Joanna Lohman, the Washington Spirit’s most experienced player who enjoyed a terrific 2016 season, tore her left anterior cruciate ligament in the National Women’s Soccer League opener Saturday. She is the fourth member from last year’s finalists in the past eight months to suffer the same serious knee injury.
Lohman, a Silver Spring native, was hurt in the 19th minute of the Spirit’s 1-0 defeat to the North Carolina Courage at Maryland SoccerPlex. She remained in the match for several minutes before departing. Lohman, 34, will undergo surgery in a few weeks and seems certain to miss the remainder of the season.