With the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs all but out of the question, Sky Blue FC still has plenty incentive to register points the reat of the season.

Ninth-place Sky Blue FC (0-12-3, 3 points) needs to accrue nine points in its final nine games to avoid that dubious distinction. Given the abysmal results of the team, that must be considered a long shot at the present time.

As for avoiding dubious records, the 2016 Boston Breakers (3-15-2, 11 points) finished with the poorest record in the six-year history of the league. That version of the Breakers tied the 2013 Washington Spirit for the least wins in a season with three apiece.

The New Jersey side will also try to avoid setting the league mark for the most losses in a season, 16, held by the 2014 Houston Dash.

In case you’re wondering, the top four teams will qualify for the playoffs. Sky Blue FC is an astounding 25 points behind the fourth-place Chicago Stars (7-4-7, 28 points) for the final playoff spot.

Sky Blue FC is coming off a 4-0 home loss to the North Carolina Courage. It will host Portland Thorns FC at Yurcak Field Saturday at 7 p.m. Four of the squad’s nine games are at home.

Here are the worst finishes in each of the NWSL’s first five seasons:

2013 — Washington Spirit — 3-14-5, 14 points, eighth place

2014 — Houston Dash — 5-16-3, 18 points, ninth place

2015 — Boston Breakers — 4-13-3, 15 points, ninth place

2016 — Boston Breakers — 3-15-2, 11 points — 10th place

2017 — Washington Spirit — 4-13-7 19 points — 10th place

2017 — Boston Breakers — 4-13-7, 19 points, ninth place

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.