USWNT Stock Up, Stock Down: Phallon Tullis-Joyce Is Fighting for the Top Spot

Welcome back to your weekly feature from Sports Illustrated that analyzes the women’s soccer weekend from a U.S. women’s national team perspective.

Last week’s roster drop showed which players impressed enough over the past few months to earn a spot in head coach Emma Hayes’s squad for the upcoming home friendlies against Spain on Oct. 10 and 13.

The October international window will be a huge opportunity for players to make their case for a spot on the USWNT for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in November.

With league action on pause for two weeks, let’s look at which American players saw their stocks rise and fall this past weekend.

Stock Up

Phallon Tullis-Joyce

At a press conference last week, Hayes said Claudia Dickey and Phallon Tullis-Joyce were the top two picks to start as goalkeeper for the USWNT, and later added that Dickey was edging out Tullis-Joyce for the time being. “Claudia [Dickey] leads the way,” Hayes told the media.

Well, the battle for that starting role is heating up. And Tullis-Joyce had quite the response in Manchester United’s 1–0 win over Liverpool last weekend. The 29-year-old goalkeeper was integral in securing a big three points, making eight saves on 1.98 expected goals on target and registering her team’s first clean sheet of the English Women’s Super League season.

Tullis-Joyce’s most eye-catching moment came in the first half when she pulled off a sensational double save. Hayes will have watched and now faces some tough decisions as the fight for the starting spot continues.

PHALLON TULLIS-JOYCE DOUBLE SAVE ‼️🇺🇸

🎥: @WGolazo
pic.twitter.com/AknR3Q0cND
— The Women's Game (@WomensGameMIB) October 3, 2026

Kate Del Fava

Utah Royals defender Kate Del Fava has earned her first call-up to the senior USWNT after Chelsea’s Naomi Girma had to pull out of the squad due to an injury. Del Fava has had one of the best seasons of her career and has played every minute for fourth-place Utah in the NWSL.

Last weekend, Utah clawed back a point in a 1–1 road draw at Racing Louisville, thanks to a 90th-minute equalizer from Brecken Mozingo. Racing took the lead through a penalty, converted by Katie O’Kane, that Madison Hammond conceded. Del Fava completed the most passes of any player in that game (43) and had 10 defensive contributions, including six tackles and seven successful duels.

Stepping up to the international level will not be easy for Del Fava. Especially with the first call-up coinciding with an intimidating pair of friendlies against world No. 1 Spain. While it is unlikely she will see the pitch, it is still a major step in her career. It also shows that those strong NWSL performances can pay off.

Lindsey Heaps

After a slow start to life with the Denver Summit, Lindsey Heaps is rediscovering her form in the NWSL. The USWNT captain had a brace in the Summit’s 3–0 win over the Chicago Stars on Sunday. In her past five games, she has scored five goals and recorded one assist.

Heaps can, at times, look quite uncomfortable playing for the USWNT. Hayes often plays her as a true midfielder, with a more advanced No. 10 (often Rose Lavelle) playing in front of her. Does she have the best ball-carrying, medium-range passing, and press resistance in deeper midfield areas when compared to some others?

What Heaps did so well in Denver this past weekend was crash the box. The timing of her runs and physical presence are a problem for defenders when she arrives late in the attack. If her impressive Summit form is anything to go by, then a true No. 10 role on the USWNT is perhaps her best bet.

Lindsey Heaps slides in to double Denver's lead 💪 pic.twitter.com/kTLZ3uOkG3
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) October 4, 2026

Stock Down

Emily Fox

Perhaps the USWNT’s most consistent player over the past few years, Emily Fox rarely has a bad game. Sunday’s 4–2 defeat for Arsenal against Manchester City was one of those rare occasions.

Fox played 81 minutes as her team took the lead twice but ultimately lost after capitulating in the final third of the match. The Arsenal right back went 0-for-3 on crosses into the box and competed in just five duels, though she won three.

City left winger Lauren Hemp scored twice, with Fox lined up against her for both goals. Hemp’s first goal was knocked in off Fox’s boot, and the deflection didn’t change the shot’s direction much. The second time Hemp got on the score sheet from Fox’s side, there was little the American could do as she got double-teamed. City defender Kerstin Casparij pushed up into the attack and drew Fox’s attention, which left Hemp to score unmarked.

LAUREN HEMP BRACE 💥@ManCityWomen take the lead! Catch all the Barclays WSL action live on @paramountplus 📺 pic.twitter.com/QvxPTbdIzf
— W Golazo (@WGolazo) October 4, 2026

Avery Patterson

Strangely enough, Fox’s backup on the USWNT, Avery Patterson, also struggled last weekend. The Houston Dash right back couldn’t help solidify her team as they fell to the Washington Spirit 3–2. Patterson has had a disappointing year by her own standards, and in part, that’s because of Houston’s poor performance this season.

The Spirit’s second and third goals didn’t cover Patterson in any glory. On Sunday, the defender committed high in both cases, failed to force a turnover high up the pitch, and, in turn, left space for Washington to break down the other end and score. It was a total defensive breakdown from the Dash as they chased the game.

Emma Sears

Hayes is standing by Emma Sears for now, but the Racing Louisville winger’s form hasn’t changed. While Sears won back her starting job for Louisville’s 1–1 draw against the Utah Royals, she didn’t impact the game much in 65 minutes of action.

Sears had just 19 touches last weekend, completed six passes, created one chance, and took one shot. Without the ball, she went 2-for-7 in her duels. What did Sears do with that one shot? It wasn’t a terrible effort; it was hit well but straight at the keeper from a good position. The dribble to set it up was undoubtedly her best move of the match.

This upcoming international window is a major moment for Sears to try to maintain her place on the USWNT. Most likely coming off the bench, she’ll need to showcase her best dribbling, crossing and vertical play against Spain.

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