever NCAA tournament game at La Jolla, Ca. Brady Ulen scores a pair of penalty kicks in regulation. Dixie State ties it in the 89th minute. In the 98th, Ulen's long throw is flicked on by Jeremiah Lee to Jinneman for a 7-yard, game-winning header.

Following two seasons of shields and glorious goals, the Seattle Reign can only grind away in hopes that their attack will re-ignite. The Reign earns a fourth straight shutout, 0-0 in sweltering heat at Kansas City. Yet they have only scored a single goal in those four games and four goals in the last eight. Help, however, is on the way. Japanese international forward Naho Kawasumi, who flourished for Seattle in 2014, signed on June 16 and will become available in July.

Brian Schmetzer is named head coach on a permanent basis after guiding the team to an 8-2-4 record down the stretch to clinch a playoff berth and reaching the Western Conference semifinals. Schmetzer had coached the USL Sounders from 2002-08 and served as Sigi Schmid's top assistant since 2009. Initially, he was named interim successor to Schmid.

Prior to his final regular season game, retiring Sounders defender Zach Scott, 36, is presented the Golden Scarf. Scott, who will go onto make 353 appearances in all competitions since 2002, is also depicted in 20,000 bobbleheads distributed to fans.

Whitworth seizes its third straight Northwest Conference men's crown on an overtime winner launched from midfield, beating Willamette, 1-0, in Salem. Center back Kyle Morris takes a restart from Tony Watters and sends a long ball that bounces over the head of the advancing Bearcats keeper and into the goal. It's the Pirates' fourth consecutive win during a nine-game unbeaten (8-0-1) run. The Bucs, who finish 10-0-3 in league, with a seven-point cushion, had started the season 5-3-1.

Homegrown rookie forward Jordan Morris scores his first professional goal to help defeat Philadelphia, 2-1. In his seventh start, Morris outraces the Union backline to reach Andreas Ivanschitz's ball and poke it past Andre Blake in the 71st minute. When substituted later, Morris receives a standing ovation and is happily greeted by his father, team physician Dr. Michael Morris. It starts a four-game span in which Morris scores second-half goals in each, with Seattle winning three.

The Kitsap Pumas pull off the biggest upset of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup's third round, defeating USL Sacramento Republic, 3-1, on the road. All the scoring occurs in a six-minute phase midway through the second half. Michael Ramos answers the Sacramento equalizer on a rebound of a save of his initial shot. Javier Castro, who tallied the game's first goal, provides a two-goal cushion in the 65th minute. It's the firs time the Pumas have reached the fourth round. The Republic go on to finish atop the USL Western Division.

Getting another big-time performance from Clint Dempsey, Seattle turns the tables on Portland with a 3-1 home victory before 53,302. The Sounders, who during their doldrums fell to the Timbers five weeks earlier by the same score, grab all their goals in the final half-hour. After Cristian Roldan is knocked down in the box, Dempsey converts the 61' penalty. He scores again at 80', and Roldan makes it 3-nil at 83'. Now just two points out of a playoff spot, it's Seattle's third straight win under interim coach Brian Schmetzer.

Seattle Reign's Megan Rapinoe is voted Seattle Female Sports Star of the Year for 2015. Rapinoe beats out a field that includes the Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd and Washington Huskies hoops star Kelsey Plum. In 2015, Rapinoe starred for both the Reign, who again won the NWSL Shield and reached the playoff final, and the USWNT, which won the FIFA World Cup. She becomes soccer's fourth female star of the year .

Seattle United 98 Copa beats LA Premier FC, 2-0, on goals by Brannon Jong and Vincente Aquino Contreras in Boise. Meanwhile, JoJo Harber and Alex Kirton tally for Eastside 98 Red in 2-0 win over Utah's Celtic 99 Premier. Seattle United goes on to take fourth place in U17 USYSA Nationals in Frisco, Texas. FC Salmon Creek Nemesis, representing Oregon, wins the U15 girls regional, 3-1 over Rebel SC Elite of San Diego. They are knocked out in nationals group play.

FC Cincinnati forward and Federal Way native Sean Okoli is voted the United Soccer League's Most Valuable Player after leading the USL with 16 goals. Okoli, 23, was recognized with USL Team of the Week honors five times while helping first-year Cincinnati finish 16-8-6. After being signed as a Homegrown by the Sounders, he was traded to New England in 2015, then released.

