The Roses de Montréal made the biggest statement of the weekend, and they did it late. On Sunday, September 6, they took down the Ottawa Rapids in a matchup for first place, and Paquin’s goal in the 87th minute ended up deciding it.
The Roses were sharp right from the start: Bennett scored in the fourth minute to put them ahead 1-0, then Pechersky finished in the 17th minute off an assist from Elyse Bennett. Ottawa answered in the 30th minute, and after the Rapids pulled level again in the second half, Paquin delivered the winner at the death.
The result leaves Montréal with a four-point cushion at the top of the table.
Trinity Rodman also played a central role in a tight Sunday night result for the Washington Spirit. On the road in Portland, the Spirit met the Thorns for the second time this season, and Rodman started and went the full 90.
Sophia Wilson opened the scoring with a penalty in the 18th minute, but Tara McKoeown brought Washington level from the spot in the 59th. Then in the 80th minute, Bethi finished from close range with Rodman providing the assist.
That was Rodman’s sixth assist of the season, and the Spirit stayed second on the table, two points behind Gotham FC.
There was also a strong outing for Atlético de San Luis Femenil on Saturday, September 5. Elaily Hernández Repreza started and played all 90 minutes in San Luis’ road match against Necaxa.
Daniela Delgado put San Luis in front in the 23rd minute, and Enyerliannys Higuera added another in the second half to seal a 2-0 win. The result moves San Luis into third place in Group B, level on points with second-place Guadalajara.
Maggie Mace was in action Saturday evening as well, starting and playing the full match for Fort Lauderdale United in a 3-0 loss to the Carolina Ascent. Reese Tappan, a fellow Coug, was on the other side of that one and also went the full 90 minutes. The Ascent did their damage early, scoring in the 10th, 30th, and 38th minutes, while Tappan picked up a yellow card in the 16th minute.
Studer is out with a knee injury.
Morgan Weaver made her first start since returning from ACL injury in the Thorns’ match against the Spirit. She played the first half before coming off before the second half. Washington came away with the 2-1 win, with Bethi scoring in the 80th minute.
In Other News...
Washington State Golf Showed An Early Sign Fans Will Want To See
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The more encouraging part for Washington State came from the way it closed. Sophomore Dylan Boenning paced the Cougars in the last round and finished tied for 11th overall, giving the program a strong performance to point to as the season gets going. For a team looking to build momentum, that kind of finish is the sort of sign fans will be watching for as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]
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Among the most intriguing storylines is the way former Washington State standouts are spread across the league in very different roles and situations, from depth pieces trying to carve out a bigger role to veterans settling into new homes. The opening-week schedule adds even more interest, with several of those players set for meaningful early tests, and the full list of contracts and roster statuses gives a decent snapshot of how far this program's NFL footprint has stretched. [Read more 🡒]
WSUs Apple Cup Showed One Strength And Two Early Problems
Washington State came out of the 2026 Apple Cup with one clear bright spot and a couple of issues that were hard to ignore. In a 24-10 loss to No. 17 Washington, the Cougars defense did enough to keep the game from getting away, especially on key downs, and gave the team a chance to hang around longer than the final score suggested.
The offense never found a rhythm, though, and the special teams problems only added to the frustration. Missed field goals and a punt return game hit by injury made an already shaky afternoon even more difficult, leaving WSU with plenty to sort through after a rivalry game that exposed as much as it revealed. [Read more 🡒]