HERRIMAN, UT—The Chicago Red Stars no longer have Sam Kerr, but the Washington Spirit still have Rose Lavelle and a group of promising youngsters. It was Lavelle and Ashley Hatch who scored for the Spirit to give them a 2-1 win over the Red Stars.
Prior to the match, all but four players would take a knee during the national anthem—three on Washington and one on the Red Stars—and was made more poignant by Red Stars Julie Ertz and Casey Short sharing an emotion moment during the anthem. This was followed by all players and coaches taking a knee for 46 seconds prior to the start of the match.
Red Stars Julie Ertz and Casey Short (right) share an emotional moment during the national anthem. (Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP)
Once the match got started, it was the Spirit with the early initiative. Lavelle fed Hatch an early thru-ball in the 8th minute to send her in on goal. Alyssa Naeher made the initial save on Hatch, but Lavelle followed up to put the Spirit ahead.
Just 25 seconds into the second half, Naeher was too nonchalant after collecting a back pass and Hatch took the ball from her and made it 2-0 to the Spirit. Morgan Gautrat (nee Brian) pulled one back for the Red Stars after Vanessa DiBernardo’s pass deflected off a defender and straight to her for a one-on-one with Audrey Bledsoe and beat her far post on 51 minutes.
The closest the Red Stars got to equalizing was finding an unmarked Bianca St. Georges who was alone on goal, but was denied by Bledsoe.
Next up for the Spirit is two-time defending champion North Carolina on Wednesday night at 9pm CT. The Red Stars also play on Wednesday against Portland at 11:15am CT on Wednesday.
SCORING SUMMARY:
WAS-Rose Lavelle (unassisted) 8
WAS-Ashley Hatch (unassisted) 46
CHI-Morgan Gautrat (DiBernardo) 51
BOOKING SUMMARY:
None
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-3): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #29-Bianca St. Georges, #14-Zoe Morse, #11-Sarah Gorden, #6-Casey Short; #8-Julie Ertz, #13-Morgan Gautrat (#24-Danielle Colaprico 86), #10-Vanessa DiBernardo (#9-Savannah McCaskill 79); #2-Kealia Watt (#33-Katie Johnson 79), #5-Rachel Hill (#7-Michele Vasconcelos 72), #12-Yuki Nagasato (#15-Makenzy Doniak 72)
Subs not used: #21-Emily Boyd, #38-Cassie Miller, #28-Kayla Sharples, #30-Hannah Davison, #19-Sarah Luebbert, #18-Ella Stevens, #32-Zoey Goralski, #16-Camryn Biegalski, #23-Julia Bingham, #22-Zoe Redei, #25-Cassie Rohan
WASHINGTON SPIRIT (4-3-3): #1-Aubrey Bledsoe; #23-Toni Huster (#22-Jenna Hellstrom 66), #3-Samantha Staab, #14-Paige Nielsen, #9-Tegan McGrady (#13-Bayley Feist 65); #11-Jordan DiBiasi, #12-Andi Sullivan, #10-Rose Lavelle (#8-Meggie Dougherty Howard 66); #17-Kumi Yokoyama (#19-Dorian Bailey 65), #33-Ashley Hatch (#16-Averia Collins 86), #2-Ashley Sanchez
Subs not used: #25-Devon Kerr, #4-Natalie Jacobson, #6-Katie McClure, #26-Meghan McCool
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 11-10 WAS
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 2-6 WAS
FOULS: CHI 7-5 WAS
OFFSIDES: CHI 1-1 WAS
CORNER KICKS: CHI 7-2 WAS
SAVES: CHI 4-1 WAS
Referee: Katja Koroleva
Assistant Referees: Jennifer Garner, Deleana Quan
4th Official: Karen Abt
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 89º
Woman of the Match: Rose Lavelle (WAS)
Chicago Red Stars
Washington Spirit