It's a sprint to the finish line, but the Sounders punch their ticket to the playoffs on Decision Day with a 2-1 home win over Real Salt Lake before 50,022. The sides swap goal in the opening four minutes, but Cristian Roldan buries the 31' rebound off a Roman Torres header that was saved. Since Nicolás Lodeiro's arrival and Brian Schmetzer's elevation to interim coach, Seattle is 8-2-4. It vaults over RSL and Kansas City to the No. 4 seed.

Cassie Miller makes a series of outstanding saves, and Kate Bennett gets the deciding goal in the Sounders Women's 2-1 victory over Beach Futbol Club in a first-round WPSL playoff at Sacramento. Brianna Hooks puts Seattle up early, and Bennett hits the net from outside the box for a 2-nil lead. Miller then saves a penalty kick. The Sounders Women also go in front the following day in stifling, 100-degree heat vs. the San Diego Sea Lions. Kaycie Tillman scores on a solo effort to go ahead, 2-1. But San Diego scores twice in the final 10 minutes to win, 3-2.

Reign Academy and Crossfire Premier are selected as two of the 25 founding members of the U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy. They will begin play in the fall of 2017 in age groups for U14/U15, U16/U17, and U18/U19.

For generations his name was synonymous with deals on soccer gear in Seattle, but on this day comes news of the untimely passing of Denzil Miskell. For 33 years Denzil was proprietor of Sports Specialties, Puget Sound's original soccer shop, located in Belltown. But he was much, much more than that, sharing stories and sound advice to parents and players alike. Throughout the 70s and 80s, the shop was the hub, the barbershop of the local soccer community.

Hope Solo makes one critical save as the United States defeats Canada, 2-0, in the final match at the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Houston. Solo is also named the tournament's outstanding goalkeeper.

Behind Stefan Frei's shutout and a second-half strike from Jordan Morris, the Sounders clinch the first berth in an MLS Cup final with 1-0 Leg 2 win in Colorado (3-1 aggregate). Seattle, which fell short of the final in seven previous playoff runs, gets the vital goal in the 56th minute. Postseason hero Nelson Valdez springs an in-stride Morris to race into the box and find the far post. Morris had also scored in the 2-1 first leg win in Seattle, with Nico Lodeiro also getting his fourth playoff goal.

Seattle University welcomes back players from 50 seasons of varsity play before a packed Championship Field and treats the alumni to a 2-0 win over 21st-ranked Utah Valley. Sergio Rivas and Sam Langston score 86 seconds apart. Among those recognized at halftime are several members of the first SU team, fielded in 1967.

Seattle Reign FC launches an academy in conjunction with Seattle United. Laura Harvey, head coach and general manager of Reign FC, will also serve as the academy’s executive director. Reign Academy will field teams for 13-18 year-old females.

Alex Roldan scores the go-ahead goal late in the first half and Seattle University rolls to its 16th home win in a row, 4-1 over UNLV at Championship Field. It's the longest current home win streak in Division I. Roldan nods home Sam Langston's cross with 64 seconds left in the half for a 2-1 lead. Nathan Aune increases the gap to 3-1 at 52'. The Redhawks go 7-0-0 at home, out-scoring visitors 22-3.

Detection of an irregular heartbeat ends Clint Dempsey's season. Dempsey had scored eight goals in 17 games for the Sounders, including a hat trick at Orlando City three weeks earlier.

Reign captain and midfield stalwart Keelin Winters announces her retirement, effective at the end of the season. Winters, 27, has anchored Seattle's defensive midfield for four seasons and, before that, the Sounders Women.

A four-goal outburst from Kyle Witzel is just what Saint Martin's requires to snap a five-game losing streak, 5-1, versus Concordia. It's Witzel's first hat trick and ties the SMU single game record. He scores twice in each half, with his fourth goal making it 4-0 in the 59th minute. The Saints had scored only four goals in their last five contests.

Washington deals defending national champion Stanford its only Pac-12 loss and first home defeat in 22 games, 1-0 in overtime. The 16th-ranked Huskies get eight saves from Auden Schilder to silence the No. 9 Cardinal, then Justin Schmidt heads in Handwalla Bwana's corner kick 80 seconds into extra time. UW goes onto win a sixth straight, 1-0 vs. UCLA. Bwana is later voted conference freshman of the year.

Overcoming an early setback, Seattle University gets a late goal from freshman Jessie Ray to defeat host UM Kansas City, 2-1, in the WAC tournament final. With it comes the Redhawks' third NCAA berth in four years. They enter the national tournament on a 10-game win streak. The Kangaroos take a brief 1-nil lead after seven minutes. Karli White needs 76 seconds to cancel that out with her sixth goal. Tournament MVP Natasha Howe finds Ray for the winner in the 72nd minute.

