The Utah Royals were definitely a fun team to watch this last season. There were ups and downs and stunning moments, such as Ally Setnor’s rocket in the Royals’ first win of the new era. However, coaching changes and an inconsistent backline caused the Royals to have a tough first year.
Even though it was their first year, the Royals performed well. Utah finished nine points out of playoff contention, and goalkeeper Mandy Haught made some insane plays and kept the Royals in games. The Royals conceded several penalties, and Haught saved many of them.
The midfield was a question mark this year. Sometimes, it was strong, mitigating costly turnovers and starting great counterattacks. Other times, it was sloppy, giving the ball away in dangerous areas and taking too much time to get an attack started. When the midfield was playing well, the Royals scored a lot of goals. Otherwise, the Royals were exposed and struggled to defend, especially against good teams like Gotham, who defeated Utah both times in the regular season (1-0, 4-1).
End-of-Season Player Awards
The players all deserve to be recognized for putting together such a good first season back. However, some stood out more than others. We will recognize the more impactful players here.
Golden Boot
Cloe Lacasse
Cloe was a force to be reckoned with, leading the team with four goals. The former Arsenal Gunner scored the first hat trick in the second Royals era in a 3-0 win against a ten-player Seattle Reign. Unfortunately, her strong season came to an end with a knee injury, placing her on the injury list.
Midfielder of the Year
Dana Foederer
Dana was a strong force in the midfield, holding it together. With a stat line of one goal and two assists, Dana was great at spreading the ball. Speed mixed with a great vision of the pitch made Dana a tough player for opponents to handle.
Defender of the Year
Kate Del Fava
Kate was a stellar player in the backline, which had some good moments among the struggles. She also helped the attack with two goals and one assist. She scored the game-winner against Bay FC in June and was instrumental in the success near the end of the season.
Golden Glove
Mandy Haught
Mandy was a strong player in goal, saving penalties and starting dangerous counterattacks. She was strong and kept the Royals in games. She finished with a Goals Against Average of approximately 1.58, which is good for a first-year club.
MVP
Ally Setnor
Ally Setnor lived up to the hype. The former North Carolina star is a super striker, scoring three goals and assisting a team-high four goals. Ally is the ultimate ball spreader and is not afraid to make the extra pass to set up a teammate with an even better shot.
Final Grade
B-
The Royals are a new team. Struggles are to be expected. But the season did look like it was going to be worse than expected. Utah made some adjustments in the staff and roster and the Royals played much better in the second half of the season. The way they rebounded was what earned Utah this grade.
In conclusion, the Royals did well for a new team. What started as a tough year was turned around in the end with the Royals finishing just seven points out of the playoffs. There is hope for 2025 and the Royals have nowhere to go but up. Let’s fill America First Field with gold and blue and watch these ladies dominate the pitch!
