Photo Credit: Robyn McNeil/ISI Photos
There was an odd feeling on Saturday night at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown. It was a feeling of hope and excitement that filled the night’s sky. After the Washington Spirit dispatched the Houston Dash 1-0 there was a feeling that is very foreign to sports fans from the area cynically called the DMV.
It was a feeling confidence.
Now for those who are reading this article from other places across the United States and the world that might sound strange. After all this is a team that represents Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia an area that encompasses the leader of the free world, the home of Francis Scott Key and his little anthem The Star Spangled Banner, and where chapstick was created. How could such smart, bright people be so down on their sports teams?
Their is a simple reason for this: their teams are terrible. If Cleveland is considered to be the most cursed sports city in the United States then Washington D.C. and the surrounding areas take a close second. The Wizards perennially under-perform in the NBA, the Capitals and the Nationals wilt in the postseason, and let’s not even get started on the American football team. Two Ravens Super Bowls are the two lone signs of progress in what has been thirty years of misfortune.
Even D.C. United, a four-time winner of the MLS Cup, have had a bit rough go at it in recent years. The battle to get a new soccer specific stadium and the wars with the front office to gain respect has sapped some of the energy of supporters. There is still plenty of hope and recent titles suggest all hope is not lost. But the growing economic inequality between United and other more wealthy clubs has allowed for the classic DMV sports cynicism to seep in.
Let’s look at this way: the region has self-imposed the label DMV. What other region would name itself after such a grim, sad place like the Department of Motor Vehicles?
It feels terrible to call the Spirit an anomaly because the term has such a negative connotation. But when compared against their contemporaries in the area it is true. Since coming to the league all the team has done is win. In three seasons the side has made the NWSL Semifinals twice and quietly gone from an expansion side to one of the more consistent teams in the league.
This year the club has taken the league by storm going 4-0-1 and leaping to the top of the NWSL standings.
So what is the reason for the slight uptick in performance? Although the Spirit are praised (and rightfully so) for their attacking prowess it is their improved defending that has led to this change in form. When looking at how the club performed through five games last season (2-2-1) one does not see much of a change in form.
However, looking deeper one sees that the cut back in goals conceded shows a much improved defensive side. Through five games last season the Spirit allowed nine goals. With the additions of Canadian international goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe and defender Shelina Zadorsky the Spirit have dropped that number to just one.
Even the goalposts seem to be in the Spirit’s favor with the club receiving the benefit of the doubt not once but twice against Sky Blue FC in their 2-1 win last month. When the soccer gods are with you what can go wrong?
Aside from the defending what seems to have captivated the Spirit’s supporters is the balance in their attack. Gabarra’s open style of attack has allowed for midfielder Christine Nairn and forwards Diana Matheson and Katie Stengel to get in on the attack and take the pressure off of NWSL MVP Crystal Dunn. It is an exciting style of play in the sense that it can lead to multiple goals in a match and it is an extraordinarily effective one. Through five matches opponents have struggled to key on a single player and contain the potent Spirit attack.
So the question is at this point: can they keep it up? Can they deliver DMV a sorely needed title?
As with any team it really depends upon having the ability to close out matches late. The club has shown the ability early on in this 2016 campaign to lock down leads late and pull out results. The road gets tougher in the coming weeks with road tests against Portland, Houston, and Boston. Closing out against Seattle and Chicago will also go a long way to see how much of a say the Spirit will have in their own playoff future.
The Spirit may not have a title yet but they have cleared away some of the sports cynicism.
Washington Spirit
