ACFC Midfielder Kennedy Fuller and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity Discuss Preparation Ahead of First Road Match of the 2025 NWSL Regular Season against Portland Thorns FC
NWSL Angel City FC

ACFC Midfielder Kennedy Fuller and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity Discuss Preparation Ahead of First Road Match of the 2025 NWSL Regular Season against Portland Thorns FC

March 20, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) prepared for their first road match of the 2025 NWSL Regular Season on Friday, March 21 against the Portland Thorns FC at Providence Park, airing nationally on Prime Video (7:00 pm PT kickoff).

Below please find quotes from midfielder Kennedy Fuller and Interim Head Coach Sam Laity:

ACFC Midfielder Kennedy Fuller

On training this week and her match day preparation routine:

"It's been good. Vibes are high on the team, and we're so excited to be able to play in Portland.

"For me, an average before game day experience is to wake up and drink a matcha-very L.A. And then, I like to either read or find something to chill a little bit more, get my vibes to where I'm not focused on the game as much, because if I'm focused on the game at 9 a.m. and we have a 7 p.m. kick, I would go crazy. Finding ways to go on a walk or get out of the house, or find some type of sunlight.

"After that, it's eating and then that's when you start focusing on your game, get ready for the game, make sure your hair is all done and your makeup is done.

"Music is one of the things that really gets me into the mind of the game and it can change my mood, whether I need to put on some chiller music or I need to put on some hype music, depending on what I'm feeling and what I need. And then I head to the game and it's all business from there."

On her development during the preseason:

"One of the biggest things for me this year is being dangerous and creative. During preseason, I really tried to hone in on that as much as I could. My relationship with Alyssa [Thompson] has been super important on the field. If I can play her in and she can do her thing in the box, getting us some goals, that's what's needed on the team. To continue to build and foster that relationship was something I focused on a lot in Coachella, but also being able to find different ways to prove and progress the attack.

"With one of our assistant coaches, Mykell [Bates], I have really been working on TTG, which is, 'threat to goal:' How am I going to take my touches and how am I going to manipulate defenders in order to be the most threatening to goal and be the most dangerous to goal? That's something I've really been focusing on this preseason.

"In the last game with the assist, having the ability to find that relationship with Alyssa, the work rate from M.A. [Vignola] to be able to get the ball back, and then Macey [Hodge], to be able to find that pocket, which is something that we've really been working on, finding the pockets from the six to the 10.

"Also, being able to trust Alyssa. I didn't even look that she was there. I just trusted her and her positioning. She's normally super good at it, so being able to trust that she was there and put it in a place where she's able to be dangerous and do her thing, that's all I needed to do. That's what ended up getting us the tie in the end."

On working with two new players in the midfield:

"Naturally, there's going to be growing pains. That was truly our first game. It was Macey's [Hodge] first NWSL game and it was Alanna's [Kennedy] first NWSL game back. Having the opportunity to play in front of our fans, it's a different vibe and a different feel.

"Our focus is going to be how are we going to specifically, defensively, continue to condense our lines in the midfield so it's harder to play through us, especially within me, Riley [Tiernan], Alanna, and Macey. It's something we're working on. It's going to take time, It's going to take growing pains. It's natural. I'm super proud of us to be able to throw us into our first match, and I think we did well."

ACFC Interim Head Coach Sam Laity

On the atmosphere at Providence Park as the club looks to earn their first win there:

"The atmosphere there is pretty good. The best thing we can do to calm the atmosphere is to control the game and put the ball in the back of the net because that's one thing that the fans do not like. What keeps them very quiet is the opponent putting the ball in the back of the net. That would be one of our first objectives, to put a performance in, not that is dictated towards the crowd, but dictated towards us putting the ball in the back of the net and getting three points."

Reflection on the teams match against San Diego Wave FC :

"In terms of reflection from the San Diego game, a lot of energy, a lot of emotion going into that game. It was maybe the youngest starting 11 in NWSL history or pretty close to it.

"We saw a lot of youthful energy, mistakes as a result of that energy, and we opened up some spaces that we should not have opened up defensively. We've worked on solving those problems and I have no doubt in my mind that we will be a lot tighter against Portland. As a result of that, we'll also be better with the ball."

On what it's been like to coach Kennedy Fuller:

"It's been very positive. She's a young and committed player, a player with a lot of talent and high potential. Part of my role in the club is to continue to develop and nurture that talent and put her in situations where she can be successful. If we can do that, then there's a very good chance that the team can be successful.

"Overall, she's been very good and defensively this year we added a different edge to her game as well. That's very positive. To play in that area of the field, you've got to be dynamic and you've got to do the work for the team on both sides of the ball. Kennedy's doing that for the group and doing that very well."

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