Photo: Michael Long

FC Kansas City midfielder and Haverford native Sinead Farrelly was an integral part of one of the best midfields in the inaugural season of the NWSL. While only notching one goal, the versatile midfielder helped protect one of the stingiest defenses in the league, a defense that conceded only 22 goals, second in the league.

Farrelly notched that goal while playing 896 minutes in 16 matches with Kansas City, which finished tied for the top spot in NWSL, only finishing second on goal differential.

Farrelly was most recently on loan with Apollon Limassol of Cyprus along with other former Philadelphia Independence players Joanna Lohman and Lianne Sanderson. The Cypriot team was unable to breakthrough into the latter stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League though, crashing out to SV Neulengbach in the Round of 32.

Originally drafted second in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Philadelphia Independence, Farrelly flourished under the coaching of WPS Coach of the Year Paul Riley and played with Riley’s New York Fury during 2012. It would not be surprising if Riley tries to recruit Farrelly as the newly crowned coach of the Portland Thorns.

Honorable Mention

Carli Lloyd, Western New York Flash. The USWNT midfielder and Delran, NJ native netted 10 goals in the inaugural NWSL season. The highlight of which was a hat trick against the Washington Spirit in June. Lloyd also chipped in a respectable 3 goals and an assist playing for the USA.