Ashley Hatch scored her sixth goal of the season as the Washington Spirit defeated the host Seattle Reign 2-1 Friday night in a National Women’s Soccer League match.
Croix Bethune also scored for the Spirit (6-3-1, 19 points), who improved to 5-0-0 on the road.
Shae Holmes tallied for Seattle (4-4-2, 14 points), which was outshot 17-7, including a 4-2 edge in attempts on target.
Hatch’s goal off a counterattack in the 35th minute broke a 1-all tie. Gift Monday took a long pass down the left wing and dribbled into the penalty area before sending a cross to Hatch, who redirected the ball into the net from 3 yards out. Hatch is third in the NWSL in goals, trailing Orlando’s Barbra Banda and Gotham FC’s Esther Gonzalez.
Bethune opened the scoring in the 11th minute on a similar play. Casey Krueger’s cross from outside the top left corner of the 18-yard box took one bounce off the turf before Bethune outmuscled a defender to poke the ball into the net from close range.
The Reign tied the score in the 17th minute. Madison Curry’s cross from the right wing pinballed off three Washington defenders before falling to Holmes at the top of the 6-yard box near the far post. Holmes lifted a left-footed shot over charging goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.
Seattle nearly tied it in the 85th minute on Jess Fishlock’s header off a corner kick, but Kingsbury got a hand on the ball and it deflected off defender Tara McKeown along the goal line.
The Spirit had a goal called back in the seventh minute after Monday tapped a rebound into the net following a leaping, one-handed save by Seattle goalie Claudia Dickey. A video review determined Monday was offside on the play.
–Field Level Media
