Photo Credit: Robyn McNeil/ISI Photos
The calendar might have said said September 3rd on Saturday night at the Maryland SoccerPlex but the match itself felt like October. With temperatures dipping into the 60’s late at night the Plex played host to a playoff atmosphere with the Washington Spirit and Western New York Flash. The two sides traded goals late to give the Spirit a playoff berth and to inch the Flash closer to their own playoff opportunity.
While Spirit supporters will undoubtedly be happy about the end result it was a bit bittersweet. With minutes left to play Flash midfielder Samantha Mewis belted out the equalizer. While the playoff berth was nice, three points and the chance to secure a home playoff match were within their grasp.
Perhaps the best news for the Spirit (11-3-3, 36 points) is that the club will not have too much time to think about last weeks finish. Tonight the club will host Seattle Reign FC (6-5-6, 24 points) with the chance to not only secure a home playoff match but also something greater: their first-ever trophy. A victory against the Reign and a loss by the Portland Thorns FC (9-3-5, 32 points) later in the night would give the Spirit the NWSL Shield.
This will be no easy task for the Spirit. Despite losing starting goalkeeper Hope Solo the Reign have earned a result in eight of their last ten matches (4-2-4, 16 points). Coach Laura Harvey has instituted a very disciplined defense that takes very few chances and likes to operate out of the counter-attack. They are also very efficient on the road having notched four shutouts away from Memorial Stadium. Rachel Corsie, Eli Reed, Kendall Fletcher, and Carson Pickett have formed one of the most difficult defenses to break down during this 2016 campaign.
If the Spirit have any designs on three points it will need to come from Crystal Dunn. Although Dunn has yet to score this season she has shown her value in other ways, either by taking on a defenses lead marker or through her pinpoint passes into space. It was her run and diagonal pass into Katie Stengel that gave the Spirit the initial lead on Friday night.
What will be interesting to see is if Coach Jim Gabarra uses his three Canadian internationals (goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe, defender Shelina Zadorsky, and midfielder Diana Matheson) to spell other players tonight. Labbe did not play on Saturday night and Zadorsky and Matheson both came on as late substitutes. Their additions make the Spirit a very different side and should help a defense that made several miscues on Saturday.
Midweek games can often be difficult barometers to determine how teams are doing. Early in the season they can be used as fodder games nothing more than glorified exercises. But in the fall each match matters and points can often be hard to come by. With two difficult road matches against the Reign and the Chicago Red Stars ahead of them this might be the best and last opportunity for the Spirit to claim silverware and put their playoff destiny in their own hands.
Beer of the week: Jailbreak Brewing Company’s Feed the Monkey
Although Saturday’s match gave the indication that fall is coming it is still is not quite here yet. With another balmy week in the nation’s capital Spirit supporters will need a beer that is not too heavy but goes down smoothly on a warm bleacher or grassy. Enter: Jailbreak Brewing Company’s Feed the Monkey, an orange Hefeweizen that at 5.9% ABV is enough to make one sing a tune or two with the Spirit Squadron or enjoy a match at home with friends and family.
