June 18, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Washington Spirit News Release
Leesburg, VA – The Washington Spirit tied Racing Louisville FC tonight 2-2, extending the side’s winless streak to 11 matches. After taking a 2-0 lead into halftime, the Spirit conceded two goals in the final 25 minutes to settle for a draw.
In the third minute of action, captain Andi Sullivan was able to put a stop to a Louisville threat when she cleared a close-range free kick with a header. After 18 minutes of play that didn’t see many scoring opportunities, Julia Roddar looked to have a good shot at the net when she fired a 21st-minute shot from out front in the box that was blocked out for a corner. On the ensuing corner kick, Emily Sonnett appeared to have netted her first goal of the season but was ruled offside in a similar fashion to her disallowed goal in Portland last month. The sudden burst from the Spirit attacking third concluded after Maddie Elwell sent a shot over the crossbar in the 22nd minute.
The Spirit connected with the back of the net in the 34th minute when Trinity Rodman received a through ball from Ashley Sanchez on a fast break and crossed a shot from the right side of the box past Louisville keeper Katie Lund. Just four minutes later, Sanchez nearly doubled the Spirit lead when her shot from the right side of the box was saved. In the 43rd minute, rookie Maddie Elwell tallied her first professional goal to put the Spirit up 2-0. After Ashley Hatch had her header attempt saved, Elwell corralled the rebound and buried the ball into the top of the inside of the net. In first half stoppage time, Andi Sullivan nearly netted a highlight goal when she ripped a shot from deep outside the box that went just out of reach of Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund and off the top of the right goalpost.
In the 60th minute, Rodman beat her defender to the end line and sent a cross in front of the net to Elwell, whose shot went just high over the crossbar. Five minutes later, with Racing Louisville FC attacking, Aubrey Kingsbury jumped up to intercept a free kick cross. In the 66th minute, however, Louisville substitute Nadia Nadim fired a shot from the center of the box into the lower right corner of the goal to cut the Spirit lead in half.
Despite conceding the goal to Nadim, the Washington attack looked determined to re-capture its two-score lead over the course of the following 20 minutes. In the 70th minute, Hatch beat her defender with a turnaround shot…