Coach’s Corner: Jim Gabarra eager to be back in front of Spirit Squadron, fans at 2018 Home Opener on March 31

Washington Spirit  |   March 14, 2018
Coach’s Corner: Jim Gabarra eager to be back in front of Spirit Squadron, fans at 2018 Home Opener on March 31 Featured Image

Boyds, MD – Saturday May 20, 2017: FC Kansas City defeated the Washington Spirit 1-0 during a regular season National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match at Maureen Hendricks Field, Maryland SoccerPlex.

Boyds, MD (March 14, 2018) – When the Washington Spirit plays its 2018 National Women’s Soccer League home opener on March 31 against the Orlando Pride, Spirit Head Coach and General Manager Jim Gabarra will have waited almost exactly six months since the last time his club got to play at the Maryland SoccerPlex’s Maureen Hendricks Field.

The long wait, which dates back to Washington’s 2017 season finale on September 30 against Seattle Reign FC, will finally conclude at the end of this month when the Spirit hosts Orlando in a highly-anticipated NWSL Game of the Week on Lifetime match-up. Tickets for this year’s Spirit-Pride match-up at the SoccerPlex sold out in 2017 with 5,200 fans in attendance, and this season’s game is expected to sell-out once again. [TICKETS]

“We’re really looking forward to our home opener,” Gabarra said. “Any time we can get back in front of the Spirit Squadron and our loyal fans, and be able to show the quality of players and the quality of the team that we’re going to have here at the SoccerPlex, it’s a great opportunity.”

Washington’s 2018 home opener is expected to mark the professional debut of 2018 NWSL College Draft No. 1 overall pick and U.S. Women’s National Team midfielder Andi Sullivan, as well as No. 3 overall pick and Canadian international Rebecca Quinn. Paired with a core group of key returning players, the Spirit’s re-vamped roster also features newcomers such as: 2017 NWSL Rookie of the Year and USA forward Ashley Hatch; USA defender Taylor Smith; USA midfielder Rose Lavelle and goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe.

[+READ: Rose Lavelle looking forward to year-round chemistry with Washington Spirit, USWNT teammates]

Prior to the home opener on March 31, Washington will travel to the West Coast for a match-up with Seattle Reign FC on March 24. Kickoff for the Spirit’s 2018 regular season opener against Seattle is set for 10 p.m. ET.

“We have an away game at Seattle first, and that’s always a really difficult place to play,” Gabarra said. “There’s a couple teams that have made a lot of changes [in the offseason]. We’re one of them and I think Seattle has as well. We’re really looking forward to the challenge.”

The Spirit will play its final preseason match this Saturday, March 17 against the North Carolina Courage in the first ever NWSL game played in Richmond, VA. The number of tickets out for the game is already approaching 4,000 in total. Tickets are available at RichmondKickers.com. [TICKETS]

Single game tickets for the Spirit’s regular season home games are available now at Tickets.WashingtonSpirit.com or by calling the club’s ticket office at 301-591-0927.

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