SAN JOSE, Calif. — Kayla Duran starts her day by going through work emails, making sure she didn’t miss anything important in her role as an analyst for a company that works in property and casualty insurance.
Then it’s on to her other job: playing defense for Gotham FC.
Earlier this year Duran, a Woburn native, was happily settling into her role at Enlyte just a few months after graduating from Southern Cal with a master’s degree in business analytics. She had played out her college career on the West Coast after a season at Boston College and two at Brown.
Then one day this past spring, she got a call from Hope Stevens. She didn’t recognize the name.
“Oh, it’s Hope Solo,” the caller said. The former US women’s national team goalkeeper was looking for players for a team competing in The Soccer Tournament, a competition with a $1 million prize. Stevens wondered if Duran wanted in. Sure, she said. She had been off the pitch for about a year, playing occasionally in men’s leagues, and started to realize how much she missed it.
After the tournament wrapped in June, Duran decided to get an agent.
“I just really went on a whim,” she said.
Meanwhile, Gotham FC’s scouts had the 26-year-old Duran on their radar, general manager Yael Averbuch West said. They were eager to hear she’d gotten back into soccer, even if it wasn’t full time yet.
In July, Gotham had to fill holes on its roster when two players left for national team call-ups. It was essentially a month-long trial, and the club wanted Duran. Her boss back at Enlyte was happy to accommodate the schedule. Duran, who had been living back at home with her parents, accepted the offer. (Her mini Bernedoodle, Hudson, did not make the move to New Jersey and is back home with Mom and Dad.)
In just weeks, Gotham signed Duran through February. And now, she will be playing for the NWSL championship on Saturday against the Washington Spirit (8 p.m., CBS).
Duran has seen time in nine games and started the regular-season finale. Her biggest moment came in Gotham’s quarterfinal game against top-seeded Kansas City, with just moments to play in stoppage time.
Gotham goalie Ann-Katrin Berger fed to Duran, who headed the ball toward forward Midge Purce, who tipped it to Katie Stengel, who put it past KC goalie Lorena. Gotham’s 2-1 win may have been the biggest upset in league history.
“She’s a really important part of the team. It all culminates with the exclamation point that is Katie Stengel’s goal against Kansas City,” team co-owner Ed Nalbandian said Friday. “Kayla did it. That play is one of the greatest goals in our history, and there’s Kayla — who was not anywhere in our plans at the beginning of the year — playing an integral role at the most important point of the season.”
Duran could barely believe it herself.
“Probably six months ago I would have called you crazy for saying, ‘You’re going to be playing for Gotham, and you’re going to be in the NWSL finals,’ ” she said. “I would have never imagined that.”
But sports have always been a part of Duran’s life. It’s an exciting time down on Duran Drive in Woburn, where Kayla grew up down the street from her father’s siblings and their families. The Durans played hockey with their cousins on an ice rink built in the backyard.
Duran’s brother, Riley, took to skating — just like their father, Jim, who is the longtime boys’ hockey coach at Woburn High. Riley is a forward with the Providence Bruins, and he made his NHL debut this past March at TD Garden.
Kayla followed her mother’s path. Lori Duran coached Bentley women’s soccer from 1999-2002.
“I feel like growing up on the field and having that whole team around me kind of just like, made me love the team sport,” she said.
Duran loves her job, she said, and is enjoying balancing soccer and the corporate world. She’s mostly been surprised — and impressed — with what professional soccer can offer off the pitch.
“I didn’t really educate myself in the NWSL in the sense of what opportunities there were,” she said.
The team aspect is a plus, but the community events and work with young athletes stand out.
“It goes beyond just soccer, just empowering youth girls at this time, especially with social media just being on the forefront,” Duran said. “It’s something really special to me in the sense of empowering them. Like, why couldn’t you have a job and play professional soccer?”
Duran is off from work this week; her boss didn’t make her take PTO. Her parents will be in town. Her brother is back in Rhode Island with a busy game schedule this weekend.
As for what’s next for Duran’s professional career, she’s not sure. Gotham will play in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup semifinals in January in London, then her contract is up. But one thing is for sure.
“I’ve loved it so much,” she said. “I definitely want to keep playing if I get the opportunity.”
Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her on Instagram at @katiemac.sports.