Clint Dempsey's first-half goal allows the USMNT to survive DeAndre Yedlin's red card to score a 1-0 win over Paraguay in Philadelphia and reach the quarterfinal of Copa America Centenario.

Archbishop Murphy of Everett turns back Quincy's upset bid with freshman Daniel Mycroft's shootout save to retain the boys' 2A title, 1-1 (4-3) at Sumner. Quincy strikes first at 51', with Kevin Rios tucking it inside the near post, the first goal allowed by Murphy in nine games. The Wildcats' Matt Williams responds quickly, tying it at 56'. They convert all four penalties, and Mycroft, who made two saves in the semifinal shootout with Sehome, stops the Jackrabbits' fifth attempt. In winning its last 20 games, Murphy is the first 2A repeat champion in 11 years and has four titles, including two in 1A (one as Holy Cross).

Alex Megson scores on the power play as Tacoma moves into a tie for first in the Pacific Division with an 8-7 decision over San Diego. The Stars (6-3), who get the tying marker from Joey Gjertsen three minutes before Megson's winner, have won three in a row and are 4-0 at home.

Jordan Morris scores twice in a 10-minute span of the second half to bring Seattle from behind for a 4-2 road win over the LA Galaxy. It's the Sounders' first road win vs. the Galaxy since 2009 and third of four straight wins which put the Sounders firmly back in the playoff hunt. Morris's 12 goals is the most in MLS history by an American rookie.

Gabriela Pelogi strikes early in overtime to complete top-ranked Western Washington's comeback to repeat as West Region champion in Division II with a 2-1 win over UC San Diego in Golden, Co. Pelogi equalizes in the 53rd minute and runs onto Taylor Hallquist's ball over the top to win it 2:03 into the first overtime. The Vikings proceed to vanquish quarterfinal host Colorado School of Mines, 5-1, and Kutztown (Pa.), 3-0, to reach their first championship final.

Wenatchee overcomes one final hurdle of adversity to win its first boys' state championship, 1-0 over Tahoma in the 4A final at Puyallup. Without top scorer Luis Navarette (broken leg in semifinal), the Panthers get a 34' goal from Miguel Viramontes and stiff second -half defense. Viramontes, coming off a three-game suspension, flicks home a header from Salvador Chavez's free kick.

In a duel for eighth place in the Pac-12 to end the season, Washington State blanks Washington, 2-0, in the Apple Cup before 1,131 at Pullman. UW keeper Kaylyn Smith thwarts a breakaway only to have Alysha Overland knock in her attempted clearance in the 15th minute. Kaitlyn Johnson doubles it at 39'. The Cougars extend their unbeaten streak against Washington to 13 seasons (9-0-4).

Darwin Jones scores the winner four minutes into stoppage time as Sounders 2 come from behind to beat Vancouver, 2-1, in the home finale at Starfire. Seattle proves superior to its Cascadia rivals over the campaign, going 5-1-2 versus Portland and Vancouver. While S2 has reversed fortunes to close within a point of the playoff line over the summer, they take just two points in the final four, all on the road.

Following a 3-0 drubbing in Kansas City, the Sounders find themselves in uncharted waters. They are six games under .500 for the first time in the MLS era (6-12-2), having collected just seven points in the last 11 matches, including three multi-goal losses. On a steamy, 96-degree afternoon Sporting out-shoots the listless visitors 19-1. Seattle is 10 points out of the final West playoff position, with just 14 games remaining in the regular season.

Washington State Legends of Soccer hosts community leaders for a screening of the documentary entitled Bo66y, featuring former Sounders star and England 1966 World Cup captain Bobby Moore at The NINETY. WA Legends had filed its articles of incorporation as a 501(c)(3) on Oct. 19, 2016.

Seattle's DeAndre Yedlin is transferred from Tottenham to Newcastle of the Championship for £5 million and a five-year contract. Yedlin had spent the previous season on loan to Sunderland in the Premiership. On Sept. 10, he scores his first goal for Newcastle, striking in injury time in a 2-0 victory at Derby.

A Chloe Williams penalty kick with 34 seconds left in the first overtime period is the difference in Eastern Washington's 2-1 win over Idaho at Cheney. Williams is taken down on the right side of the box, then steps to the spot for the winner and her 24th career goal, tying her for the EWU record. The Eagles are off to a 2-0-0 start in the Big Sky and its part of an 10-game unbeaten run through Oct. 14.

