The Washington Spirit and Racing Louisville FC played to a 2-2 draw at Lynn Family Stadium on Saturday, marking the third consecutive tie between the two teams.
The Spirit got off to a strong start in the first half, with Ashley Hatch scoring the opening goal in the 16th minute after receiving an entry pass from midfielder Paige Metayer. Hatch doubled the lead in the 32nd minute, scoring her first brace since August 2022 on an assist from Trinity Rodman.
However, Racing Louisville FC came out strong in the second half and cut the Spirit’s lead in half when new captain Abby Erceg headed home a corner kick from Wang Shuang in the 46th minute. The momentum continued for Louisville, and they drew even in the 65th minute with a goal from Ary Borges, who connected on a shot from just inside the left side of the box.
Both teams pushed for a game-winner in the closing minutes of the match, but neither side was able to find the back of the net. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, leaving both teams with a single point in the table.
Washington’s Paige Metayer collected her first two career yellow cards in the final ten minutes of the match, which means she will have to sit out the Spirit’s next match. The Spirit will have next weekend off during the upcoming international window and will take the field against the Courage in North Carolina on Saturday, April 15.
The match saw a strong debut from Racing Louisville FC midfielder Nicole Douglas, who subbed in for Ashley Sanchez to start the second half and quickly tallied her first shot on goal. Despite her efforts, Louisville was unable to secure a win, settling for a draw instead.
Overall, the match was evenly matched, with both teams recording 11 shots and nine tackles won each. However, the Spirit had one more shot on goal than Louisville, with five compared to Louisville’s four.
The match was held in cloudy conditions with temperatures in the low-50s. Both teams gave it their all, but ultimately had to settle for a draw.
The lineups for the match were as follows:
Racing Louisville FC: Katie Lund; Carson Pickett; Abby Erceg; Rebecca Holloway (Jaelin Howell 76′); Lauren Milliet; Ary Borges; Elli Pikkujämsä; Savannah DeMelo; Jess McDonald (Paige Monaghan 62′); Uchenna Kanu (Kirsten Davis 42′); Wang Shuang
Washington Spirit: Aubrey Kingsbury; Dorian Bailey; Tara McKeown; Sam Staab; Gabrielle Carle; Andi Sullivan; Bayley Feist (Marissa Sheva 66′); Paige Metayer; Ashley Sanchez (Nicole Douglas 46′); Ashley Hatch; Trinity Rodman
The match was a testament to the talent and dedication of both teams, and fans can look forward to seeing them face off again in the future.