Washington on the hunt for another NWSL title

The Washington Spirit hope to bring the women’s soccer title back to the District on Saturday as they take on the Orlando Pride in the NWSL final in Kansas City, Missouri.

Despite earning the No. 2 seed after a strong regular season, Washington is considered the underdog. Orlando is a juggernaut, tying the league record for wins in a season after a 23-game unbeaten streak.

Orlando also handily defeated Washington in two regular-season matchups, including a 2-0 victory at D.C.’s Audi Field last month.

The Spirit are embracing their underdog status, though, and go into the championship match with a chip on their shoulders.

“No one really expected us to do this well; of course, we did,” goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury said at practice on Tuesday. “We’ve always believed in ourselves this whole time. We’ll show that on the field — that we can be champions.”

Trinity Rodman, the Spirit’s star forward, doesn’t understand the skepticism directed toward her team. After helping the U.S. women’s national team earn a gold medal in last summer’s Paris Olympics, she and the Spirit tied the Pride with 18 wins. Orlando earned the top seed by recording more ties and fewer losses.

“It’s genuinely confusing to me,” Rodman said of the underdog role assigned to Washington. “I don’t think we should be. I don’t think we are, but we’re just going to use that as motivation.”

Saturday’s game is the culmination of stellar seasons for both squads, but their paths here have been wildly different.

The Pride handled business against the Chicago Red Stars with a dominant 4-1 victory in the quarterfinals. Orlando’s 3-2 victory against the Kansas City Current in the semifinals wasn’t as close as the score indicates — the Pride conceded an ultimately meaningless goal 13 minutes into stoppage time.

The Spirit’s path has been tougher on fans’ blood pressure.

Washington required last-minute heroics to secure postseason wins against Bay FC and Gotham FC, the defending champions. In the playoff opener, a 96th-minute own goal by Bay FC’s Caprice Dydasco gave the Spirit a 2-1 win after trailing 1-0 through 85 minutes.

Saturday’s match against Gotham FC only upped the intensity. Trailing 1-0 in stoppage time, Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt notched a timely equalizer to send the game to extra time. A scoreless overtime period paved the way for penalty kicks.

Goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury played the hero this time, saving all three penalty kicks to send the Spirit to the NWSL championship.

The exhilarating playoff run is the latest chapter in the Spirit’s unpredictable season, which began with a lame-duck coach. Washington hired former Barcelona FC women’s coach Jonatan Giraldez Costas in January, but he wouldn’t join the league until the end of the La Liga season. Assistant coach Adrian Gonzalez kept the Spirit afloat until mid-July.

Behind the duo of Gonzalez and Costas, Spirit stars Casey Krueger, Croix Bethune and Rodman had career years. They were each named to the NWSL’s Best XI.

“You can see [the coaching staff’s impact] in how we play. We’re calculated in what we do, like our game plan and possession and everything,” Hershfelt said. “They’ve also brought a fight out of us. Yes, we’ve always had it, but you can see it.”

Even a freak injury to Bethune, who tore her meniscus while throwing out a first pitch for the Washington Nationals in August, couldn’t dampen the season. The Spirit won eight of their 11 games after losing this season’s Rookie of the Year.

Each trial, the players said, has brought them closer together. That’s been vital as they prepare for the biggest game of the year.

“It’s a final; it’s hard not to make it a big deal,” Hershfelt said. “We talked about not playing the game 10 times before you play the actual game. Disconnecting this week is really important, but, of course, we’re all going to be together on the trip, and that’s always fun.”

Rodman, the Spirit’s 22-year-old superstar, has led the charge. Now in her fourth professional season, the daughter of Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman has embraced a leadership role on and off the field. When her teammates get caught up with a social media video before practice, she gets them refocused quickly.

Rodman says she isn’t worried about Saturday’s match, nor are the handful of veterans who were on the 2021 title team. They’re using their experience to keep the younger players at ease.

“The vibe of the team isn’t even really nervous,” Rodman said. “We’re just ready to win another game because everyone’s looking at Orlando anyway.”

The NWSL title match kicks off at 8 p.m. Saturday.