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Preview: Washington Spirit Hosts Bay FC in Rematch of 2024 Quarterfinal Friday Night

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Preview: Washington Spirit Hosts Bay FC in Rematch of 2024 Quarterfinal Friday Night


Washington, D.C. (03/27/2025) – The Washington Spirit looks to bounce back this Friday night against Bay FC at Audi Field. Airing on Prime Video, the match will kick off at 8 p.m. EDT.

 

The Spirit

The Spirit heads into the match after a 0-2 loss to the Kansas City Current last weekend. Despite the defeat, the Spirit drew a record-breaking home opener crowd, selling out Audi Field with 19,254 fans in attendance.

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During the match against the Current, the Spirit consistently put shots on goal against Kansas City keeper Lorena but was unable to score. Down 0-1, the Spirit dominated possession throughout the second half with numerous attempts on goal before reigning league MVP Temwa Chawinga put the match away with a stoppage time goal.

Washington enters the match sitting seventh on the NWSL table, the club’s lowest standing since the early stages of 2024. As the team continues to deal with injuries to key players, the Spirit has looked to new places for a spark. Chloe Ricketts, just 17 years old, has started both regular season matches for the Spirit this season while the team is also seeing a significant impact from newcomers Narumi Miura and Rebeca Bernal.

The young season has also seen several key milestones for the Spirit already. Forward Ashley Hatch netted her 54th career regular season goal in the season opener, tying Jess McDonald for fifth-most in league history. Additionally, defender Gabby Carle made her 50th regular season appearance last Saturday while midfielder Miura can make her 50th appearance tomorrow.

 

The Opponent

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During Bay FC’s inaugural season in 2024,  Head Coach Albertin Montoya led the club to 11 regular season wins and an NWSL Playoff appearance. Since then, the club has has signed three-time All-American midfielder Hannah Bebar and ACC Offensive Player of the Year Karlie Lema. Under Coach Montoya, Bay FC gained 11 regular-season wins.

Bay current sits second on the NWSL table, having drawn the Utah Royals in the season opener then beating Racing Louisville FC 2-0 last weekend. Joelle Anderson and Lema both scored for Bay to secure the win.

 

All-Time Series History

The Spirit has a 3-0-0 record against Bay FC with the last meeting between the sides being the NWSL quarterfinal match at Audi Field. In the first-ever DC meeting between the teams last March, Spirit standout midfielder Croix Bethune opened her professional account by scoring the game-winner late in second half stoppage time. With two 2-1 wins for the Spirit over Bay FC at Audi Field, the team will put its unblemished record to the test on Friday night.

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After Friday’s match, the Spirit and Bay FC won’t meet again for another five months. Bay FC will host Washington at PayPal Park on Saturday, August 23 at 4 p.m. EDT.





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Washington Spirit Names Kim Bolt Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer

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Washington Spirit Names Kim Bolt Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer


Bolt transitions into role after driving impact as Fractional CMO earlier this season

Washington, D.C. (12/15/2025)The Washington Spirit today announced the appointment of Kim Bolt as Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, a newly created executive role that reflects the club’s continued evolution into a high-performance, growth-oriented organization.

Bolt transitions into the role after joining the Spirit earlier this season as Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, where she played a key role in strengthening the club’s marketing strategy, analytics foundation and demand-generation efforts during a pivotal stretch of the year. 

In her expanded role, Bolt will oversee Marketing, Communications, Brand, Strategy and Analytics, with a mandate to build a modern, data-driven commercial engine that accelerates fan growth, deepens engagement, elevates the Spirit’s brand and supports the club’s long-term ambitions on and off the pitch. 

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With more than 20 years of marketing and strategy leadership across technology, fitness and sports, Bolt brings deep experience scaling mission-driven brands. Her career includes senior leadership roles at Google, Lyft, Under Armour and Disney, as well as serving as Chief Marketing Officer of the Washington Nationals. An expert in marketing technology centered around fan data, Bolt has also advised League One Volleyball and served as Fractional CMO for OnDeck Partners, an Avenue Sports Fund portfolio company focused on minor league baseball. 

“As we evolve from a team that wins into an organization built for sustained excellence, Kim’s experience and mindset are exactly what we need,” said Kim Stone, CEO of the Washington Spirit. “She understands this market, this moment and the scale of the opportunity in front of us. Her global brand experience, strategic rigor and early impact with our organization strengthen the foundation we’re building and position us for long-term, sustainable growth.” 

