The 2018 season is Washington Spirit sixth season, competing in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States. On August 21, the Spirit parted ways with Head Coach and General Manager Jim Gabarra, assistant coach Tom Torres took over as interim Head Coach for the remaining 3 games of the season.
Review After a difficult 2017 season, the Spirit began rebuilding their team, continuing with a youth centered approach. Considered a successful 2018 draft, Washington recruited U.S. international Andi Sullivan (no. 1 overall pick) and Canadian international Quinn (no. 3 overall pick). In addition to the draft, the Spirit traded Crystal Dunn's player rights for 2017 Rookie of the Year Ashley Hatch and rookie outside back Taylor Smith. The unfortunate folding of Boston Breakers allowed the Spirit to bring in U.S. international playmaker, Rose Lavelle via the subsequent dispersal draft. What seemed to be only key loss for the Spirit was captain and anchor centerback, Shelina Zadorsky, traded to Orlando Pride for promising goalkeeper, Aubrey Bledsoe.
The season opened with a loss to Seattle, but saw the return of Joanna Lohman, held back in 2017 through injury, and scored in her substitute appearance. After several mediocre performances in March and April, the Spirit would struggle for the remainder of the season, winning only one more match (of two all season) against struggling Sky Blue FC. A combination of injuries to forwards Mallory Pugh, Havana Solaun, and Arielle Ship hamstrung the Spirit attack who were shutout 15 matches (including a 7-match streak).
On August 21, after eight straight losses and being eliminated from playoff contention, the Spirit fired head coach, Jim Gabarra, and appointed assistant coach, Tom Torres as interim head coach. Torres lead the Spirit through the final three matches of the season at home, including the Spirit's debut at newly opened Audi Field against Portland Thorns on August 25. The match set a new club record for home attendance with 7,976 fans.
The last match of the season against Sky Blue FC, the Spirit ended a league-record setting goal drought at 765-minutes after Arielle Ship scored the opener of a 1–1 draw in the 71st minute. The match also earned Aubrey Bledsoe the league-wide record for saves in a single season at 108.
Club
Roster The first-team roster of Washington Spirit.
(FP)
(FP)
(INT) (FP)
(INT)
(FP) (DD)
(DD)
(FP) = Federation player (DD) = Dispersal draft player (INT) = International roster player
Team management
Source:
Competitions
Preseason
Regular season
Regular-season standings
Results summary
Results by round
NWSL Playoffs The Spirit were eliminated from playoff contention on July 22 after a 1–0 home loss to Houston Dash.
Statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan="8"|Defenders:
|colspan="8"|Midfielders:
|colspan="8"|Forwards:
Italics indicates player left team midway through season.
Goalkeepers
PlayerNational Women's Soccer League1 Aubrey Bledsoe 21 21 1890 2 12 5 30 1.43 4 19 Kelsey Wys 1 1 90 0 1 0 2 2.00 0 21 DiDi Haracic 2 2 180 0 2 0 3 1.50 0
Honors and awards
NWSL Yearly Awards
AwardResultPlayerRefRookie of the Year Andi SullivanGoalkeeper of the Year Aubrey Bledsoe
NWSL Team of the Month
Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards Ref.March Mallory PughApril Aubrey Bledsoe Estelle Johnson Francisca Ordega Mallory Pugh
NWSL Weekly Awards
NWSL Player of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef2 Mallory Pugh11/12 Aubrey Bledsoe
NWSL Goal of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.1 Joanna Lohman2 Mallory Pugh3 Mallory Pugh
NWSL Save of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.1 Aubrey Bledsoe2 Aubrey Bledsoe3 Aubrey Bledsoe4 Aubrey Bledsoe5 Aubrey Bledsoe11/12 Aubrey Bledsoe15 Aubrey Bledsoe16 Aubrey Bledsoe22 DiDi Haracic24 Aubrey Bledsoe
Transfers
In DatePlayerNumberPositionPrevious clubFee/notesJanuary 16, 2018 Ashley Hatch 33 FW North Carolina Courage Trade with Smith for Dunn's rights Taylor Smith 7 DF North Carolina Courage Trade with Hatch for Dunn's rightsJanuary 23, 2018 Aubrey Bledsoe 1 GK Orlando Pride Trade for Zadorsky and 2019 1st round draft pickJanuary 30, 2018 Rose Lavelle 16 MF Boston Breakers 2018 Dispersal Draft, 1st overall Tiffany Weimer – FW Boston Breakers 2018 Dispersal Draft, 20th overallMarch 21, 2018 Tiffany Weimer 88 FW Houston Dash Signed off waiversMarch 29, 2018 Mallory Eubanks 22 FW Mississippi State University Signed via National Team Player Replacement for Banini, signed to full contract on May 17June 29, 2018 Maddie Huster 25 MF Wake Forest University Signed, was a 2018 College Draft PickAugust 30, 2018 Megan Crosson 13 DF UD Granadilla Tenerife Signed, National Team replacement Brenna Connell 34 MF Washington Spirit Reserves Signed, National Team replacement Zoe Clark 31 DF Maryland Terrapins Signed, National Team replacement Tiffay McCarty 36 FW Florida State Seminoles Signed, National Team replacement Alexa Newfield 18 FW Utah Royals FC Signed, National Team replacement Morgan Ruhl 38 GK LSU Tigers Signed, National Team replacement
Out DatePlayerNumberPositionNew clubFee/notesOctober 23, 2017 Line Jensen 7 FW WaivedJanuary 16, 2018 Lindsay Agnew 8 FW Houston Dash Traded for 2018 3rd overall draft pickJanuary 23, 2018 Shelina Zadorsky 4 DF Orlando Pride Trade for Zadorsky and 2019 1st round draft pickFebruary 2, 2018 Alyssa Kleiner 22 DF WaivedFebruary 12, 2018 Kassey Kallman 6 DF RetiredFebruary 13, 2018 Tiffany Weimer – FW Houston Dash Trade for 2019 4th round draft pickFebruary 14, 2018 Stephanie Labbé 1 GK Released rightsFebruary 24, 2018 Cheyna Matthews 20 FW Out for 2018 season; pregnancyMarch 19, 2018 Schuyler DeBree 13 FW Waived, rights retained Elizabeth Wenger 18 DF Waived, rights retained Mallory Eubanks 22 FW Waived, rights retained Maddie Huster 25 MF Waived, rights retained Brittany Basinger 28 DF Waived, rights retained Rachel Moore 32 FW Waived, rights retainedJune 19, 2018 Morgan Proffitt 12 MF SK Slavia Praha Waived. Signed with SK Slavia PrahaJune 21, 2018 Yanara Aedo 27 FW Valencia CF Femenino Waived. Signed with Valencia CF FemeninoJuly 25, 2018 Maddie Huster 25 MF Waived.
Draft picks Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. Only trades involving draft picks and executed during the 2018 NWSL College Draft will be listed in the notes. PlayerPosPrevious clubNotesRef Andi Sullivan MF Stanford University Round 1, Pick 1 (1st overall) Quinn MF Duke University Round 1, Pick 3 (3rd overall) Schuyler DeBree DF Duke University Round 2, Pick 1 (11th overall) Mallory Eubanks FW Mississippi State University Round 2, Pick 6 (16th overall) Elizabeth Wenger DF Georgetown University Round 2, Pick 7 (17th overall)(via 2018 Dispersal Draft, 17th overall) Brittany Basinger DF Penn State University Round 3, Pick 1 (21st overall) Maddie Huster MF Wake Forest University Round 3, Pick 6 (26th overall) Rachel Moore MF College of William & Mary Round 4, Pick 1 (31st overall)
Notes
References
External links