May 19, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Washington Spirit News Release
Portland, OR – The Washington Spirit earned another point in the table Wednesday night by way of a 1-1 draw with Portland Thorns FC. Emily Sonnett set the tone in the defensive third early with a sliding block in the box in the fourth minute of action and another clearance to end a Portland threat a minute later.
The 26th minute saw a great centering pass to Ashley Hatch in close-range that was tipped out of play by a Thorns defender. The next minute, Hatch found Trinity Rodman at the top of the box who fired off a direct shot too high. The next Spirit attempt came in the 31st minute when Ashley Sanchez fed a through ball to a driving Hatch for a shot from the right side of the box that went high. Sanchez then got a shot off herself from the top of the box but was just wide left.
In minute 37, Portland had its best first-half chance when the side forced a Spirit defensive turnover and Christine Sinclair fired off a shot just over the reach of Aubrey Kingsbury and directly off the crossbar. The Thorns’ Sophia Smith found herself on a breakaway four minutes later but slipped in the box before she could get a shot off. Washington made a push late in the first half with two offensive chances from Bayley Feist. Feist had a crossing ball tipped wide in the 42nd minute and was able to put the ball at the goal-line in the 43rd before Portland cleared and sent us into the break shortly after.
Aubrey Kingsbury started the second half playing spoiler to a Thorns breakaway chance, intercepting a crossing ball to the center of the box and regaining possession for Washington. Portland continued an offensive clinic through the first 15 minutes of the second 45. Sophia Smith sent a crossing shot just wide right in the 52nd minute and broke through in the 57th with a right-footed shot from a tough angle into the bottom left corner of the net for the 1-0 lead. Just three minutes later,…