Speaking to reporters over Zoom after a draw with the Providence Park, Utah Royals forward Cloé Lacasse recalled a conversation with her teammates about expectations.
From the outside, it sure looks like the Royals have wildly surpassed most of them. They’re ranked second in the NWSL (the highest they’ve been since the franchise returned in 2024) and have dramatically overcome a 0-2 start with a 10-game unbeaten streak.
“We were kind of asking ourselves, like, do we think we’ve had our best game, and I don’t think there was any player that said yes,” Lacasse said. “We’re just pushing for improvements, and we’re pushing for excellence.”
Lacasse herself has shown improvements. She’s tied for the team lead with four goals, which also ties her own career high in Utah. She also has a career-high three assists through 12 matches and is taking on an increased leadership role as one of just two 30-year-olds on the squad.
“There was definitely growing pains, but now things are looking good, and they’re also looking like it’s something that we can maintain,” Lacasse said.
It’s been a tough couple of years for the Utah Royals, who made their return to the NWSL in 2024. The franchise’s first run lasted just three seasons, 2018 to 2020.
The 2024 squad debuted with former player Amy Rodriguez at the helm, but that experiment ended prematurely, as the two sides parted ways with the Utah in last place at the end of June. Jimmy Coenraets, an assistant then, was elevated to interim head coach and led the Royals to a 5-4-2 record to end the season.
Ahead of the team’s final match, the Royals announced their decision to keep him at the helm through 2027.
The Royals battled a litany of injuries the following season, with Tatumn Milazzo, Alex Loera and Lacasse missing significant time due to knee injuries. They finished 12th out of 14 teams with 25 points.
But now, through just 12 matches, Utah is one point shy of its 2025 point total and appears to be in serious contention for a title. The Royals’ final game before the break – a 2-2 draw on the road with the top-ranked Portland Thorns – might be the best example yet.
“It was unfortunate that they were able to get one before us, because I thought we actually had some really brilliant moments in that first half, but yeah, I think that’s a big development in our game,” Lacasse told reporters.
Captain Kate Del Fava kept her answer a little more direct, telling reporters, “A tie on the road is a sign of a championship-level team.
So far this year, the Royals actually have one of the league’s best road records at 3-1-3. Only San Diego has more wins (5), and no one has more draws. The other two came against Washington and Bay FC.
More impressive, they came back from behind against Washington and Portland. Utah played Bay to a scoreless draw during a franchise-record 536-minute shutout streak, which ran from the 73rd minute on March 28 to the 22nd minute on May 17.
The team’s six clean sheets have been split between Mandy McGlynn and Mia Justus, who’ve played seven and six matches, respectively. Justus has 18 saves in 24 shots on target and McGlynn has 12 in 15.
Goal defense has been one of the team’s biggest improvements year-over-year. Utah allowed 42 goals in 2025 and had only six clean sheets. Coach Jimmy Coenraets credited that to the team’s aggressive press that starts with the forwards.
“How, how nice it is as a defender, as a center back, when you see you forward in the 90th minute pressing the heck out of the other team center backs, turning over the ball in dangerous areas, and it’s just the style of play we want to play,” Coenraets said.
“I can’t give enough credit to that, that front line of players that we have, you know, the work rate, the dedication they have to the other side of the ball.”
Even better, the team is ranked third in the league for goals against and save percentage. The Royals are also tied for third in clean sheets.
The next big challenge will be sustaining this success in the second half of the season after a month-long break for the men’s FIFA World Cup. They’ll pick back up on July 5 on the road against the Chicago Stars, then enter a sort of gauntlet, facing five of the league’s top eight teams before Aug. 2.
But, if the first 12 matches are any indication, this team will put up a fight as they chase the franchise’s first postseason bid.
“I’m super proud of the group and the dedication they’ve had, and the willingness to do the hard stuff,” Coenraets said. “It wasn’t fun a lot of the time, the last two years it wasn’t easy, but it’s nice that the girls get a little bit of a reward and feel good about this first half of the season.”
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