Spirit weather early Reign storms in each half for first NWSL win

Washington Spirit  |   May 17, 2013
Spirit weather early Reign storms in each half for first NWSL win Featured Image

The Washington Spirit notched their first franchise win in official National Women’s Soccer League action Thursday night defeating Seattle Reign FC 4-2 in front of 1,011 fans at Starfire Sports Complex Stadium just outside of Seattle, Wash.

Rookie striker Tiffany McCarty notched the game winner in the 56th minute, receiving a deft pass at the top of the box from Canadian international Diana Matheson, turning on two defenders and guiding the winner home into the far netting from 12 yards. It was the second goal of the year for McCarty, the second overall NWSL College Draft pick.

McCarty’s goal broke a 2-2 deadlock created when the Spirit allowed the Reign’s Teresa Noyola a clear header less than two minutes into the second half, which easily floated over a stranded Ashlyn Harris. It was the second goal conceded on the night early in a half, as Seattle opened the game taking a 1-0 lead when Lindsay Taylor side-volleyed in from 18 yards in the 6th minute.

The Spirit spent most of the second half in Seattle’s end, with confidence growing by the minute, but never comfortable sitting on McCarty’s goal. Enter McCarty’s former Florida State teammate Tori Huster, who finished a header off Lori Lindsey’s free kick in the 84th.

It was the second goal of the night created from a Lindsey set piece, as Ali Krieger scored the team’s second goal after Reign goalkeeper Michelle Betos made two strong saves in a row – first on a 19 year free kick from Lindsey, then again on a close range Krieger volley of the rebound. Krieger then tapped in a header alone on the goal line to send the Spirit into halftime up 2-1.

Lindsey’s impressive set piece execution was matched in midfield with Matheson’s now league-leading points production. Deployed in a wide midfield role for the second game in a row, Matheson’s grit, hustle, and technical prowess continue to set the standard in the league.

Long before the 5-foot-1 terror from the Great White North setup McCarty’s game winner, Matheson streaked down the right side to get on the end of a long service from her compatriot roommate Robyn Gayle, calmly controlled at full speed, held off her defender, and then fired a cannon between Betos and the near post that spun into the back of the net. Matheson now leads the league in points, with 10 overall, and is tied with Boston’s Sydney Leroux for the league lead in goals with four.

The Spirit (1-2-3) remain in sixth position in the eight-team league table on six points, but have the chance to move further up the ranks when they travel three hours south to play first-place Portland Thorns FC Sunday at Jeld-Wen Field (5 p.m. ET, broadcast live WashingtonSpirit.com). It will be the only trip to Jeld-Wen this season, which is also home to MLS side Portland Timbers. After two games there for the Thorns so far, the impressive downtown venue is averaging over 13,000 fans, by far the standard barer throughout the world of professional women’s soccer.

 

GOALS
1
2
F
Washington (1-2-3)
2
2
4
Seattle (0-5-1)
1
1
2
SCORING SUMMARY
Goal
1
Time
7
Team
Seattle
GoalScorer
LindsayTaylor
Assists
KristinaLarsen
Note
2
37
Washington
DianaMatheson
3
41
Washington
AliKrieger
4
47
Seattle
TeresaNoyola
ChristineNairn
5
56
Washington
TiffanyMcCarty
6
84
Washington
ToriHuster
LoriLindsey
CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS
Time
Team
##
Player
Card
Reason
63
Washington
11
Ali Krieger
Yellow Card
Tactical Foul
68
Seattle
14
Kristina Larsen
Yellow Card
Persistent Infringement
75
Washington
13
Julia Roberts
Yellow Card
Tactical Foul
83
Seattle
2
Emily Zurrer
Yellow Card
Tactical Foul
SUBSTITUTIONS
Time       Team                                                         OUT                                                                        IN
18            Seattle                                  #4 Kate Deines                                             #2 Emily Zurrer
61            Washington                            #9 Ingrid Wells                                             #10 Caroline Miller
71            Seattle                                  #14 Kristina Larsen                                        #9 Tiffany Cameron
80            Washington                            #14 Tiffany McCarty                                      #24 Jasmyne Spencer
81            Seattle                                  #5 Liz Bogus                                                 #6 Kaylyn Kyle
85            Washington                            #22 Stephanie Ochs                                       # 20 Holly King
SHOTS
1
2
F
Washington
7
7
14
Seattle
7
11
18
SHOTS ON GOAL
1
2
F
Washington
5
4
9
Seattle
4
2
6
SAVES
1
2
F
Washington
2
1
3
Seattle
3
2
5
CORNER KICKS
1
2
F
Washington
2
2
4
Seattle
2
1
3
OFFSIDES
1
2
F
Washington
0
2
2
Seattle
1
2
3
FOULS
1
2
F
Washington
4
5
9
Seattle
7
8
15

Officials:
Referee: KatjaKoroleva
Asst.Referee: Felisha Mariscal; Ray Moffatte Jr
FourthOfficial: Ian Johnson
Attendance:  1011

Washington Player Stats
##
8
Name(*forstarters)
Diana Matheson*
Min
90
G
1
A
0
Sh
2
SOG
1
YC
0
RC
0
CK
0
Off
0
FC
1
FS
3
11
Ali Krieger*
90
1
0
2
2
1
0
0
0
1
1
6
Lori Lindsey*
90
0
1
3
1
0
0
4
0
0
2
1
Ashlyn Harris*
90
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
15
Robyn Gayle*
90
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
23
Tori Huster*
90
1
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
13
Julia Roberts*
90
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
4
Domenica Hodak*
90
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
22
Stephanie Ochs*
85
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
14
Tiffany McCarty*
80
1
0
3
2
0
0
0
0
2
0
9
Ingrid Wells*
61
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
10
Caroline Miller
29
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
1
0
2
24
Jasmyne Spencer
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20
Holly King
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

TEAM TOTAL                                               990         4        1           14               9        2           0          4          2           9         15

 

 

Washington Goalkeeper Stats
##  Name(*forstarters)
Min
GA
Sh
SOG
Sv
D
1      Ashlyn Harris*
90
2
17
5
3
W
TEAM TOTAL
90
2
17
5
3
Seattle Player Stats

 

##
17
Name (*forstarters)
Lindsay Taylor*
Min
90
G
1
A
0
Sh
6
SOG
2
YC
0
RC
0
CK
0
Off
1
FC
2
FS
2
19
Christine Nairn*
90
0
1
3
2
0
0
3
1
2
1
10
Jessica Fishlock*
90
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
18
Michelle Betos*
90
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
Teresa Noyola*
90
1
0
5
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
13
Jenny Ruiz Williams*
90
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
25
Kiersten Dallstream*
90
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
Lauren Barnes*
90
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
1
5
Liz Bogus*
81
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
Emily Zurrer
72
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
0
14
Kristina Larsen*
71
0
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
3
0
9
Tiffany Cameron
19
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
Kate Deines*
18
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
Kaylyn Kyle
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TEAM TOTAL
990
2
2
18
6
2
0
3
3
15
9
SeattleGoalkeeperStats
##  Name(*forstarters)
Min
GA
Sh
SOG
Sv
D
18    Michelle Betos*
90
4
12
7
3
L
TEAMTOTAL                                          90              4            12                 7           3
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