Back for more: NWSL gets second COVID season started and hoping again for a spotless record
And now for Round Two.
Round One went off without a hitch, and without a single case of COVID-19.
The National Women's Soccer League, an example for how to do contact sports in this strange age of coronavirus, is ready for the second installment of its 2020 season. And the hope is that its players will stay as perfectly healthy and safe as they did during the NWSL's monthlong Challenge Cup in July.
The Chicago Red Stars made it all the way to the championship game of the Challenge Cup before losing 2-0 to the Houston Dash. Now, they'll get another crack at their first league championship with the NWSL's Fall Series, which began over the weekend and will continue over the next seven weeks with a total of 18 games.
The NWSL will continue to play it safe with a strict COVID protocol so that professional soccer can continue on as "normally" as possible. But unlike the Challenge Cup in July where matches were played at mostly one venue in a "bubble" setup, the Fall Series will include home matches, at venues such as the Red Stars' SeatGeek Stadium, and some regional travel.
"I'm thrilled that we've been able to put together a schedule that gets our players back out on the pitch and showcases their talent for a global audience, while limiting travel as much as possible and keeping player and staff health and safety our top priority," NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird said. "I want to thank our players, club staff, and our entire ownership group for their collaboration and continued flexibility as we navigate this unique moment in time. I can't wait to watch this fall series unfold."
There will be a televised NWSL Game of the Week on the CBS Television Network every Saturday in September, and on CBS Sports Network three Saturdays in October.
CBS All Access will exclusively stream four games as well as the CBS broadcast coverage in September. Twitch will exclusively stream seven games globally, including in the United States, and every game internationally.
The Red Stars will play their first game at 11 a.m. Saturday against the Washington Spirit (Twitch) at Segra Field in suburban Virginia. They'll play their first home game at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview at noon Sept. 20 against Sky Blue FC. That game will be broadcast on CBS All Access.
Happy couple: It was a big week for the VanderQuigs.
That's short for Sky guards Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley, who are also married.
Vandersloot racked up 18 assists Monday in a win over the Indiana Fever. That's the most assists in a single game in WNBA history.
Two days later, Quigley, who starred at DePaul, dropped 23 points in a loss to Minnesota to become the Sky's all-time leading scorer with 2,939 points. She passed Sylvia Fowles, who had 2,927 points in her Sky career.
Twitter: @babcockmcgraw