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Washington Spirit

NWSL Shield on the Line Saturday as Washingtonâ?? â??Spiritâ?? â??Travelsâ?? â??toâ?? â??Chicagoâ??

September 23, 2016 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


BOYDS,? ?MD ?-? ??The? ?Washington? ?Spirit? ?(12-4-3,? ?39? ?pts)? ?will? ?take? ?on? ?the? ?Chicago Red? ?Stars? ?(8-5-6,? ?30? ?pts)? ?at? ?Toyota? ?Park? ?in suburban Chicago Saturday,? ?September? ?24? ?at? ?8? ?p.m.? ?The? ?Spirit? ?could? ?clinch the? ?NWSL? ?Shield? ?- awarded to the team with the best regular season record - with a win, while any other result would delay matters until the conclusion of Sunday's game between 2nd place ?Portland? ?Thorns? and regional Spirit rival ?Sky? ?Blue? ?FC of New Jersey. [PHOTO] (Mandatory Credit Tony Quinn/ISI Photos)

The Thorns trail the Spirit by just one point, and also hold the head-to-head tie-breaker advantage, so the Spirit would need the Thorns to lose if they also lose, or to lose or draw if they draw at Chicago. Regardless of the Shield race, both teams will host first round semifinal matches next weekend, with the Spirit scheduled to welcome one of three potential teams Friday, September 30, at 8 p.m. in the friendly confines of the Maryland SoccerPlex (tickets.washingtonspirit.com)

The? ?last? ?time? ?the? ?Spirit? ?played? ?the? ?Chicago? ?Red? ?Stars? ?on? ?July? ?9,? ?the? ?league-leaders? ?came? ?away? ?with? ?a? ?2-0 victory? ?at? ?the? ?Maryland? ?SoccerPlex? ?with? ?goals? ?from? ?forwards? ??Estefania? ?Banini?? ?and? ??Katie Stengel?.

?"There? ?is? ?a? ?lot? ?riding? ?on? ?this? ?last? ?regular? ?season? ?match,? ?and? ?it? ?will? ?be? ?good? ?preparation? ?for? ?the

playoffs? ?against? ?a? ?very? ?good? ?playoff? ?team? ?in? ?Chicago,"? ?said? ?Spirit? ?general? ?manager? ?and? ?head

coach? ?Jim? ?Gabarra.? ??"?We? ?look? ?forward? ?to? ?bouncing? ?back? ?after? ?a? ?tough? ?result? ?in? ?Seattle? ?and? ?a? ?week off."

Despite the loss of dynamic rookie ??Cali? ?Farquharson?? ?with? ?a? ?torn? ?ACL ?and? ?Banini who is on? ?her? ?way? ?back? ?from? ?a? ?knee? ?injury,? ?the Spirit has plenty of weapons to get on the score sheet following a rare goaless effort at Seattle on September 11. Stengel,? ??Crystal Dunn?,? ?and? ??Cheyna? ?Williams? offer an attacking trio any team in the league would want, while Gabarra could also slot Diana Matheson or Alyssa Kleiner up top.

?Dunn,? ?the? ?2015? ?NWSL? ?Golden? ?Boot? ?winner, notched? ?her? ?first? ?goal? ?of? ?the? ?season? ?two? ?matches? ?ago,? ?but? ?has? ?been? ?a? ?lively? ?offensive? ?presence? ?all season.? ?Williams? ?has? ?found? ?her? ?stride? ?recently,? ?scoring? ?her? ?three? ?goals? ?this? ?season? ?within? ?the? ?last seven? ?matches. Stengel knows what it's like to score against Chicago and has been involved in many of the Spirit's best attacking moves of the season.

Chicago? ?Red? ?Stars? ?comes? ?into? ?this? ?game? ?winless in ?its? ?last? ?three? ?matches, but still safely in the playoff top-4.? ?They lean heavily? ?on? ?forward? ??Christen? ?Press?? ?who,? ?despite? ?missing? ?games? ?for? ?the? ?Olympics,? ?sits? ?in? ?sixth place? ?in? ?the league and leads the Red Stars with ?seven? ?goals from a prolific 37 total shots on-frame.? ?Not? ?to? ?be? ?overlooked? ?is? ??Sofia? ?Huerta? ??who? ?has? ?six? ?goals? ?to? ?her? ?name? ?this? ?season for the home side.

The? ?match? ?will? ?be? ?streamed? ?live? ?on? ?YouTube:? ??https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1tYOvzxBD0

GAME NOTES

The? ?Spirit? ?will? ?return? ?to? ?the? ?Maryland? ?SoccerPlex? ?on? ?Friday,? ?September? ?30? ?at? ?8? ?p.m.? ?for? ?an? ?NWSL semifinal? ?which? ?will? ?be? ?first? ?home? ?playoff? ?match? ?in? ?franchise? ?history.? ?The? ?opponent? ?is? ?yet? ?to? ?be determined? ?but? ?could? ?be? ?Chicago? ?Red? ?Stars,? ?Western? ?New? ?York? ?Flash,? ?or? ?Seattle? ?Reign? ?FC.? ?For tickets,? ?fans? ?can? ?visit? ?tickets.washingtonspirit.com.

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from September 23, 2016


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