WASHINGTON CITY PAPER: The Washington Spirit's Guide to D.C.

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WASHINGTON CITY PAPER: The Washington Spirit’s Guide to D.C.

Washington Spirit | August 28, 2026

Hal Hershfelt and Tara Rudd of the Washington Spirit. Photo courtesy of the Washington Spirit

Hal Hershfelt celebrates a goal. Photo courtesy of the Washington Spirit

Tara Rudd celly. Photo courtesy of Washington Spirit

Gabby Carle (right) and teammates celebrate a goal at the Washington Spirit game against Bay FC at Oracle Park on August 23, 2025, in San Francisco, Calif. (© Breanna Biorato/Washington Spirit)

Esme Morgan (second from left) and teammates celebrate. Photo courtesy of the Washington Spirit

Andi Sullivan (center) with teammates. Photo courtesy of the Washington Spirit

Ashley Hatch (right) with teammates. Photo courtesy of the Washington Spirit

Kate Wiesner (center) with teammates. Photo courtesy of the Washington Spirit

Full article by Gail O’Hara at Washington City Paper available HERE

As our local NWSL team gears up for Sunday’s game, we asked some players to share their favorite things to do, eat, and experience in the DMV.

The Washington Spirit, your beloved local National Women’s Soccer League team, was one of the league’s original groups, founded in 2012 and launched in 2013. They’ve reached the NWSL Championship, which takes place at Audi Field this year, four times, and won it in 2021. Along with U.S. Women’s National Team star Trinity Rodman (the celly queen), the team features six African players, two Italians, and a host of other international players.

But who are the players off the field and what do they love about D.C.? City Paper spoke to nearly a dozen Spirit members, including USWNT players Tara Rudd, Hal Hershfelt, and Andi Sullivan, to find out their favorite spots to hike, eat, and chill. Spoiler alert: They love Georgetown, carbs, and winning. (Oh and also, a celly is a goal celebration you perform after scoring!)

Hal Hershfelt, #17, midfielder

Hometown: Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Best Spirit game memory: 2024 semifinal, nail biter vs Gotham.
Signature celly: Run around like a crazy person (I never have a celly plan)
Sign: Libra
Lucky item: Bag charm my brother gave me a while ago, it’s the little octopus guy from Coraline
Pregame meal: Pedialyte and chicken noodle soup
Favorite neighborhood: Adams Morgan
D.C. place that makes you feel at home: Audi (duh)
Favorite restaurant: Perry’s Sushi
Favorite coffee/tea/cocktail: Flat white/ Earl Grey/ Hugo spritz
Best place to hike or see nature: Shenandoah
Who is the team comedian? Rose Kouassi

Tara Rudd, #9, defender

Hometown: Newbury Park, California
Best Spirit game moment/memory: Winning the NWSL championship in 2021 as a rookie
Signature celly: A jump with a fist pump (insert photo 🤣)
Sign: Cancer
Lucky item: Engagement ring
Pregame meal: Pasta and Meat Sauce
Favorite neighborhood: Georgetown
Favorite restaurant: Raw Omakase in DC
Favorite coffee/tea/cocktail: Vanilla Latte and a dirty martini
Who is the team comedian? TR squared (aka Tara and Trinity Rodman)

Sandy MacIver, #18, goalkeeper

Hometown: Winsford, England
Best Spirit game memory: Penalty shootout win over Louisville at Audi in 2025 playoff quarterfinals.
Pregame ritual: Before kickoff I touch the crossbar with each hand, step back and forth over the goal line, then the 6 yard box line, and then go back and touch the crossbar with both hands.
Favorite neighborhood: Georgetown/The Wharf
D.C. place that makes you feel at home: Georgetown
Favorite restaurant: Sushi Gaku
Favorite coffee, tea, cocktail: Yorkshire Tea (Yorkshire Gold if I’m feeling bougie)
Best place to hike or see nature: Great Falls
Who is the team comedian? Ez (Esme Morgan)

Gabrielle “Gabby” Carle, #14, defender

Best Spirit game memory: Coming back from being 1-0 down to win the 2024 semifinal in PKs. Bonus point because it was against Gotham.
Signature celly: I don’t really have a signature celly, but I do tend to raise both arms in the air when we score.
Sign: Libra
Pregame meal: I always make crepes before home games.
D.C. place that makes you feel at home: Audi Field (it is home)
Favorite restaurant: I love sushi! My favorite sushi restaurant in DC is Zeppelin
Favorite coffee/tea/cocktail: I enjoy a lavender iced latte.
Best place to hike or see nature: So many good hiking spots around the DMV, but my favorite one is Harper’s Ferry.
Who is the team comedian? Hal [Hershfelt] could pick up stand-up if she ever wanted a career switch up.