Nico Lodeiro scores two of the Sounders' three goals in an 8-minute, second-half outburst and Seattle takes command of the West semifinal playoff series by beating Supporters Shield winner FC Dallas, 3-0, in the first leg. Nelson Valdez breaks the ice in the 50th minute, heading in a Joevin Jones cross for his third career playoff goal in five appearances. Five minutes later, Jordan Morris finds a streaking Lodeiro, who taps in for a 2-nil lead. Three minutes after that, Lodeiro breaks away from a midfield pack of defenders, then scores in a 1-on-1 vs. Chris Seitz. At Dallas a week later, he scores again in a 2-1 loss that nevertheless clinches the series, 4-2 on aggregate.

Takara Mitsui makes two saves to earn her 15th shutout of the season as Pacific Lutheran punches its first ticket to the NCAA Division III women's tournament by beating rival Puget Sound, 2-0, at Parkland. Kaylie Rozell and Machaela Graddy score in the second half to snap the Loggers' string of 14 consecutive Northwest Conference titles. The Lutes proceed to finish the regular season undefeated and Mitsui totals 39 career shutouts.

Whitney Lowe's two goals power Central Washington to victory in the Wildcats' first-ever national tournament appearance, 2-1 over Seattle Pacific at Bellingham. Lowe, who had scored just twice during the regular season, hits the target in the ninth and 52nd minutes, the first after a 40-yard dribble and the other on a header from a weak clearance. Scoring in her fifth straight game, Hannah Huesers scores her 13th of the year at 60:05. Huesers finishes her career with 48, one shy of the Falcons' record.

Foster Langsdorf caps Stanford’s third straight Pac-12 championship season with an overtime winner over rival Cal, 2-1 in Berkeley. Washington’s loss to Oregon State a day earlier had clinched the crown for the Cardinal. Stanford is the first to three-peat since UCLA in 2004. Langsdorf finishes a 6-yard header past Jonathan Klinsmann in the 98th minute. On Nov. 15 he is named Pac-12 co-player of the year.

Seattle Reign center back Lauren Barnes, marshal of a defense that led the league with eight shutouts, is voted NWSL Defender of the Year. Barnes has been a fixture in the backline since the Reign's 2013 inaugural season.

Clint Dempsey and the Sounders both snap out of a funk with his three goals supplying all the firepower in a 3-1 win at Orlando City. For Dempsey, who's scored just three times in the first 12 games, it's his second career hat trick. Newly-signed Nico Lodeiro and rookie Jordan Morris assist on two of the goals. Seattle had gone just 2-8-2 in the previous 14 outings which resulted in a coaching change.

The Seattle Reign completes its first two-goal comeback win and gets their first road victory in five months, 3-2 at Houston. Still, they miss the NWSL playoffs, finishing two points behind Western New York, which won at Boston the night before. The rally from 2-nil down begins with a half-hour remaining with Manon Melis's seventh goal. Kim Little ties it at 76' and Bev Yanez delivers the winner six minutes later.

Sounders 2 seems to be on their way to solving their woes when the roof collapses at Orange County. Andy Craven gives the visitors a 2-nil lead in the second half, but the Blues score five times in the final half-hour of a 5-2 USL win. Four goals come after Jordan Schweitzer is sent off at 62'. Seattle is now off to a 1-7-4 start.

Five players from the World Cup-winning U.S. Women's National Team accuse the U.S. Soccer Federation of wage discrimination in an action filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Reign players Hope Solo and Megan Rapinoe joined Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd and Becky Sauerbrunn in the filing, stating they were paid nearly four times less than their male counterparts on the U.S. men’s national team.

Joey Gjertsen scores twice and Michael Ramos nails the deciding goal as Stars clinch a MASL playoff berth in their first full season by beating Ontario, 5-4, before 3,500 at ShoWare Center. Tacoma's finishes 13-7 and goes on to play San Diego in the first round.

Despite going a goal down early, the shorthanded Sounders catch and pass Vancouver, 2-1, at BC Place for their season-best fourth straight win. Seattle plays without Clint Dempsey, Nico Lodeiro and Andreas Ivanschitz and loses Alvaro Fernandez to injury after 10 minutes. Pedro Morales hits a 25' penalty for the Whitecaps but – after Osvaldo Alonso ties it late in the first half – is then sent off early in the second half. Brad Evans decides the outcome at 81', with the ninth straight penalty conversion of his career.

Although greatly out-shot (15-3), Seattle Pacific twice finds the mark to defeat Central Washington, 2-0, in the GNAC semifinals at Burnaby, B.C. Marksmanship from Maddie Krauss (53') and Hannah Huesers (82') and a scoreless defensive streak reaching 296 minutes put SPU over the line. The Falcons then earn an at-large NCAA berth, their 14th straight.

