Fluid offense, timely threes, big defensive stops, and an off shooting night for Sabrina Ionescu. An ideal recipe for an upset in a homestand that has seen a series of disappointing losses for the Sparks looking to find rhythm as they try to build a foundation for next season.

In Landon Donovan’s first official outing as head coach of San Diego Wave FC during the NWSL season it was a mix of lineups and lapses that characterized an impressive ACFC win over a Wave team that continues to struggle to find its identity.

In straight sets against team USA coming off a successful tournament for the program, Italy reminded the world why they are the number one seed. Defeating USA, Turkey, and overall dropping only a single set in the entire tournament Italy’s run at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has been remarkably dominant. Team USA never was able to make a sure footing in the match as Italy’s defensive system rendered the hitting of Annie Drews, Jordan Thompson, and others inert with digs and blocks that were some of the most spectacular of the tournament.

In the first three set gold medal beach volleyball at the Olympics it was clear why the number one seeded Brazil would be up to the task to snap a podium drought for beach volleyball for the first time since the 1996 Olympic games. In a match that lived up to the promise, Canada’s Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes made an incredible second set comeback after a grueling first set setting the stage for a deciding third.

The road to the semifinals for Brandie and Melissa has been one filled with emotional swings as they had to battle their way through loss in the qualifying stage finding themselves on the brink of elimination in the lucky loser bracket. Few some them as favorites at that point in the tournament, and against all odds they have shown their resilience and poise defeating Kristin Nuss and Taryn Kloth in the round of 16, and now a favored Spanish side that stood in their way to a potential podium spot.

In a match that can only be summarized as a game of margins it was all team Switzerland as after an incredible first set turnaround they pushed back a team USA run at the 15 point mark making their own push to win the set.