Esme Morgan, #24, defender

Andi Sullivan, #12, midfielder

Hometown: Lorton, Virginia
Best Spirit game memory: The final whistle to win the final in 2021, although our playoff wins at Audi the last two seasons are up there as well.
Signature celly: I don’t score very often, so when I do I usually just start running and screaming kind of scarily.
Sign: Sagittarius
Lucky item: I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious … If I had to say something, I’d probably say my sports bra and spandex for the game.
Pregame ritual or meal or beverage: Home or away, I always have pancakes for the meal a few hours before the match.
D.C. place that makes you feel at home: I haven’t actually been in a long time, but I love driving by the National Museum of the American Indian. It just brings me back to my childhood and going into the city for field trips. That is always the one of the first museums I picture in my head when talking about the Smithsonian.
Favorite restaurant: Chloe is one of my favorites—particularly their Summer Potato Gnocchi.
Favorite coffee, tea, cocktail: A latte from Yellow, of course, accompanied by a breakfast egg pita.
Best place to hike or see nature: I’d recommend getting out of the city for that … but a little stop at Teddy Roosevelt Island doesn’t hurt.
Who is the team comedian? We have so many funny people with their different ways to make us all laugh … but I’d have to say Tara or Hal.

Ashley Hatch, #33, forward

Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona
Best Spirit game memory: Winning the 2021 NWSL Championship
Signature celly: The Catwalk pose that my teammates made me do last season against Bay [FC] at home.
Sign: Gemini
Lucky item: Blue pre-wrap headband
Pregame meal: Pasta the night before
Favorite neighborhood: The Wharf
D.C. place that makes you feel at home: Audi & DC Scores Fields and Schools
Favorite restaurant: L’Ardente for a fancy meal and Surfside for a casual meal
Best place to hike or see nature: W & OD Trail
Who is the team comedian? Gift Monday

Paige Metayer, #26, defender

Hometown: Irvine, California
Sign: like star sign? Libra.
Lucky item: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s lucky, but I have a necklace that I wear almost every day. It has a few charms on it from when I was a child (including a gold soccer ball).
Pregame ritual or meal or beverage: Car pasta. Pretty self-explanatory but I usually eat a bowl of pasta while driving to Audi for home games.
Favorite neighborhood: Does the Jefferson Memorial count? For some reason she really gets me.
Favorite restaurant: Whipped Sheep’s Cheese from Barcelona Wine Bar or Ramen from Daikaya
Best place to hike or see nature: I haven’t been in a while (why do you have to be closed Mondays urghh) but the grounds of the Hillwood Estate are super pretty!
Who is the team comedian? Sofi (Sofia Cantore) makes me laugh a lot. She’s just a silly gal.

Kate “Weezy” Wiesner, #6, defender

Hometown: Monrovia, California
Best Spirit game memory: Every home playoff game from 2024-25 seasons, can’t pick one, they were all epic.
Signature celly: No thoughts, just hugs and wild arm waving
Lucky item: Ballers in God socks
Pregame meal: Pasta, pasta, pasta
Favorite neighborhood: Georgetown
D.C. place that makes you feel at home: The patio at Big Bear Cafe
Favorite restaurant: Chopped Italian sandwich at Grazie Grazie
Favorite coffee, tea, cocktail: Flat White at Maman
Best place to hike or see nature: Harper’s Ferry or Billy Goat Trail
Who is the team comedian? Sofia Cantore

Kaylie Collins, #31, goalkeeper

Hometown: Clayton, California
Best Spirit game memory: Last year’s quarterfinal penalty shootout.
Sign: I’m a Taurus. And an Aquarius moon. And a Leo rising.
Pregame ritual: Coffee is probably the only true constant in my game day routine. If we’re home, I like to make myself a flat white in the morning after breakfast (I’m working hard on my latte art) and probably another small shot in the afternoon. On the road, I love getting my coffee teammates together to try new shops. It’s less about the caffeine, and more about the ritual and little moment of calm and connecting.
Favorite neighborhood: I love Mount Pleasant! I had a friend recommend Martha Dear, and now I keep going back. Sunday market, close to Rock Creek, Ellē, Purple Patch (!) …. It’s perfect. But I would finish the day over on 18th Street. Probably some of my favorite dinner restaurants and evening vibes over there (Lapis! Perry’s!!!).
D.C. place that makes you feel at home: Dare I say … Solace Outpost? One guest bartending job and I felt like I was home. Tip your bartenders!
Favorite restaurant: Chili Wontons from Astoria. That is all.
Favorite coffee, tea, cocktail: The Coffee Bar is my favorite coffee shop … no nonsense, fairly priced with above average coffee, outdoor seating to read and chat… this place feels easy and welcoming and I just always come back to it.
Best place to hike or see nature: I love Rock Creek Park. Any time I can go make a day out of a Ellē pastry and a rock creek nature walk is a great day.
Who is the team comedian? Trinity [Rodman] is always goofing around and will always make me laugh. But then so will Sofia [Cantore]. And Rebe [Bernal]. And ROSE [Kouassi]. And pretty much everyone else. We’ve got a funny team.

The Washington Spirit face Bay FC at 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 30, at 12:30 p.m. at Audi Field. washingtonspirit.com. It’s also the team’s first-ever Hello Kitty® Day with themed activities and the first 5,000 fans will receive a reversible “Spirit in Bloom” Hello Kitty® bucket hat.

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