2016 season | |||
---|---|---|---|
General manager | Chris Hummer | ||
Head coach | Jim Gabarra | ||
Stadium | Maryland SoccerPlex | ||
NWSL | 2nd (finals loss) | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Estefania Banini (5) All: Estefania Banini (5) | ||
Highest home attendance | 5,750 (June 18 vs. Orlando Pride) [1] | ||
Lowest home attendance | 2,930 (July 31 vs. Sky Blue FC) [m 1] | ||
Average home league attendance | 3,782 [2] | ||
The 2016 season was Washington Spirit's fourth season, competing in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States.
Building off the successes of the previous two playoff appearances the Spirit hired former Sky Blue FC manager, Jim Gabarra to replace Mark Parsons. [3]
The Spirit would see their most successful season to date in 2016, being league leaders in the standings throughout most of the season. Only in the final week would the Spirit's loss at Chicago Red Stars finalize them as league runners-up.
Returning to the playoffs, the Spirit earned their first post-season victory in a revenge effort against Chicago Red Stars, who just a week earlier denied them the league title. The match was sent into extra time where Francisca Ordega scored the game-winner in the 111th minute. Advancing to the final for the first time in club history, the Spirit faced Western New York Flash in Houston, Texas.
The 2016 NWSL Final played to a 1–1 draw in regulation, and finished 2–2 at the end of extra time; both Spirit goals scored by Crystal Dunn. Going into penalties, Western New won 3–2 with only Christine Nairn and Katie Stengel slotting their penalties. [4]
The week prior to a match with the Spirit, Seattle Reign FC and U.S. women's national soccer team player Megan Rapinoe knelt during the national anthem in a game on September 5, 2016, explaining that her decision was a "nod to Kaepernick and everything that he's standing for right now". [5] Anticipating Rapinoe's protest, Spirit owner Bill Lynch, moved the national anthem's performance ahead of the Spirit-Reign match without warning or notice to occur before the players' appearances on the pitch. Jeff Plush, the league's commissioner, was present at the game and told reporters that he was unaware of Lynch's plans and disagreed with the act of moving the anthem's performance. [6] The Spirit's players issued a joint statement also disagreeing with Lynch's decision to move the anthem without first consulting the team's players or coaches. [7]
The first-team roster of Washington Spirit. [8]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Owner | Bill Lynch |
General Manager | Jim Gabarra |
Head Coach | Jim Gabarra |
Source: [8]
On January 26, the Washington Spirit announced its preseason schedule. [9]
March 19, Sat | Washington Spirit | 3–0 | University of Virginia | Boyds, Maryland |
19:00 EDT (UTC-04) | Banini ![]() Stengel ![]() | [p 1] | Stadium: Maryland Soccerplex | |
Note: Played in three 30-minute periods. |
March 26, Sat | Washington Spirit | 2–0 | Pennsylvania State University | Boyds, Maryland |
16:00 EDT (UTC-04) | Dunn ![]() Nairn ![]() | [p 2] | Stadium: Maryland Soccerplex Attendance: 3,000 |
Sat Apr 161 | Washington Spirit | 1–0 | Boston Breakers | Boyds, Maryland |
7:00 p.m. | Lohman ![]() Oyster ![]() | [m 2] | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,578 Referee: Margaret Domka |
Sun Apr 242 | Sky Blue FC | 1–2 | Washington Spirit | Piscataway, New Jersey |
Hayes ![]() O'Hara ![]() | [m 3] | Krieger ![]() Zadorsky ![]() Matheson ![]() | Stadium: Yurcak Field Attendance: 2,571 Referee: Matthew Kreitzer |
Fri Apr 293 | Western New York Flash | 0–3 | Washington Spirit | Rochester, New York |
Eddy ![]() | [m 4] [m 5] | Matheson ![]() Eddy ![]() | Stadium: Sahlen's Stadium Attendance: 3,615 Referee: Matthew Franz |
Sat May 74 | Washington Spirit | 0–0 | Portland Thorns FC | Boyds, Maryland |
Oyster ![]() | [m 6] | Sonnett ![]() Heath ![]() ![]() Horan ![]() | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,615 Referee: Matthew Franz |
Sat May 145 | Washington Spirit | 1–0 | Houston Dash | Boyds, Maryland |
Lohman ![]() Kleiner ![]() Krieger ![]() | Report | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,545 Referee: Elvis Mahmutovic |
Sat May 216 | Portland Thorns FC | 4–1 | Washington Spirit | Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
Horan ![]() ![]() Own Goal ![]() Heath ![]() Morris ![]() ![]() Sonnett ![]() ![]() | [m 7] [m 8] | Lohman ![]() Nairn ![]() | Stadium: Providence Park Attendance: 15,823 Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva |
Fri May 27 | Houston Dash | PPD | Washington Spirit | Houston, Texas |
Stadium: BBVA Compass Stadium |
Fri Jun 107 | Boston Breakers | 1–1 | Washington Spirit | Boston, Massachusetts |
Louise Schillgard ![]() | [m 9] [m 10] | Katie Stengel ![]() | Stadium: Jordan Field Attendance: 4,007 Referee: Margaret Domka |
Sat Jun 188 | Washington Spirit | 2–0 | Orlando Pride | Germantown, Maryland |
Estefania Banini ![]() Francisca Ordega ![]() | [m 11] | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 5,750 Referee: Christopher Spivey |
Sat Jun 259 | Washington Spirit | 1–2 | Sky Blue FC | Boyds, Maryland |
Diana Matheson ![]() | [m 12] | Raquel Rodriguez ![]() Samantha Kerr ![]() | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,448 Referee: Leszek Stalmach |
Sat Jul 210 | Washington Spirit | 2–0 | FC Kansas City | Boyds, Maryland |
Francisca Ordega ![]() Tori Huster ![]() | [m 13] | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,036 Referee: Karen Abt |
Sat Jul 911 | Washington Spirit | 2–0 | Chicago Red Stars | Boyds, Maryland |
Estefania Banini ![]() Francisca Ordega ![]() Katie Stengel ![]() | [m 14] [m 15] | Alyssa Mautz ![]() | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,631 Referee: Brandon Artis |
Sat Jul 1612 | FC Kansas City | 2–3 | Washington Spirit | Boyds, Maryland |
Frances Silva ![]() Shea Groom ![]() | [m 16] [m 17] | Estefania Banini ![]() Joanna Lohman ![]() | Stadium: Swope Soccer Village Attendance: 2,013 Referee: Elvis Mahmutovic |
Sat Jul 2313 | Sky Blue FC | 1–0 | Washington Spirit | Piscataway, New Jersey |
Leah Galton ![]() | [m 18] [m 19] | Stadium: Yurcak Field Attendance: 1,552 Referee: Matthew Kreitzer |
Sat Jul 3014 | Washington Spirit | 3–1 | Sky Blue FC | Boyds, Maryland |
Estefania Banini ![]() Cheyna Williams ![]() Alyssa Kleiner ![]() | [m 1] [m 20] | Tasha Kai ![]() | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 2,930 Referee: Victor Rivas |
Thu Aug 1815 | Houston Dash | 1–2 | Washington Spirit | Houston |
Christine Nairn ![]() | [m 21] | Kealia Ohai ![]() | Stadium: BBVA Compass Stadium Attendance: 5,012 Referee: Christina Unkel | |
Note: rescheduled from May 27 |
Fri Aug 2616 | Orlando Pride | 1–2 | Washington Spirit | Orlando, Florida |
Toni Pressley ![]() Sarah Hagen ![]() | [m 22] | Ali Krieger ![]() Cheyna Williams ![]() Christine Nairn ![]() | Stadium: Camping World Stadium Attendance: 7,052 Referee: Marco Vega |
Sat Sep 317 | Washington Spirit | 1–1 | Western New York Flash | Boyds, Maryland |
Katie Stengel ![]() Diana Matheson ![]() | [m 23] | Elizabeth Eddy ![]() Samantha Mewis ![]() | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 4,527 Referee: Chris Spivey |
Wed Sep 718 | Washington Spirit | 2–1 | Seattle Reign FC | Boyds, Maryland |
Crystal Dunn ![]() Cheyna Williams ![]() | [m 24] | Kim Little ![]() Kendall Fletcher ![]() | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 3,039 Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr. |
Sun Sep 1119 | Seattle Reign FC | 2–0 | Washington Spirit | Seattle, Washington |
Yanez ![]() Winters ![]() | [m 25] | Stadium: Memorial Stadium Attendance: 4,711 Referee: Greg Dopka |
Sat Sep 2420 | Chicago Red Stars | 3–1 | Washington Spirit | Bridgeview, Illinois |
Christen Press ![]() Cara Walls ![]() Sofia Huerta ![]() | [m 26] | Crystal Dunn ![]() | Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 3,712 Referee: Matthew Franz |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Portland Thorns FC | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 35 | 19 | +16 | 41 | NWSL Shield |
2 | Washington Spirit | 20 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 39 | NWSL Playoffs |
3 | Chicago Red Stars | 20 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 33 | |
4 | Western New York Flash (C) | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 40 | 26 | +14 | 32 | |
5 | Seattle Reign FC | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 21 | +8 | 30 | |
6 | FC Kansas City | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 20 | −2 | 26 | |
7 | Sky Blue FC | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 30 | −6 | 26 | |
8 | Houston Dash | 20 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 22 | |
9 | Orlando Pride | 20 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 20 | 30 | −10 | 19 | |
10 | Boston Breakers | 20 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 14 | 47 | −33 | 11 |
Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
20 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 39 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 16 | −1 |
Last updated: September 11, 2016.