A former youth soccer player, Bolt was drawn to the sports industry by her belief in its unique ability to create emotional connection and lifelong memories, a passion shaped early by her family’s love of the game. Throughout her career, Bolt has championed a leadership style grounded in empathy, resilience and accountability. She is committed to supporting women in sports and business and believes high performance and personal balance can, and should, coexist.  

“The first time my daughters came to a Spirit match, they memorized the roster and their eyes lit up when they saw a player who looked like them,” said Bolt. “That was the moment I knew I wanted to be part of this organization. Having worked closely with the team this season, I’ve seen firsthand the ambition, the talent and the opportunity ahead. I’m honored to step into this role and help build a brand and growth engine that matches the excellence we’re striving for on the field.”

Bolt resides in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband, three children and two dogs. She holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania as well as a master’s degree in Communications and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cornell University. As the Spirit’s first Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Bolt will lead the club through the offseason and into the 2026 season, helping shape the next chapter of the organization’s growth.

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About The Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012, and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.





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Residents clean up, assess damage after waters recede from Washington state flooding

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Residents clean up, assess damage after waters recede from Washington state flooding


Receding waters allowed residents of Burlington, Washington, to assess damage and clean up after record flooding. (AP video: Manuel Valdes)

Receding waters allowed residents of Burlington, Washington, to assess damage and clean up after record flooding. (AP video: Manuel Valdes)

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New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders: Behind Enemy Lines

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New York Giants vs. Washington Commanders: Behind Enemy Lines


The New York Giants (2-11) and Washington Commanders (3-10) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 15 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Opening the week, the Giants were listed as 1.5-point home favorites, but that line has shifted slightly with New York now at -2.5 as of this writing.

With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Commanders Wire managing editor Bryan Manning.

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Is Daniel Snyder back in charge? Explain the fall from NFC Championship Game to 3-10.

Manning: There have been so many factors in Washington’s fall this year. The year they’re having right now is probably the one everyone expected a year ago. The roster was in bad shape due to Ron Rivera whiffing on four drafts, but GM Adam Peters needs more from his draft picks. Is it coaching? We’ve already seen the DC “reassigned.” Injuries have played a role. Look, I saw questions on this roster before the injuries, but they haven’t helped. Daniels being in and out of the lineup hasn’t helped. McLaurin holding out over the summer really changed things. When you add it all together, it’s the perfect storm of terrible.

It’s been an odd season for Jayden Daniels, who is now out on Sunday. What have you seen from him in Year 2, and what do you expect from him moving forward?

Jayden has been let down a bit by the team. If anyone watched him last year, they’d know he was the reason this team won 12 games and made it to the NFC championship. He erased deficits. No third down was too long. He was automatic on fourth downs. However, McLaurin’s holdout, Noah Brown being out for so long, and Austin Ekeler’s injury crushed the offense. A rotating cast of wide receivers, often called up from the practice squad, has hampered the offense. The injuries were more bad luck than anything. And I believe Jayden could play through them, outside of the initial elbow injury. This offseason should be about finding a 1B to McLaurin’s 1A.

What does the loss of Zach Ertz mean for Washington’s offense, especially with Marcus Mariota under center?

Losing Ertz hurts. While he had some issues with drops at times, and he was no longer a threat after the catch, the quarterbacks trusted Ertz. He consistently gets open, even at 35. A great leader, and he’s still a productive player. His shoes are big. The hope is Ben Sinnott can be the guy. I am not confident he is ready to do some of the things Ertz did. Mariota, like Daniels, always trusts Ertz on third downs and inside the red zone.

Jonathan Jones and Bobby Wagner are banged up. What do they mean to the defense, and who steps in if they can’t go on Sunday?

Jones missed a lot of time earlier this season. When he returned, the Commanders lost Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos for the season. Jones is a solid veteran who can play inside and outside, and Washington doesn’t have a lot of cornerback depth now. The defense has stunk regardless of who has played in the secondary, so I am not sure we will notice much. Wagner is still a solid player, but teams wisely attack him in the passing game. That’s his weakness now as a 14th-year pro. He is still excellent against the run or as a blitzer. But he’s a massive liability in coverage. Jordan Magee has played a lot lately, but I would like to see him play the MIKE one entire game in place of Wagner, just to see what he can do.

How do you see Sunday’s game playing out, who wins, and what’s the final score?

These games are always crazy. I feel like it’s always the Giants and Commanders fighting for draft position late in the season. It’s unfortunate for both franchises. While I still like the future outlook for both teams, this game is for nothing more than who will pick higher in the draft. Although the players do not care. The Giants are playing better. Sure, the wins haven’t come, but they will on Sunday. Another close one, but New York wins, 24-20.

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