The Washington Spirit aren’t just looking for redemption, they’re looking to make a statement. The National Women’s Soccer League’s No. 2 seed will take on No. 8 NJ/NY Gotham FC in Saturday’s championship game, a year after the Spirit fell to the Orlando Pride in the 2024 iteration of the match. Defenders Kate Wiesner and Paige Metayer are not looking for history to repeat.
“Last year it felt like the final was just the culmination of our season, and we felt so proud to even just make it that far considering everything we had been through,” says Metayer. “This year, we’re just so joyful to be here, and we truly, truly feel that we’ve earned it, and the job’s not done. That’s been the air around the team this year—the job will not be done until we lift that trophy. The whole team has really bought into the idea this year and has found a lot of joy playing together, but has also agreed that [winning the championship] is the goal of the season.”
