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August Update: UWS Stars Sign Overseas

08/13/2019, 12:30pm EDT
By UWS PR

Four players from 2019 champion LAGOC move on to pros; plus more signings


Jordan Marada (left) & Millene Cabral (right) [courtesy of Vegalta Sendai Ladies]

METUCHEN, NJ - No sooner than the 2019 United Women's Soccer (UWS) season concluded, post-collegiate players from around the national pro-am league began to find new homes to continue their competitive careers. Not surprisingly, alumnae from the 2019 UWS champion LA Galaxy OC have been in demand, as four (and possibly more) of their stars have inked professional contracts for teams around the world. All-UWS Second Team & All-UWS First Team selection Jordan Marada and LAGOC's leading scorer Millene Cabral have signed on for Japanese side Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies, who compete in Nadeshiko League 1: the top flight of women's soccer in Japan. Vegalta Sendai (1-2-6) are currently in 10th-place and the influential duo will hope to boost the team's offense as it has only managed six goals in nine matches so far this season. Cabral was a three-time selection to the UWS Team of the Week and her skill & dribbling ability will certainly aid her team's attack.

Forward Sonest Furtado has moved on to Swedish club Asarums IF/FK, who compete in the Elitettan: the second division of women's soccer in Sweden. The former University of Hawai'i star was a key player for LAGOC this past season, playing in seven regular season matches (2g, 1a) and helped her side capture the UWS title in Calgary. The Elitettan works on a system of promotion/relegation with the Damallsvenskan (Division I) and Furtado will hope to aid Asarums IF/FK (4-4-9) fight for survival. The team currently sits above the relegation zone in 11th place. Janelly Farias moved on from LAGOC & UWS to Liga BBVA MX Femenil - the top flight in Mexico. The former Houston Dash defender signed on with Las Chivas de Guadalajara, who are now competing in the Apertura (July-December) segment of their schedule. Her new team currently reside in sixth-place (3-0-2) after Monday's 2-1 loss to Club Leon Femenil.


Yadira Toraya [courtesy of Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente Femenil]

Speaking of Liga BBVA MX Femenil, Yadira Toraya of the Santa Clarita Blue Heat has also gone south to Mexico and signed with Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente Femenil, alongside former National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) stars Veronica Perez and Renae Cuellar. Toraya has just come off her third selection to the 2019 All-UWS Team, an honor that only two other players have ever accomplished. Based in Tijuana, Baja California, the Xolos (1-2-1) now sit in a tie for ninth-place after their first win of the season, a 2-0 shutout over Club Necaxa on Monday. Further south, San Antonio Athenians midfielder Yuli Cardenas has re-signed with Deportivo Pereira Femenino of the Liga Aguila Femenina, Colombia's Division I league. Cardenas was a key contributor for SAAFC in 2019, taking part in four matches while playing all 90 minutes in her last three starts. She scored the first-ever goal in the top flight for Pereira and helped them to a 1-0 victory over Once Caldas in Group A action this past Saturday.

LA Galaxy OC alum and 2018 All-UWS selection Sabrina Flores has signed professionally for Sevilla FC Femenino of the Primera Iberdrola, the top flight in Spain. The league kicks off on September 8th. Flores most recently played for Sky Blue FC of NWSL but the national team replacement player was released from her contract. The defender and former University of Notre Dame standout had a successful spell with SBFC and played in their last four matches, including the team's first two wins of the season. Former Lancaster Inferno goalkeeper Emily Dolan has also re-signed with a Primera Iberdrola club, as the Wilmington, DE-native will wear Real Betis Feminas colors for the next two campaigns. Before starting in eight league games for last season's sixth-place side, Dolan played for San Zaccaria Ravenna of the Italian Serie A and Medyk Konin of Poland.


Emily Dolan [courtesy of Real Betis Feminas]

MORE SIGNINGS & UPDATES: former Calgary Foothills Women's FC forward Joelle Gosselin had an incredible debut for Jyvaskylan Pallokerho of the Finnish Naisten Liiga, scoring a second-half hat trick as a substitute in a come-from-behind 3-2 win over ONS Naiset... former Detroit Sun and Liberty University forward Isabella Habuda has inked a deal with Austrian club SK Sturm Graz for the 2019-20 season as the club prepares for the UEFA Women's Champions League... former Marquette midfielder Ryley Bugay has signed for FC Saarbrucken Frauen of 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, the second tier in Germany. The Philippine international played for FC Indiana during the 2017 season, their lone UWS campaign... former New Jersey Copa FC defender Monique Goncalves has signed a deal with Swedish club Sunnana SK, who compete in the third tier of Swedish women's soccer. The Portuguese international has previously played in Iceland for UMF Sindri and Portugal for Clube Atletico Ouriense.

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