Stanford becomes the first men's repeat NCAA champion by winning a shootout with Wake Forest, 0-0 (5-4) in Houston. Vancouver's Foster Langsdorf converts his penalty in the second round. He also scored in the semifinal advancement past North Carolina, 0-0 (10-9). Langsdorf finishes with 15 goals, the most by a Stanford player in 35 years.

Western Washington's resolute defense holds strong, and freshman Christian Rotter delivers the icing to a 1-0 upset of No. 3-ranked Simon Fraser at Harrington Field. The Vikings' fourth straight shutout win raises their postseason chances. Rotter, who hit the crossbar midway throug the second half, hits the winner in the 82nd minute on a cross from Elezar Galvan. Western goes 5-0-1 down the stretch to earn an at-large NCAA berth, its first.

A brace from Liv Larson and Emily Webster's two assists advances undefeated (22-0-1) Western Washington back to the NCAA semifinals for the third time in four seasons with a 5-1 win at Colorado Mines. It's coach Travis Connell's 200th win with the Vikings women.

Walla Walla becomes the second collegiate four-year program to finish winless in back-to-back seasons, losing to Carroll College, 4-0, in Helena, Mt. the Wolves (0-13-0), who were 0-15-0 in 2015, did not manage to score a single goal and allowed 10 or more in four games. Their losing streak has reached 32 games, dating back to 2014.

Goals from Karli White and Isabelle Butterfield in the first 13 minutes send Seattle University on its way to a 3-0 victory over Chicago State to wrap-up a fourth straight WAC regular season championship at Championship Field. Natasha Howe, one of three seniors honored before the contest, contributes the third goal and an assist in the seventh straight SU win. The Redhawks eventually finish 7-0 in conference, eight points ahead of Cal State Bakersfield.

Coming off an NCAA semifinal advancement nine months prior, Western Washington makes it case for remaining the best women's Division II program in the West. The No. 17 Vikings get first-half goals from Gabriela Pelogi, Erin Russell and Jordyn Bartelson and ease to a 3-2 home win over No. 6 UC San Diego. The outcome instantly vault WWU to seventh in the nation.

Seattle United becomes the first youth club to partner with both the Seattle Reign and Sounders academies.

Three long-range blasts lift Western Washington to a 3-2 victory over three-time defending champion Grand Valley State (Mich.) at Kansas City. Caitlyn Jobanek scores twice for the Vikings, who finished the season with 24 consecutive wins. But it's Emily Webster's 76th-minute free kick that proved the difference. Western becomes the state's second NCAA women's champion Seattle Pacific won in 2008.

Although mired in a midseason slump, the Sounders appear to be on their way to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals when the Los Angeles Galaxy go to their bench and score three late goals to win the quarterfinal 4-2 at Carson, Ca. Herculez Gomez restores the visitors advantage at 58'. Then the Galaxy bring on MLS All-star and Mexico international Giovani dos Santos and he ties it within three minutes, at 77'. Another substitute, Gyasi Zardes, sets-up Sebastian Lletget for a pair of goals three minutes apart (85', 88').

Getting goals from Vince McCluskey and Michael Ramos in the final four minutes, Tacoma rallies to beat Ontario, 5-4, in the MASL regular season finale to snatch a playoff berth at the ShoWare Center. The Stars surged down the stretch, winning six of the last eight, including an 8-7 victory over San Diego Feb. 20 with Ramos again supplying the late winner.

Seattle United boys 00 Copa win their third straight Washington State Youth Championship, this time at the U15 level, beating Eastside FC 00 Red, 1-0, at Starfire.

Sounders star striker Obafemi Martins is sold to Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League for a reported $2M. Martins had scored 40 goals in 72 MLS games since joining Seattle in 2013. He was 2014 league MVP runner-up. Martins, 31, will nearly double his 2016 salary, from $3.3M to $6.6M. The move, rumored for a couple weeks, comes in between Concacaf Champions League legs vs. Club America.

Fall City's Chief Kanim Middle School begins renovations on its playing field, in large part thanks to the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Soccer Association. The new artificial turf surface will be lighted, enabling year-round play. SVYS contributed $1 million to the $2.1M project that replaces a sod surface which has deteriorated significantly since opening in 1991.

An untested, revamped Seattle Sounders have the unenviable task of facing Concacaf Champions League holder Club America in their season opener at CenturyLink Field. Realistically needing a win in the first leg, they must settle for a 2-2 draw after twice taking the lead through Clint Dempsey. Still 12 days away from an MLS match, the Sounders have not played a competitive game in over three months America has played seven in the Liga MX Clausura. Seattle also grabs a lead in the Mar. 2 return leg in Mexico City before falling, 3-1 (5-3 aggregate).

