May 17, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Washington Spirit News Release
Washington, D.C. – The Washington Spirit will face Angel City FC on Matchday 10 of the 2024 NWSL regular season. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EDT at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. and will be broadcast nationally on ION. Fans can listen to the team’s first-ever local radio broadcast on WashingtonSpirit.com or the ESPN 630 AM website or app.
The Spirit
The Spirit returns home to Audi Field after a strenuous 12-day road trip that included matches in three cities and as many time zones. Picking up six out of nine available points on the trip, the Spirit enters Saturday’s match after defeating Racing Louisville FC last Friday. The highly physical match saw 27 total fouls issued through 90 minutes.
In the match, the Spirit surged to a hot start off the foot of Croix Bethune who netted the Spirit’s fastest goal of the season (4:09) – only the 15th goal in the fifth minute or less in Spirit history. Bethune is one of two players, along with reigning NWSL MVP Sophia Smith, to record at least four goals and four assists this season. She has played in only nine matches and is just the fifth player in league history to record at least four goals and four assists within her first 10 regular season matches, joining Abby Wambach (2013), Lauren Holiday (2013), Nadia Nadim (2015) and Kerolin (2022). Andi Sullivan assisted Bethune’s goal, moving her to sixth all-time in team history for assists.
Aubrey Kingsbury saved the day – literally – when stopping a Louisville penalty kick, marking her sixth career PK save – third-most in NWSL history. Finally, Ouleye Sarr continued her streak of impactful minutes when creating the opportunity that led to the Spirit’s second goal (an own goal by Louisville).
The all-time series history between Angel City FC and Washington Spirit is at a stalemate: 2-2-0. The LA-based side swept the regular season series in 2022 before the Spirit did the same last season. The all-time series goal differential is locked at four goals apiece with every single match between the two being decided by only one goal.
Ashley Hatch has been electric in the all-time series history between the two squads, accounting for three of the Spirit’s four goals. No other player from either team has more than one. Look for her to play a key role in establishing a Spirit lead.
Leads are crucial for the Spirit. When scoring first, the Spirit are 4-0-0 this season and has an…
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