Sports stats



NWSL National Women's Soccer League

NWSL Championship Preview

October 7, 2016 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) News Release


CHICAGO- Washington Spirit midfielder Victoria Huster took a moment this week while talking about where she and her teammates are - the 2016 NWSL Championship Game at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston - to reflect on where they'd been.

Huster has spent all four years of her NWSL career with the Spirit - including the league's inaugural year in 2013 when Washington finished at the bottom of the table, marked by a 13-game winless run that still stands as a record.

Looking back on that season, Huster paused to appreciate how far the Spirit have come as they not only made the playoffs for the third straight year, but will be making their first appearance in the NWSL Championship Game after earning the first team's first playoff victory last week with a 2-1 win after extra time against the Chicago Red Stars.

"I'm very excited for this club to have gone from the first year being a last place team to now fighting for the first and second position this coming weekend," Huster said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

Now Washington has the chance to earn the first championship in club history, a feat Huster feels she and her teammates would not be in position to accomplish without the chemistry they've developed through the years.

"We really respect each other on and off the field," Huster said. "Our locker room I think is one of the best if not the best in the league and it's been a joy to play for this group this year. We had a lot of returning players and that always helps morale and your on-field play because you're more comfortable with those similar players."

That chemistry was perhaps best exemplified this season when defender and U.S. international Ali Krieger rushed back to the Spirit after the U.S. Women's National Team was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics. She was the first U.S. international to return to play in the league and made it back in time play 90 minutes and help Washington win a makeup game against the Houston Dash on Aug. 18.

"It was something that came from her and her attitude was I want to get back to the team as quick as possible, I want to get back to playing," Spirit coach Jim Gabarra said.

It's that kind of camaraderie that Huster says has been a hallmark for Washington throughout the season.

"Ali is a leader on our team and I really respected her decision to come back, regardless of whatever reasoning she had," Huster said. "I think we definitely do make it a little bit easier for our national team players to come back in because we do have so much fun together."

Together the Spirit have racked up 12 wins during the regular season - tied with Portland Thorns FC for the most in the league - and spent much of the year with the No. 1 defense in the NWSL before allowing five goals over the last two games and finishing tied for fourth in goals against.

Washington also put together one of the most diversified attacks in the league this season with seven players scoring three goals or more during the regular season - highlighted by midfielder Estefania Banini's five tallies.

Gabarra also got strong efforts from his midfield trio of Huster (goal, assist), Christine Nairn (3 goals, 3 assists) and Joanna Lohman (4 goals, assist) - as well as forward Crystal Dunn (2 goals, 5 assists).

"I've told [Huster], and Nairn and [Lohman] before that I think they've really been the reason for most of our success and they've gotten better and better as the season's gone on and they've got a really good working relationship with each other," Gabarra said. "And the sum of their parts is greater than what you [get] if you add them up simply [on their own]."

And it's that math that Gabarra is hoping adds up Sunday when his squad takes the field against the Western New York Flash for the championship in Houston.

The Washington Spirit and Western New York Flash will meet in the championship game to see who will be crowned the 2016 NWSL Champion, live on FOX Sports 1, on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. ET at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Fans may purchase tickets online at NWSLChampionship.com, by phone at 713-276-GOAL or in person at the BBVA Compass Stadium box office.

Check out the National Women's Soccer League Statistics



National Women's Soccer League Stories from October 7, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central