This weekend saw a lot of excitement across the NWSL, including the return of Lindsey Heaps to the league—and the Washington Spirit took over at the top of the table.
Heaps, who signed with the Denver Summit in January, played her first game in the league in five years. Per reporting from The IX Sports, the stadium was decorated in part by a Colorado flag that read, “Welcome home, Lindsey”—a fitting tribute for a native of the state.
But Denver wasn’t the only club that had a big weekend. Gotham put in a performance that has the team second in the standings.
Here’s a look at some of the NWLS goings-on of late:
Lindsey Heaps reminded the NWSL who she is
Heaps made her comeback debut this weekend and led the Denver Summit to a 2-1 win over the Portland Thorns—her former team. Heaps, who grew up in Colorado, signed a contract with the Summit in January after playing in France for four years.
“It’s been amazing,” Heaps she told reporters of being back on the pitch. “But again, from afar, it’s been so special to see. I keep saying it, but everything the organization has done—the ownership and from there down—I think we’ve just done it in such a proper way.”
Heaps didn’t actually score in the game, but she assisted Natalie Means’ goal in the 86th minute. Janin Sonis added another point for Denver in stoppage time.
“We asked Lindsey Thursday what she was capable of, what she felt she was capable of, and she just didn’t even answer the question. She just turned around and walked off,” head coach Nick Cushing told reporters on game day. “So, I took that as the whole game and more. But she’s a winner, right? So, I think the most pleasing part or the most inspirational part for ourselves and the fans and me included, is she came here with real purpose today. And this was a real big occasion for her and it meant a lot to her.”
The win puts the Summit close to the playoffs as the NWSL approaches the middle of the season.
Rep The IX Sports at your next game!
Shop the logo collection or special “Women’s Sports are Front Page News” collection now on Shopify.
Gotham soars toward the top of the table
Gotham had a banner weekend, and the team’s two games pushed them right up under the Washington Spirit. Their back-to-back wins over the Washington Spirit and the Seattle Reign showed what the team is capable of.
Gotham followed their 1-0 win over the Spirit with a huge 3-2 defeat of the Reign, something the team pulled off after landing three goals in the last nine minutes of the match.
That effort was led by Esther González and Rose Lavelle, whose goals helped the team achieve a comeback that could be described as cinematic.
“Honestly, I’m at a loss for words for the players and the staff behind the scenes,” head coach Juan Carlos Amorós said after the game.
“Today we already had a big mountain to climb, but the mountain from the moment the players arrived at 9 a.m. got bigger and bigger. … These players never give up. Everyone on the pitch kept fighting and pushing. They want to be champions. They want to win.”
Washington Spirit rules the roost
The Washington Spirit beat back the opposition and made it to the top of the NWSL standings this weekend after a 2-1 road win against the Boston Legacy. The win was the 9th of 15 matches this team has played this season.
The game was locked at 0-0 until the 25th minute, when Tara Rudd scored the Spirit’s first goal with help from Leicy Santos, who kicked the ball in the penalty area. Trinity Rodman landed a second goal only six minutes later.
Though the Legacy attempted a comeback when Emerson Elgin passed the ball to Sammy Smith, who scored the team’s first and only goal of the night.