Source: Match reports
Fri Sept 30 7:00 pm CDTNWSL Playoffs Semifinal | Washington Spirit | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Chicago Red Stars | Boyds, Maryland |
19:00 UTC-05 | Krieger ![]() Nairn ![]() Ordega ![]() | [m 27] | Press ![]() Johnson ![]() | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 4,249 Referee: Danielle Chesky |
Sun Oct 9 4:00 pm CDT2016 NWSL Championship | Western New York Flash | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p) | Washington Spirit | Houston, Texas |
16:00 UTC-05 | Mewis ![]() Zerboni ![]() Williams ![]() | Report | Dunn ![]() ![]() Wys ![]() | Stadium: BBVA Compass Stadium Attendance: 8,255 Referee: Christina Unkel |
Penalties | ||||
Dahlkemper ![]() Hinkle ![]() McDonald ![]() Williams ![]() Mewis ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Source: NWSL
Squad statistics are of regular season only
N | Pos | Player | GP | GS | Min | G | A | PK | Shot | SOG | SOG% | Cro | CK | Off | Foul | FS | YC | RC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | F | Estefania Banini | 13 | 9 | 888 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 52% | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
5 | DF | Whitney Church | 11 | 7 | 610 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
19 | DF | Crystal Dunn | 13 | 12 | 1142 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 14 | 38% | 2 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
3 | DF | Caprice Dydasco | 12 | 12 | 1080 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 43% | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
17 | DF | Cali Farquharson | 16 | 8 | 561 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
23 | DF | Tori Huster | 19 | 19 | 1665 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 31% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
27 | DF | Line Jensen | 3 | 2 | 141 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
24 | DF | Estelle Johnson | 11 | 11 | 990 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 57% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
22 | DF | Alyssa Kleiner | 17 | 12 | 1115 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 40% | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
11 | DF | Ali Krieger | 15 | 14 | 1267 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 33% | 3 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
1 | GK | Stephanie Labbe | 8 | 8 | 720 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
15 | MF | Joanna Lohman | 20 | 17 | 1535 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 14 | 47% | 1 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
8 | MF | Diana Matheson | 12 | 9 | 800 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 67% | 0 | 25 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
7 | MF | Christine Nairn | 20 | 18 | 1619 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 37 | 13 | 35% | 9 | 85 | 2 | 7 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
14 | FW | Francisca Ordega | 13 | 7 | 629 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 12 | 67% | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
4 | DF | Megan Oyster | 15 | 15 | 1340 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
2 | FW | Katie Stengel | 19 | 10 | 928 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 10 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
20 | FW | Cheyna Williams | 17 | 8 | 779 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 9 | 45% | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
18 | GK | Kelsey Wys | 12 | 12 | 1080 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
6 | DF | Shelina Zadorsky | 11 | 10 | 911 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
Team total | 20 | — | 19800 | 30 | 16 | 2 | 249 | 109 | 44% | 27 | 116 | 48 | 139 | 165 | 13 | 0 |
N | Pos | Goal keeper | GP | GS | Min | GA | GA/G | PKA | PKF | Shot | SOG | Sav | Sav% | YC | RC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | Stephanie Labbe | 8 | 8 | 720 | 7 | 0.88 | 0 | 1 | 71 | 30 | 24 | 80% | 0 | 0 |
18 | GK | Kelsey Wys | 12 | 12 | 1080 | 14 | 1.17 | 2 | 2 | 163 | 75 | 61 | 81% | 0 | 0 |
Team total | 20 | — | 1800 | 21 | 1.05 | 2 | 3 | 234 | 105 | 85 | 81% | 0 | 0 |
No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 | FW | ![]() | ![]() | Signed | December 30, 2015 | [10] |
20 | FW | ![]() | ![]() | 2016 NWSL College Draft - 1st Round | January 19, 2016 | [11] |
17 | FW | ![]() | ![]() | 2016 NWSL College Draft - 2nd Round | January 19, 2016 | [11] |
1 | GK | ![]() | ![]() | NWSL Player Allocation and trade for DaCosta | February 2, 2016 | [12] |
6 | DF | ![]() | ![]() | NWSL Player Allocation | February 2, 2016 | [12] |
22 | DF | ![]() | ![]() | Trade for Reynolds | February 2, 2016 | [13] |
14 | DF | ![]() | ![]() | Signed | July 13, 2016 | [14] |
No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 | MF | ![]() | ![]() | September 17, 2016 | [15] | |
12 | DF | ![]() | ![]() | Waived | December 22, 2015 | [16] |
25 | FW | ![]() | ![]() | Waived | January 6, 2016 | [17] |
2 | DF | ![]() | ![]() | Trade for Kleiner | February 2, 2016 | [13] |
16 | FW | ![]() | ![]() | Waived | March 31, 2016 | [18] |
22 | DF | ![]() | ![]() | NWSL Distribution Draft | March 31, 2016 | [19] |
20 | FW | ![]() | ![]() | Waived | April 11, 2016 | [20] |
22 | MF | ![]() | ![]() | Trade for draft pick and Labbé | April 16, 2016 | [21] |
28 | DF | ![]() | ![]() | [22] |
Team | Position | Player | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Second XI | Defender | ![]() | [23] |
Second X1 | Forward | ![]() | [24] |
Month | Player | Month's Statline | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
July | ![]() | 4 goals; Spirit 4-1-0 in July | [25] |
Week | Result | Player | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
13 | Won | ![]() | [26] |
Week | Result | Player | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2 | Won | ![]() | [27] |
13 | Won | ![]() | [28] |
16 | Won | ![]() | [29] |