The lowest-ranked seed in the playoffs put in the worst performance of the quarterfinals against the top-ranked Orlando Pride, underscoring the danger of playoff expansion.
The Chicago Red Stars were eliminated 4-1 by Orlando, highlighting the disparity in performance as the Pride led convincingly from the outset.
With playoffs now expanded to eight teams, several underperforming squads made it but are now watching the top four teams dominate in the postseason.
The NWSL saw a distinct separation in quality this season, with significant gaps in points between the top teams and those below them.
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