Braces from Darwin Jones and Myron Samuel pace Sounders 2 past the Real Monarchs at Starfire Stadium. It's Seattle's fourth win in a row, equaling the longest win streak in the club's two-year existence. It's part of a six-game unbeaten run following a miserable start.

After setting an American rookie record for goals (12), Seattle Sounders homegrown forward Jordan Morris is named MLS Rookie of the Year.

Abi Kim of Vashon Island scores her second-game winner for the U.S. Women's Under-18 Team in tournament match vs. Norway. Two days earlier, Kim notched a winner vs. England at the competition in La Manga, Spain. She is a senior at Seattle Christian High School, which she led to a state 1A title in the fall.

Camas completes an unbeaten (22-0-1) season by cruising past West Valley, 3-0, in the girls’ 4A title match at Puyallup. The Papermakers go on top almost immediately through Maddie Kemp’s record 31st goal in the seventh minute. Shots from distance by Sabine Postma and Morgan Winston create some distance in the second half, despite 13 saves from Rams keeper Jada Stevenson. In winning its first crown Camas outscored opponents 88-2.

Returning from a four-week break for the Olympics, the Seattle Reign get a brace from Manon Melis, and Megan Rapinoe scores in her first club appearance of the season during a 3-1 drubbing of Portland before 5,888 at Memorial Stadium. Melis has four goals in her last four games. Rapinoe returns from missing the first 15 games while recovering from a torn right ACL in December. Haley Kopmeyer, the heir-apparent to Hope Solo, makes six saves.

Parlaying home-field advantage, Eastern Washington wins its first Big Sky Conference championship, and also its first NCAA tournament berth, with a shootout decision over Northern Arizona, 1-1 (4-3), at Cheney. Jenny Chavez ties it in the 49th minute and later converts the first shootout penalty. Mallory Taylor saves the first NAU attempt, and the Lumberjacks' fifth attempt sails high. EWU had upset top seed Idaho, 1-0, in the semifinals, on an Allison Raniere goal in the 88th minute.

The attacking pieces finally are falling into place for the Seattle Reign, as evidenced in a record-tying 5-2 beating of Orlando. With injuries healing and Naho Kawasumi in form, the goals are flowing again. Kim Killte (penalty), Jessica Fishlock and Manon Melis put Seattle up 3-nil after 47 minutes. The Reign, now with 10 goals in the last four outings, leapfrog the Pride into sixth place and playoff contention.

Hope Solo is suspended by U.S. Soccer for six months following her calling Sweden a "bunch of cowards" in the wake of an Olympic Games quarterfinal exit. Sweden coach Pia Sundhage’s strategy was to play defensively, and they advanced via a shootout in Brasilia, 1-1 (4-3). U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati says Solo's comments were "unacceptable and do not meet the standard of conduct we require from our national team players." Three days later Solo, 35, takes an indefinite leave from the Seattle Reign.

The first of three Copa America Centenario matches on the temporary grass at CenturyLink Field pits Peru against Haiti. While not necessarily a marquee match-up and with tickets starting at $50, the crowd of 20,190 is encouraging. A large Peruvian following cheers their side on to a 1-0 group victory.

The Seattle Sounders Women remain perfect by wrapping-up their Northwest Division slate with a 3-1 win at Vancouver's North Shore GSC. Becca Schoales, Megan Lindsey and Kate Bennett all score in the first half as Seattle goes 10-0-0 in its first WPSL season. It goes into the playoffs with a goal differential of 37-6.

Goals from Beverly Yanez and Keelin Winters, playing her final home game, keep the Reign playoff hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Washington before 4,711. On the 15th anniversary of 9/11, Seattle players stand and lock arms during the national anthem. At Chicago on Sept. 4, Megan Rapinoe took a knee in support of Colin Kaepernick's kneeling to call attention to issue of racial inequality and police brutality. At Washington on Sept. 7, the Spirit moved up the pregame anthem to avoid having any players on-field. Winters is presented a firefighter’s uniform from members of the Kirkland Fire Department, which she will join after completing her season.

Freddie Goodwin, a Manchester United legend and onetime Tacoma Stars executive and coach, dies of cancer in Gig Harbor. He was 82. Goodwin came to Puget Sound in 1983 as VP of the original MISL Tacoma Stars. He took over as coach between 1983-85 before transitioning out of soccer to become a Vashon Island travel agent. Goodwin was one of the Busby Babes who helped Man United win English championships in 1956 and '57. In America, he was one of the NASL's top 10 winningest coaches with Minnesota (1976-81).

