Three Players to Watch: Washington Spirit
(image via Washington Spirit)
Each week we’ll be looking more into the Houston Dash’s opponent, talking to media that covers the team, digging into what we can expect from that squad, and in this series, taking a look at three players to watch from the upcoming opponent. The Dash will begin their 2025 NWSL season with a team that will likely contend for trophies this season, the Washington Spirit. The Spirit already have one trophy this year after they made a comeback to beat the Orlando Pride for the NWSL Challenge Cup last week.
Trinity Rodman
Words can’t describe what a game-changer Rodman can be. Part of Triple Espresso with the USWNT, Rodman is hard to contain and can make any opposition feel unprepared. Tied for 6th in the Golden Boot race last year, Trinity will continue to push this team to go deep in the playoffs and make another run to the NWSL Championship. She ran over the Dash’s defense in their last encounter, so she might believe she can do it again if Houston’s defense doesn’t step up. The only thing that could stop her at this point is an injury she has been dealing with, but she should be available for Friday’s match.
Leicy Santos
Santos enters her first full season with the Spirit after making the midseason move from Atletico Madrid. She made a huge impact in the limited 10 games she was a part of last season and will look to build on that in 2025. Now, with a full preseason with the team and off the back of a stellar performance at the NWSL Challenge Cup, scoring a golazo against Orlando, the Spirit will look to Santos to any midfield battles and overrun the best of players. The Dash will need to find a way to limit her time on the ball so they can regain control in the midfield and neutralize the Colombian star.
Tara McKeown
It’s hard to believe that this is McKeown’s third season as a center-back after making the switch from striker to the back line. She has gotten a lot of praise for her defensive ability, recently getting her first cap with the USWNT at the SheBelieves Cup at Shell Energy Stadium. McKeown is strong on the ball and in the air and will be a tough first test for the Houston offense, looking to boost their output after a difficult 2024 season.
