NWSL Power Rankings: Washington Spirit cement place as contenders; Orlando Pride go top behind Barbra Banda

1. 

Orlando Pride

+1

Seventh consecutive win, unbeaten in 10 Games, so what more could you want? We're simply witnessing the greatest Orlando Pride team to ever exist. Barbra Banda has only been with the squad for six of their matches, but has scored six goals, and for some reason, other teams are leaving her unmarked. It might not be as simple as that, but the Pride will lead the league if it continues.

2. 

Kansas City Current

-1

Head coach Vlatko Andonovski expressed his frustration with added stoppage time against Louisville as the extra time continues to be an issue for teams across the league. They had to settle for a draw partially because of it, but mostly because the squad conceded three goals.

3. 

Portland Thorns FC

--

A weather delay on the road in Houston wasn't enough of a deterrent for the Thorns and their quest for a sixth consecutive win. Especially not while Hina Sugita and Olivia Moultrie are in the midfield controlling the ball. Player rotation and a deep bench will continue to be factors leading to their success.

4. 

Washington Spirit

--

Came out the winners of a chaotic game against Angel City thanks to a massive team performance. Croix Bethune continues to stack her resume for rookie of the year adding assists to her goalscoring, and Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger keep making their cases for the Olympic roster through club play.

5. 

North Carolina Courage

--

Team captain Denise O'Sullivan being out with a leg injury wasn't ideal, but it did spark a formation change for the Courage. Head coach Sean Nahas and his coaching staff shifted things tactically and the squad responded with a relentless win powered by their three back thanks to the lone goal by center back Kaleigh Kurtz.

6. 

NJ/NY Gotham FC

+1

Lynn Williams is turning it on at the perfect time for Gotham and can now claim the league record for most goals (79) across all comPetitions. Ella Stevens is making a name for herself as a super sub -- for now.

7. 

Chicago Red Stars

-1

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is week-to-week with an injury, and the roster will need to regroup on how to close out tight Games without her leadership in the net. Penelope Hocking has two goals in two matches for Chicago and is a bright spot for the team's offense as the summer stretch of the season looms near. 

8. 

San Diego Wave FC

--

The group is in need of some goal-scoring stat. Another week with no Alex Morgan or Jaedyn Shaw, but despite another loss, the team can celebrate the return of Abby Dahlkemper and Naomi Girma on the backline after an extended time away with injuries.

9. 

Angel City FC

--

The squad has brought the chaos energy to Games recently, but it hasn't been enough to get them wins. Losing center back and team captain Sarah Gorden to an injury could signal more woes on the pitch.

10. 

Racing Louisville FC

+1

Name a team that loves getting draws more than Louisville. You can't, because Racing now have six in their nine matches played this season. They haven't quite figured out how to turn those into wins, but Savannah Demelo's recent form has been a bright spot and could get her back in the mix for USWNT camps.

11. 

Seattle Reign FC

-1

There's no doubt the group is going through a tough season with just two wins in 10 games. The frustrations seem to be piling up, especially regarding officiating, but there are just a handful of games till the halfway point if they want to refocus and shift their season.

12. 

Bay FC

+1

The expansion squad finally got back into the win column after a five-Game losing streak. Scarlett Camberos' efforts paid off and she opened her goal-soring account with the club, but it's only a small step for a group that still needs to work out some chemistry.

13. 

Houston Dash

-1

We may finally start to see some progress for head coach Fran Alonso and his tactics. Available defensive backs have helped push Sophie Schmidt higher up the pitch, where she's successful, and maybe Tarciane is the missing puzzle piece that needs to get placed.

14. 

Utah Royals FC

--

No wins in eight games and no answers in sight. Amandine Henry has brought the experience, skill, and mindset to pitch, but it's getting somewhat tragic seeing such an international icon spend her days on a team with no direction