As part of its 50th Anniversary, Washington Youth Soccer names its all-time girls' and boys' teams. Headlining the girls' selections are World Cup winners Michelle Akers and Hope Solo, Akers, Solo and Sharon McMurtry, another honoree, all went on to be voted U.S. Soccer Women's Athlete of the Year. The boys' selection features three-time USMNT Athlete of the Year Kasey Keller, plus two others who went on to play in England's Premier League, Marcus Hahnemann and DeAndre Yedlin.

Bellevue's Interlake become the first repeat state 3A titleist in 17 years behind Sam Dawson's seven saves and an early goal from Austin Ball to pip Mercer Island, 1-0, at Puyallup's Sparks Stadium. Ball's score is a solo effort in the 16th minute. The Saints go 10-2 in their final 12 games. The Islanders had beaten Interlake three times and out-shot Interlake, 19-3 in the final. It's their third runner-up finish in five years.

Washington Youth Soccer celebrates its 50th anniversary with a Bellevue gala and auction to support the launch of its foundation. U.S. Women's National Team coach Jill Ellis delivers the keynote address. The Soccer for Success program after-school program strives to make the game more accessible to children and focuses primarily on underserved youth and communities.

After reaching the PDL playoffs for the second year in a row, the Seattle Sounders U-23s exit at the first stage, 3-1 in overtime at Calgary Foothills. Tied at 1-1, Seattle has two prime go-ahead opportunities with 20 minutes to go. Andrew Wheeler-Ominu has his penalty kick saved, and his rebound attempt misses high. The hosts proceeded to dominate extra time and advance. Calgary proceeds to win the West and finish national runner-up to the Michigan Bucks.

Mercer Island's Jordan Morris spurns an opportunity at Werder Bremen to sign a record MLS Homegrown Player contract with the Sounders. Morris, 21, is coming off 23 goals and 16 assists in three seasons with Stanford, winning an NCAA championship and the Hermann Trophy as a junior. He already has seven caps for the USMNT.

Rochester resident and Tumwater Soccer Club coach Angela Huber is named U.S. Youth Soccer's Girls Recreational Coach of the Year in Baltimore. Huber, who guides a TSC U15 team, emphasizes having fun and her players respond by growing more competitive. She mixes in drills she knows the girls will love, and she has an ability to relate to each individual on her team by understanding how to motivate each player.

Missing several of the major cogs in their machine, the Seattle Reign lose just their third home game in three seasons, 2-1 to Chicago, to continue a sluggish start. Megan Rapinoe (torn knee ligament) and Jessica Fishlock (fractured tibia) and Manon Melis (tibia fracture) remain out, and Hope Solo misses the match while at her grandmother's funeral. The Red Stars' Jen Hoy gets free for second-half goals 11 minutes apart. Kim Little's 89' penalty is the only solace as Seattle sags to 2-3-1.

Western Washington's Sierra Shugarts, a junior from Federal Way, is named NSCAA National Player of the Year, becoming only the second defender to claim the award.

For the second night in a row a JoJo Harber goal is the margin of victory for Bellevue, which defeats Southridge, 1-0, in the 3A girls' final. Harber, who missed half of the season with the U17 national team, ended Seattle Prep's 44-game win streak in the semifinals, 1-0. Against Southridge, Harber finds the upper corner three minutes into the game for her 12th goal. The undefeated Wolverines deal the Suns their third consecutive championship loss.

The inaugural WAC/101 Club Cup attracts a record crowd to Montlake to see Washington handle Seattle University, 2-1. Handwalla Bwana and Elijah Rice score in each half before 3,419, the largest attendance inHusky Soccer Stadium history. It's part of UW's four-game win streak, which is capped by a 4-0 win at UCLA.

The Seattle Sounders finally find a goal in the final 19 minutes and proceed to finish off the Kitsap Pumas in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup at Starfire. Cristian Roldan breaks the scoreless stalemate from short range – his first career goal – but the Sounders cannot exhale until Joevin Jones connects a minute into stoppage time. Sigi Schmid is not on the bench while serving a suspension carryover from 2015. He returns for the fifth-round advancement at Real Salt Lake, 1-1 (4-1).

Darwin Jones scores two goals as the Sounders FC2 overcome a deficit and oppressive heat for a 3-2 victory over Arizona United on the road. The kickoff temperature is 109 degrees at the Peoria Sports Complex. Down 2-1 late in the first half, Jordan Schweitzer pulls S2 into a halftime tie. Jones then nets his second goal and the game-winner in the 56th minute. It's the second win in a row of a four-game win streak.

