The Washington Spirit aren’t just looking for redemption, they’re looking to make a statement. The National Women’s Soccer League’s No. 2 seed will take on No. 8 NJ/NY Gotham FC in Saturday’s championship game, a year after the Spirit fell to the Orlando Pride in the 2024 iteration of the match. Defenders Kate Wiesner and Paige Metayer are not looking for history to repeat.
“Last year it felt like the final was just the culmination of our season, and we felt so proud to even just make it that far considering everything we had been through,” says Metayer. “This year, we’re just so joyful to be here, and we truly, truly feel that we’ve earned it, and the job’s not done. That’s been the air around the team this year—the job will not be done until we lift that trophy. The whole team has really bought into the idea this year and has found a lot of joy playing together, but has also agreed that [winning the championship] is the goal of the season.”
The Spirit will have a tough battle against Gotham, who may have entered the postseason as the lowest seed, but took down Shield winners Kansas City Current and last year’s champions, Orlando Pride, to make it to the championship. As Gotham midfielder Jaedyn Shaw said after the team’s quarterfinal win, Gotham is certainly “not your typical eighth seed,” and the Spirit players are not taking them for granted.
“In a final, or the playoffs in general, it’s interesting because it’s something bigger, but at the same time you don’t want to make too much of it,” says Metayer. “The way we’re preparing for this game is being very aware of who Gotham are as a team and giving them the respect they deserve, but the focus has been on us and what we can do to give our opponents trouble and also Gotham in particular.”
As for original NWSL teams, the Spirit and Gotham have faced each other 44 times, more than any other pairing in the league. Their 2024 semifinal matchup cemented a budding rivalry between the East Coast sides, and, in addition to being crowned winners, bragging rights are on the line. Both teams have recently won a championship, the Spirit in ’21 and Gotham in ’23, and both are looking to add the second star above their crest.
“There’s obviously a lot of history between our two clubs, even just geographically being so close to each other, which always adds a little bit of juice into the rivalry,” says Wiesner. “We have a ton of respect for Gotham, and I think they have some really incredible individual players and deep talent on their team. Personally, I’m super excited for this matchup.”
For Wiesner, the rivalry aspect is a bonus to a matchup already predicted to be a tactical master class, with Spirit manager Adrián González taking on his fellow Spanish national, Gotham’s manager Juan Carlos Amorós. Wiesner expects the difference-maker in this game will be in the nitty-gritty details—the set pieces, the game plan and the little things that make winners in tight matchups.
“I really do feel that with the way our team is performing, this game is about sticking to our guns and really knowing the things that we can do to succeed, regardless of the opponent,” says Metayer. “There’s obviously a special eye for what they do, but also a large focus on what we can do.”
Metayer and Wiesner are both looking to contribute to Spirit’s efforts on Saturday, both with a bit of extra motivation. For Wiesner, the second-year player earned her first call-up to the U.S. women’s national team this week, reflecting a season of hard work and impact on her club side.
“It’s obviously a huge honor any time you get that national team call-up, and the overwhelming feeling is gratitude for this opportunity,” says Wiesner. “But first and foremost, we’re taking care of business on Saturday. Until Saturday night, the call-up is a little bit in the back of my mind as I try to focus on one thing at a time here. Right now, my full attention is on bringing a championship back home to D.C.”
For Metayer, who missed the first half of the 2025 campaign due to an injury, it would be a storybook ending to cap off the season with the elusive championship win. Her journey back to the pitch coincided with significant changes at the Spirit, but she’s using the foundation she built at the beginning of the year as a learning opportunity.
“This season has felt like I’ve lived 20 different lives, and I think everyone’s kind of feeling that way,” says Metayer. “Kate [Wiesner] was also on the sidelines with an injury for a bit in the beginning of the year, so we kind of share the same feeling that we kind of had half a season, but at the same time, they felt like two completely different worlds.”
The Spirit will be led by González, who took over after Jonatan Giráldez left the team in June to become manager of OL Lyonnes. Since González’s stewardship began, he quickly earned the respect of the Spirit locker room, and as Metayer and Wiesner have experienced, a genuine enjoyment of playing under his leadership.
“He brings a passion and an energy to the group that is unlike anything I’ve ever played for before,” says Wiesner. “His knowledge and passion for what he’s doing, it’s contagious, and it rubs off on the group. He’s a joy to play for, and I think it’s a huge, huge credit to him for our success this year as well.”
With Saturday approaching, the Spirit are finalizing their game plan on the pitch and at the coffee shop. Wiesner is a self-described coffee lover, while Metayer opts for tea, but neither will be missing their morning cup. In fact, the ritual is a key part of many Spirit players’ routines, ensuring they’re at their best both physically and mentally for the big moment on Saturday.
“Coffee is a huge part of our game day ritual and routine, I don’t think I could perform without it,” says Wiesner. “It’s one of those things we just get to enjoy as humans before a really big moment, and it’s grounding and humbling to care about something as simple as a cup of coffee and the people that I get to enjoy it with before you get into this huge, almost otherworldly environment like a championship match. At the end of the day, we’re just a group of humans that really care deeply for each other and enjoy kicking a soccer ball around.”
With fans flying into the Bay Area from Washington, D.C., the players are hoping that a little bit of Rowdy Audi will be present at PayPal Park Saturday night.
“They’re our 12th man, we love playing for Rowdy Audi,” says Metayer, a California native. “This game is also a little extra special for me, just going to college in the Bay Area and being able to connect with some of my alums and different people I’ve met here throughout my college career, so I’m super excited to play here.”
Whatever happens on Saturday night, the Spirit players are ready to fight for their town and give it their all.
“There’s a little extra added confidence and belief around the group going into this game on Saturday,” says Wiesner. “I’m super excited to see how that manifests on the field.”
