Club: | Washington Spirit |
Season: | 2018 |
Chrtitle: | General manager |
Chairman: | Chris Hummer |
Ownertitle: | Owner |
Owner: | Bill Lynch |
Mgrtitle: | Head coach |
Manager: | Tom Torres (interim) |
Stadium: | Maryland SoccerPlex |
League: | NWSL |
League Result: | 8th |
Pattern B1: | _wspirit18h |
Leftarm1: | D60614 |
Body1: | D60614 |
Rightarm1: | D60614 |
Shorts1: | D60614 |
Socks1: | D60614 |
Pattern B2: | _thindkbluesides |
Body2: | ffffff |
Shorts2: | D60614 |
Highest Attendance: | 7,976 (Aug 25 vs. Portland at Audi Field) |
Lowest Attendance: | 2,433 (May 23 vs. North Carolina) |
League Topscorer: | Ashley Hatch (4) |
American: | true |
Prevseason: | 2017 |
Nextseason: | 2019 |
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.[1]
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).[2] [3] 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.[4] The unfortunate folding of Boston Breakers allowed the Spirit to bring in U.S. international playmaker, Rose Lavelle via the subsequent dispersal draft.[5] 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.[6]
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.[7] 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).[8]
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.[1] 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.[9]
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.[10] The match also earned Aubrey Bledsoe the league-wide record for saves in a single season at 108.[10]
The first-team roster of Washington Spirit.[11]
(FP) (FP) (INT) (FP) (INT) (FP) (DD) (DD)
The Spirit were eliminated from playoff contention on July 22 after a 1–0 home loss to Houston Dash.[14]
|-|colspan="8"|Defenders:|-|-|colspan="8"|Midfielders:|-|-|colspan="8"|Forwards:|-|}
Italics indicates player left team midway through season.
Player | National Women's Soccer League | ||||||||||
1 | 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 | |
Award | Result | Player | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rookie of the Year | Andi Sullivan | [15] | ||
Goalkeeper of the Year | Aubrey Bledsoe | [16] |
Month | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March | Mallory Pugh | [17] | ||||
April | Aubrey Bledsoe | Estelle Johnson | Francisca Ordega Mallory Pugh | [18] |
Week | Result | Player | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Mallory Pugh | [19] | ||
11/12 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [20] |
Week | Result | Player | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Joanna Lohman | [21] | ||
2 | Mallory Pugh | [22] | ||
3 | Mallory Pugh | [23] |
Week | Result | Player | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [24] | ||
2 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [25] | ||
3 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [26] | ||
4 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [27] | ||
5 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [28] | ||
11/12 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [29] | ||
15 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [30] | ||
16 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [31] | ||
22 | DiDi Haracic | [32] | ||
24 | Aubrey Bledsoe | [33] |
Date | Player | Number | Position | Previous club | Fee/notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 16, 2018 | 33 | FW | Trade with Smith for Dunn's rights | ||
7 | DF | Trade with Hatch for Dunn's rights | |||
January 23, 2018 | 1 | GK | Trade for Zadorsky and 2019 1st round draft pick | ||
January 30, 2018 | 16 | MF | 2018 Dispersal Draft, 1st overall | ||
– | FW | 2018 Dispersal Draft, 20th overall | |||
March 21, 2018 | 88 | FW | Signed off waivers[34] | ||
March 29, 2018 | 22 | FW | Signed via National Team Player Replacement for Banini, signed to full contract on May 17[35] | ||
June 29, 2018 | 25 | MF | Signed, was a 2018 College Draft Pick[36] | ||
August 30, 2018 | 13 | DF | Signed, National Team replacement[37] | ||
34 | MF | Signed, National Team replacement | |||
31 | DF | Signed, National Team replacement | |||
36 | FW | Signed, National Team replacement | |||
18 | FW | Signed, National Team replacement | |||
38 | GK | Signed, National Team replacement |
Date | Player | Number | Position | New club | Fee/notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
October 23, 2017 | 7 | FW | Waived[38] | |||
January 16, 2018 | 8 | FW | Traded for 2018 3rd overall draft pick[39] | |||
January 23, 2018 | 4 | DF | Trade for Zadorsky and 2019 1st round draft pick | |||
February 2, 2018 | 22 | DF | Waived[40] | |||
February 12, 2018 | 6 | DF | Retired[41] [42] | |||
February 13, 2018 | – | FW | Trade for 2019 4th round draft pick[43] | |||
February 14, 2018 | 1 | GK | Released rights[44] | |||
February 24, 2018 | 20 | FW | Out for 2018 season; pregnancy[45] | |||
March 19, 2018 | 13 | FW | Waived, rights retained[46] | |||
18 | DF | Waived, rights retained | ||||
22 | FW | Waived, rights retained | ||||
25 | MF | Waived, rights retained | ||||
28 | DF | Waived, rights retained | ||||
32 | FW | Waived, rights retained | ||||
June 19, 2018 | 12 | MF | Waived. Signed with SK Slavia Praha[47] | |||
June 21, 2018 | 27 | FW | Waived. Signed with Valencia CF Femenino[48] | |||
July 25, 2018 | 25 | MF | Waived. |
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.
Player | Pos | Previous club | Notes | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MF | Round 1, Pick 1 (1st overall) | [49] | |||
MF | Round 1, Pick 3 (3rd overall) | [50] | |||
DF | Round 2, Pick 1 (11th overall) | ||||
FW | Round 2, Pick 6 (16th overall) | ||||
DF | Round 2, Pick 7 (17th overall) (via 2018 Dispersal Draft, 17th overall) | ||||
DF | Round 3, Pick 1 (21st overall) | ||||
MF | Round 3, Pick 6 (26th overall) | ||||
MF | Round 4, Pick 1 (31st overall) |