It is early in Ally Sentnor’s professional career, but she’s learning to adjust.
Sentnor, 22, was the No. 1 draft pick by the Utah Royals in the 2024 NWSL draft after two seasons at the University of North Carolina. In August, Sentnor was traded to the Kansas City Current. Then last month, she was on the move again, this time to Angel City Football Club.
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“You’ve got to just find the right environment for you and sometimes that takes some time,” Sentnor said Friday. “I’m really excited about this move. I think that we want to play a really good brand of soccer, both defensively and attacking-wise, and I’m being allotted a lot of freedom here to get on the ball and just to be a playmaker and to be a decision-maker.”
The trade to Angel City occurred June 19, during the NWSL’s summer break. She made her debut July 3 against the Orlando Pride.
“I just got an apartment, unpacked everything, so I feel like three games in, I’m finally feeling that pattern of the team and what the weeks look like,” Sentnor said. “It (the trade) happened really fast and you get here … I got here on a Friday, I had training on a Saturday, so you really like roll right into things and then it’s about doing things like building drawers after training on Monday and doing random stuff.
“It’s a process, but I finally feel like I am settled. I have a home here and I am really excited to explore the area.”
The U.S. national team forward recently signed a contract extension through 2029. In her first three games, Angel City (7-6-1, 22 points) has recorded its second three-game winning streak heading into Sunday’s home game against Racing Louisville FC.
“I think she’s added a dimension in terms of her quality between the lines and her quality in our press,” Angel City interim coach Leif Smerud said. “She has definitely been a good contributor to us playing and being able to connect the puzzle, therefore moving the team up higher, giving the opponents several threats at the same time, behind the lines or between the lines.
“She’s been really helpful, she is a handful (for defenses) to deal with and when you put it together with the others, she gives us new dimensions.”
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Sentnor arrived seeing some familiar faces. At North Carolina, she played with Angel City defenders Savy King and Evelyn Shores.
“We love our Tar Heel connection,” Sentnor said. “We talked about it all the time. Those two are just incredible people and especially with Ev (Evelyn Shores), being on that left side of the field, we’re literally together 24-7. We are on the field together on that side and then we are really good friends off the field. It’s been fun to get to see her grow into her professional career.”
Angel City has never had a four-game winning streak in its brief history. Last week’s win moved Angel City up in the standings. Currently in eighth place, Angel City has recorded three consecutive shutouts and hosts a Louisville (2-10-2, 8 points) team with just 16 goals scored.
“I think a lot of it has to do with training habits,” Sentnor said of the recent winning streak. “We talk every day about intent. We talk about quality and we talk about purpose. So I think just going into training, knowing what we want to work on that day and really trying to hammer that home and then a lot of it has to do just with our energy and intensity and getting better each week.
“We know we’re not perfect, we know we’re not anywhere where we need to be, but if we can build upon something every week and build to that complete 90 (minutes) that we’re looking for, I think that we would call that a successful week and then hopefully that continues for us.”
Chilufya heads to AFCON
Angel City will be without forward Prisca Chilufya, who is with Zambia for the Women’s African Cup of Nations. The tournament begins Sunday and ends Aug. 16.
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RACING LOUISVILLE FC (2-10-2, 8 points) at ANGEL CITY FC (7-6-1, 22 points)
When: 6 p.m. Sunday
Where: BMO Stadium
How to watch: ESPN