The Equalizer’s Year in Review — Part 3 – Equalizer Soccer

Photo Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images

As 2025 winds down, The Equalizer finishes its look back at the moments that made the year memorable. Part 3 highlights three more events that left a lasting mark on women’s soccer, both on and off the field.

Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2!

Trinity Rodman scores in her return for the Spirit

For all the discourse and genuinely impactful policy changes centered around Trinity Rodman’s career this year, she wasn’t a huge factor on the field for the second-place Washington Spirit. She appeared in only 15 regular-season games and missed the quarterfinal. But, being the star she is, she still delivered one of the most memorable moments of the season. 

Rodman’s longest absence was due to back pain that had been nagging her for years. In April, the Spirit announced that she’d be taking an undetermined amount of time off to treat the issue. She wanted to address it as thoroughly as possible, and it made sense to do so this year, as it didn’t have a major international tournament. 

The months rolled by, with no sign of her return to play, and fans itched to see her back on the pitch. The long-anticipated moment finally happened on Aug. 3, in Washington’s first game after the summer break. Gift Monday had put the team up over the Portland Thorns in the first half, but Olivia Moultrie notched an equalizer just before halftime. The fans at Audi Field, known for their general passion and their adoration of Rodman specifically, were getting restless. It was the first game Rodman was available in months. At long last, 76 minutes into the match, newly appointed head coach Adrián González sent his star back into the loving embrace of the crowd.