Spirit Wraps up Regular Season with Road Loss to Utah, Preps for Playoffs
NWSL Washington Spirit

Spirit Wraps up Regular Season with Road Loss to Utah, Preps for Playoffs

Published on November 2, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release


Sandy, Utah - The Spirit wrapped up its 2025 regular season campaign with a hard-fought 0-1 road loss to Utah Royals FC on Sunday evening. Washington will return home to begin its playoff run with a home quarterfinal match at Audi Field next weekend.

With a start this evening, defender Paige Metayer made her 50th career regular season appearance since beginning her pro career in 2023.

Utah got on the scoreboard with its first attacking chance of the match. Early in the fourth minute of action, Royals forward Lara Prašnikar found fellow forward Paige Monaghan downfield for a run into the box. Monaghan fired her shot from the right side of the box past Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury and into the back of the net for the early lead.

After the Spirit's Courtney Brown took a shot in the 14th minute, Washington went over 30 minutes without a shot attempt. Just before the half, forward Sofia Cantore fired a shot on target that was saved by Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn to keep her side ahead heading into the locker rooms.

To begin the second half, Washington made three substitutions with Gabby Carle and Esme Morgan replacing Brown and Tara McKeown, respectively. Goalkeeper Sandy MacIver also entered for Kingsbury with Hal Hershfelt taking the captain's armband.

In the 51st minute, Carle had a great opportunity out front, receiving a cross and firing a one-timer toward goal but the defender missed a bit high. Cantore fired another shot on target in the 59th minute but was saved again. Defender Kysha Sylla entered the match for Metayer in the 62nd for Washington's final substitution of the match.

The Spirit had one final attempt on goal in the 86th minute when Morgan sent a shot on target but McGlynn maintained her clean sheet with another save. Goalkeeper Sandy MacIver made four saves across her 45 minutes of action, keeping Utah off the scoreboard in the second half. The result was just the second away loss of the year for the Spirit and first in four and a half months.

Next up, the Spirit will host Racing Louisville FC in a quarterfinal match at Audi Field to kick off the 2025 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Google Pixel next weekend. Full schedule details for next weekend's matches will be announced soon. Ticketing information can be found here.

-NWSL Match Report-

Match: Utah Royals FC vs. Washington Spirit

Date: Sunday, November 2, 2025

Venue: America First Field (Sandy, Utah)

Kickoff: 5:15 p.m. EST

Weather: Sunny, low-60s

Scoring Summary:

Goals 1 2 F

Utah 1 0 1

Washington 0 0 0

UTA - Paige Monaghan - 4 ‚¬Â² (assisted by Lara Prašnikar)

Lineups:

UTA: 1 - Mandy McGlynn; 14 - Nuria Rábano (16 - Madison Pogarch, 72'); 17 - Ana Tejada; 8 - Kate Del Fava; 7 - Janni Thomsen (28 - Imani Dorsey, 72'); 10 - Claudia Zornoza (22 - Dana Foederer, 79'); 11 - Mina Tanaka; 33 - Aria Nagai (5 - Lauren Flynn, 46'); 4 - Paige Monaghan (53 - Bianca St-Georges, 83'); 9 - Lara Prašnikar; 24 - Cloé Lacasse (13 - Brecken Mozingo, 62')

Unused Substitutes: 77 - DeAira Jackson; 15 - Lauren Gogal; 25 - Cece Kizer

WAS: 1 - Aubrey Kingsbury (28 - Sandy MacIver, 46'); 6 - Kate Wiesner; 4 - Rebeca Bernal; 9 - Tara McKeown (24 - Esme Morgan, 46'); 26 - Paige Metayer (25 - Kysha Sylla, 62'); 17 - Hal Hershfelt; 22 - Heather Stainbrook; 5 - Narumi Miura; 13 - Brittany Ratcliffe; 27 - Sofia Cantore; 16 - Courtney Brown (14 - Gabby Carle, 46')

Unused Substitutes: 31 - Kaylie Collins

Stats Summary: UTA / WAS

Shots: 18 / 9

Shots On Goal: 7 / 3

Saves: 3 / 6

Fouls: 15 / 8

Offsides: 2 / 3

Misconduct Summary:

WAS - Tara McKeown - 34' - Yellow Card

UTA - Paige Monaghan - 68' - Yellow Card

WAS - Narumi Miura - 90' - Yellow Card

UTA - Dana Foederer - 90+4' - Yellow Card

Check out the Washington Spirit Statistics

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from November 2, 2025


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