By Shannon Duffy
Washingtonspirit.com
Boyds, MD (6/26/19) – The Washington Spirit Reserves defeated Loudoun 1-0 Wednesday night to add to an impressive winning streak.
With the win, the Spirit Reserves now have 9 points through 3 games, and sit in sole possession of first place in the CCL Pro23 standings.
It was a tight game to start, with the Spirit holding most of the possession and Loudoun staying strong and compact defensively. After struggling to break through in the first half, the reserves squad was able to solve the pressure in the second half with quick combination play. The offensive adjustment ultimately led to a Spirit goal in the 78th minute, scored by Emma Van Der Vorst and assisted by Donish Henry.
While the reserves’ offense recorded 23 shots, the team’s defense limited Loudoun to very few opportunities on goal. When the opponent did break through, goalkeeper Shelby Money was there to intercept several crosses and keep Loudoun off the score sheet. The strong defensive effort earned the Spirit Reserves its third shutout in as many games.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, forward Emma Van Der Vorst said, “I think we played well with combination play. It’s just now in the attacking third that we need to make sure we pass the ball around and score more goals.”
The Spirit Reserves will look to maintain their perfect record this Sunday at 2 p.m. against Lee Mount Vernon at Stone Ridge High School in Bethesda, MD.
Scoring Summary
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
| WAS | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| LOU | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minute | Team | Scored by: | Assisted by: |
| 78’ | WAS | Van Der Vorst | Henry |