The second place Washington Spirit played their first game after clinching a playoff berth against the last place Houston Dash at Audi Field on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The Spirit controlled the game quite handily, taking 17 shots (8 on goal) to Houston’s 6 (2 on goal) and scoring 3. Ashley Hatch scored a brace, including a penalty kick in the 7th minute and a high kick redirect off a Trinity Rodman assist in the 26th minute. The second goal was Hatch’s 50th career goal (43 of which she has scored for the Spirit). Rodman finished the scoring early in the second half with a strong shot into the side netting past her National Team teammate Jane Campbell in the 46th. Rodman now has 8 goals for the season, which ties her with Ouleye Sarr (who was out with a back injury) for most on the team. Rodman has now moved into a tie with Diana Matheson for second most goals for the Spirit with 23,
The game also saw the debut of centerback Esme Morgan, an English international signed during the summer window. The defender played all 90 minutes.
