Emily van Egmond was brought in by the Pride during the off-season to bolster the midfield. Despite being 24 when she joined the Pride, van Egmond brought World Cup, and Champions League experience. She wasn’t unfamiliar with the NWSL either, having played with Seattle Reign FC, and the Chicago Red Stars. She also played in the defunct Women’s Premier Soccer League with the Western New York Flash in 2012. She even scored the championship-winning penalty in a shootout for the WPSL-Elite title.
Given that resume, expectations were high for the midfielder when she was signed back on Valentine’s Day, and initially she seemed to be a good fit.