Five-time FIFA world player of the year Lionel Messi and Argentina pull 47,753 to Seattle's CenturyLink Field for a Copa America Centenario group stage match with Bolivia. Messi, coming back from a back injury, plays only the second half in the 3-0 win. The crowd greets him with chants of "Messi, Messi, Messi," and he nearly scores on a curling 25-yard free kick that slides just wide. It's Messi's first Seattle appearance since accompanying Barcelona for a Sounders friendly in 2009.

Randy Hanson's immensely successful run as Puget Sound women's coach comes to a close with his retirement. Hanson leaves after taking the Loggers to 16 NCAA Division III tournaments and an overall record of 303-74-36. UPS reached the 2004 championship game and advanced to the quarterfinals or beyond four times between 2002-07. His last 13 teams won Northwest Conference crowns. On March 30, Joseph Vari is named Hanson's successor.

Former NWSL MVP Kim Little, 26, announces she's leaving the Seattle Reign after three seasons to join Arsenal Ladies, her former club. Little, a Scottish international, scored 33 times for Seattle including a club record 17 in 2014 regular season and playoffs.

Alex Megson, like the MASL club itself, becomes a second-generation Star. Megson, 30, is the son of former MISL Tacoma Stars captain Neil Megson and grew up in Gig Harbor. He has played indoor in Chicago, Syracuse and was a teammate of current Tacoma teammate Danny Waltman with Kansas City in 2014.

Stefan Frei pulls off the save of the season in extra time and Roman Torres applies the finishing touch in penalty kicks for Sounders FC to cap the unlikeliest of comebacks to claim a first MLS Cup in sub-freezing temperatures in Toronto. Frei extends his frame to bat away Jozy Altidore's header in 108th minute of a 0-0 draw. Seattle is out-shot 19-3 with Frei saving seven, plus another in the shootout. Brad Evans, Andreas Ivanschitz, Joevin Jones and Nico Lodeiro score their shootout attempts over the first five rounds. After Justin Morrow hits the crossbar, Torres rams his decisive penalty down the middle for a 5-4 margin. Since a midseason coaching change, the Sounders go a combined 12-3-5 in league and playoffs.

A late surge by Tacoma forces overtime, but San Diego stifles the Stars in overtime of the Pacific Division semifinals, 8-7, at ShoWare Center. Tacoma trails from the opening minute and by 6-3 entering the fourth period. Vince McCluskey, Steve Mohn, Michael Ramos and Raphael Cox level it at 7-7 with less than a minute remaining. In the second extra period, Kraig Chiles scores his fourth goal of the night. The Sockers coast, 11-3, in the second game Mar. 6 to advance.

Western Washington moves to the top Division II women following an 11th straight win. The Vikings proceed to live up to their new No. 1 coaches' ranking by winning out the remainder of the regular season. Included in that stretch is the biggest margin over arch-rival Seattle Pacific (4-0) on Oct. 20 and a 4-1 win against Central Washington to repeat as GNAC champion. Both are on the road, and the WWU regular season unbeaten streak reaches 42 (38-0-4).

Sounders FC signs Uruguay international and Boca Juniors star midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro, 27, to a DP contract. He arrives at Starfire offices to complete the signing mere minutes after announcement of Sigi Schmid's dismissal. Lodeiro helped Boca reach the Copa Libertadores semifinal earlier in the year. Seattle also signs former DP Alvaro Fernandez, Lodeiro's close friend and former teammate. Fernandez played for the Sounders from 2010-12.

Catalyst to a Seattle resurgence down the stretch, midfielder Nico Lodeiro wins MLS Newcomer of the Year. Lodeiro scored four goals and assisted on eight in 13 games and the Sounders went 7-2-4.

Central Washington proceeds to the postseason on the heels of a program record 13th win, 1-0 at Saint Martin's, to cap the regular season. The Wildcats bounce back from two consecutive losses on Mackenzie Nolte's seventh goal, coming in the 15th minute. Central goes on to receive its first national tournament berth in 30 seasons.

Whitman College has choses "Blues" as its new mascot. A recent survey to alumni, students, faculty and staff members showed 35 percent of respondents chose the Blues as their first choice, while 58 percent voted it their first or second choice. Whitman's athletic teams had formerly used the nickname "Missionaries."

Defending NCAA champion Stanford books a place in the College Cup by beating Louisville away, 2-0. Foster Langsdorf heads the Cardinal in front in the 64th minute. Langsdorf, who also scored in NCAA tournament wins over Pacific and Virginia, takes over the national lead with his eighth game-winner of the season.