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NWSL Washington Spirit

Spirit Returns Home with One Point Following 2-2 Draw Versus Wave FC

July 9, 2023 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


San Diego, Calif. - The Washington Spirit drew San Diego Wave FC, 2-2, after conceding an equalizer in the 90th minute. Spirit goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart came up huge for the team making a number of late saves to keep the game level.

After kickoff, midfielder Chloe Ricketts became the youngest player in Spirit history to make a regular season start at 16 years old. She is second-youngest player in NWSL history to make a regular season start behind Portland's Olivia Moultrie.

Ashley Hatch made her 99th regular season start with the Spirit, tying her with Aubrey Kingsbury, while Maddie Elwell who was inserted into the starting lineup made her first regular season start of the season.

The Saturday night action went off without much affair until the 14th when Inès Jaurena earned a yellow card after clipping San Diego's Jaedyn Shaw. Less than 10 minutes later, Wave FC keeper Shae Yañez was caught with the ball at the top of the box when a charging Hatch intercepted the ball. Yañez swiped at the ball, forcing Hatch to the ground.

The infraction was subsequently reviewed via VAR, resulting in a penalty kick for the Spirit, much to the chagrin of the Wave FC home crowd. Hatch took and made the penalty kick, giving the Spirit the lead.

The goal was Hatch's eighth of the season (45th career regular season goal), tying her with Kerolin for the second most in the NWSL this season. Hatch is seven-for-seven from the spot during her Spirit tenure, including a perfect four-for-four this season. All four of her penalties this season came in road matches - the most converted road penalty kicks in a season in NWSL history. Finally, Hatch has scored 15 road goals (all competitions) since the start of last season, more than any other NWSL player in that time.

While Wave FC outshot the Spirit nine to five, the Spirit held them without a shot on goal the entire first half. San Diego led multiple statistics at the end of the half - possession, touches in the opponent's box, shots inside the box and final third entries - but the Spirit's lone goal was the decisive factor after 45 minutes.

Less than a minute into the second half, San Diego drew level after a scrum in the box led to a ball from Cheyenne Shorts making its way past Barnhart. Shorts' goal was the eighth scored in the first minute of the second half this regular season in the NWSL. No previous season had more than three goals in the first minute after halftime.

Ironically, Shorts was involved in more scoring action eight minutes later, in the 54th, when a cross from Dorian Bailey caught her foot and hit the back of the net for an own goal.

Forward Lena Silano made things interesting in the 66th after receiving a back heel pass from Amber Brooks when she rocketed a shot inside the box that was deflected by a Wave FC player. Silano followed it up with a skillful header that was cleared by San Diego.

San Diego answered with a scoring chance in the 75th that resulted in a punch and a save from Barnhart. After a dangerous corner, San Diego's Melanie Barcenas' fancy footwork set up Kornieck who blasted the ball at Barnhart, but it was neutralized by the Spirit defense.

Kornieck would find the back of the net right at the onset of second half stoppage time off a perfectly placed, looping header that an outstretched Barnhart was unable to stop. The equalizing goal preceded an announcement of eight minutes of stoppage time. It was Wave FC's fourth goal in the 85th minute or later this season.

In the final eight minutes of play, Barnhart was instrumental in keeping the game level, making a number of key saves. She finished the game with seven saves, all of which came in the second half of play. This tied her career best of seven saves in one half - her two other occurrences happened in May 2015 and July 2016.

The Spirit will take the week off and then continue its road stretch when it travels to Cary, North Carolina to face the North Carolina Courage in a 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match on Saturday, July 22 at 7 p.m.

-NWSL Match Report-

Match: San Diego Wave FC vs. Washington Spirit

Date: July 8, 2023

Venue: Snapdragon Stadium

Kickoff: 10:00 p.m. EDT

Weather: Sunny, low-70s

Lineups:

SD: 30- Shae Yañez; 46- Chai Cortez (16- Madison Pogarch, 60'); 34- Cheyenne Shorts; 18- Kaleigh Riehl; 20- Christen Westphal; 24- Danielle Colaprico; 22- Taylor Kornieck; 15- Makenzy Doniak (6- Kelsey Turnbow, 67'); 28- Meggie Doughtery Howard (25- Melanie Barcenas, 60'); 3- Rachel Hill (7- Amirah Ali, 66'); 11- Jaedyn Shaw

Unused Substitutes: 23- Belle Briede; 17- Lauren Brzykcy; 27- Shea Connors; 12- Giovanna DeMarco; 26- Mia Gyau

WAS: 28- Nicole Barnhart; 14- Gabrielle Carle; 3- Sam Staab; 9- Tara McKeown; 19- Dorian Bailey; 16- Maddie Elwell; 7- Inès Jaurena (22- Amber Brooks, 60'); 26- Paige Metayer; 39- Chloe Ricketts (17- Nicole Douglas, 60'); 33- Ashley Hatch (36- Mariana Speckmaier, 90'); 24- Lena Silano (30- Camryn Biegalski, 66')

Unused Substitutes: 18- Lyza Bosselmann; 37- Jordan Thompson

Stats Summary: SD / WAS

Shots: 22 / 10

Shots On Goal: 9 / 3

Shots Blocked: 5 / 4

Saves: 2 / 7

Tackles Won: 7 / 9

Fouls: 7 / 19

Offsides: 4 / 1

Misconduct Summary:

WAS - Inès Jaurena - 14'

WAS - Chloe Ricketts - 45+3'

WAS - Tara McKeown - 51'

SD - Jaedyn Shaw - 70'

WAS - Gabrielle Carle - 89'

Check out the Washington Spirit Statistics



National Women's Soccer League Stories from July 9, 2023


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