Photo copyright John Hefti-Imagn Images
The Washington Spirit picked up their first win of the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League season on Sunday, defeating Bay FC 2–0 in a match that felt more controlled than the scoreline alone might suggest.
After a slow start to the season, Washington looked composed throughout the match on Sunday. They dictated possession and created more chances, outshooting Bay 20-6, with 10 of those shots on goal, compared to one from the home side.
The breakthrough came just before the hour mark in an unfortunate fashion for Bay FC. A defensive sequence unraveled into a costly own goal when goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz came out of her box to clear a poorly weighted back pass. As she was pressured by a pair of Spirit attackers, Silkowitz’s clearance deflected off of Bay defender Brooklyn Courtnall and sailed into her own net.
From there, the Spirit continued to press, and their depth made the difference late on. Substitute Gift Monday proved decisive, finding the back of the net in the 86th minute just minutes after entering the match. Monday knocked in a rebound spilled by Silkowitz after blocking a shot from Trinity Rodman.
While Rodman was active throughout and helped drive the attack, she was held off the scoresheet for another match. She is still looking for her first goal of the 2026 season. Even so, Washington showed encouraging signs of balance, generating offense without relying solely on their star forward.
The result gives the Spirit a timely boost heading into the international break, with multiple players off to join their respective national teams.
