Rookie Midfielder Evelyn Shores and Head Coach Alex Straus Discuss Preparation Ahead of Away Match against Utah Royals FC
NWSL Angel City FC

Rookie Midfielder Evelyn Shores and Head Coach Alex Straus Discuss Preparation Ahead of Away Match against Utah Royals FC

August 12, 2025 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Angel City FC News Release


LOS ANGELES - Angel City Football Club (ACFC) are preparing for their upcoming away match against Utah Royals FC on Friday August 15, streaming live on NWSL+ and Paramount+ (7:00 p.m. PT kickoff). The match will also air regionally on FanDuel Sports Network. Rookie midfielder Evelyn Shores and Head Coach Alex Straus were made available to press today to discuss the match.

Please see quotes below:

ACFC Rookie Midfielder, Evelyn Shores

On stealing the ball during the matchup:

"In the week of training leading up to the game, we did a lot of work on that side of the field and defending. Alex did a good job putting together some training sessions to focus on defending on their right wing and our left side.

"I felt really prepared going into the game and honestly, when the game was going on, I felt like I had a lot of support for my teammates around me. They put me in positions to be able to make those plays and I'm glad that I was able to."

On first professional NWSL game (August 1 against Seattle Reign):

"I was definitely nervous because it was my first professional game. I would say, just in training and with the staff we have here, I felt prepared going into the game and they did a good job keeping me in touch with everything going on and not making it as big of a deal as I felt like it was.

"I felt prepared going into the game and once the whistle blew, I didn't feel those nerves anymore. It was just preparation for the game and the day of the game that I was pretty nervous."

On biggest adjustments since turning pro and why now was the time:

"Coming to the facility every day and being here with so many soccer specific activities like film and training all day. That's the biggest adjustment I've had to make. Coming from UNC, it's really been pretty seamless because they run a pretty good environment there.

"Over the past year, I've obviously gone through a lot. During the spring semester, I kept getting better and better and then I had a good summer. Going professional has been my dream since I was a kid and the opportunity presented itself, so I just felt like it was the best time for me right now."

ACFC Head Coach Alex Straus

On the team's performance against San Diego and the growth he saw:

"The consistency has been the biggest change. We still need to prove to ourselves that we can do that every week, that it is not just a one time thing that happened on Saturday. We need to be consistent in that we need to create those habits, which I've talked about a lot.

"It was a good performance. If we can stay consistent, then we can continue on the journey from there. If we can show more of the grinding, belief and courage that we showed against San Diego, we can continue to build on that going forward and take huge steps. However, we need to prove to ourselves that it's not a one off thing."

On Utah's recent performance against Kansas City and his impressions on the upcoming opponent:

"This is what it is with this league. We also played well against Kansas, losing one-nil away. We did that before the break and we had a penalty that we missed. However, with that being said, Kansas City deserved to win the game, so I am not saying we deserved anything else than we got, but we could have gotten away with something.

"This league is very tight. Even when Utah plays Kansas City or we play Kansas City or San Diego or anyone else, the games are tight. They're adjusting to having a very aggressive pressing, more aggressive than they've been before. When I look at them, I notice they have some very good things against them but they have things that we can hurt them with. I have respect for all of the teams and every game is going to be a battle."

On making second half adjustments and the team's willingness to fight:

"The way the players and the staff came together at halftime to make the changes that we needed to happen was amazing. If it had just continued as it was in the first half, I think that they would continue to have the momentum. We shifted that momentum in the second half and that's why it was unfortunate when they took the lead. However, we fought them and worked our way all the way back into the game."

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