The North Carolina Courage drafted Ashley Hatch in 2017 then, after one season, traded her to the Washington Spirit. Since then, the forward has had her fair share of chances to score against her former team, but over 12 shots in eight games, she hadn’t found the back of the net.
That changed Saturday night. Hatch scored twice in the first half, guiding the Spirit to a 2-0 victory over the Courage at Audi Field as she moved into a tie for first place in the National Women’s Soccer League with five goals.
Saturday’s showdown was an opportunity for the Spirit to find out how it stacks up against the league’s best.