Legacy fall to Washington Spirit despite late goal from Sammy Smith
Pawtucket, RI (July 19, 2026) - The Legacy fell 2-1 to the Washington Spirit Sunday night, ending a three-game unbeaten streak.
The Legacy looked to strike early, with Nichelle Prince driving in a cross in the 3’ that skated past everyone across the face of the goal. Washington pressed high through the first minutes of the game, while Boston stayed patient and settled into rhythm.
The Spirit found the back of the net in the 25’ when a cross from the corner of the box was headed into the far post by Tara Rudd. The Legacy answered with a chance to equalize in the 29’, sending a cross into Aïssata Traoré at the near post, but her header was just off target. The visitors doubled their lead in the 31’ on a through ball slipped in behind the back line for Trinity Rodman, who beat Casey Murphy one-on-one to put the Spirit up 2-0.
Boston facilitated several more opportunities to close out the half, including a one-touch from Traoré in traffic that sailed just over the crossbar, and a stoppage time strike from Bianca St-Georges that drifted outside the post.
Traoré kicked off the second half for the Legacy with a 46’ minute strike that found the hands of Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver. In the 53’, St-Georges was issued a yellow card. In the 59’, Sammy Smith entered the game to replace Ella Stevens.
In the 65’, Traoré received the ball behind Washington’s back line and slipped it into the six-yard box for an oncoming Nichelle Prince, who collided with MacIver before she could finish.
Boston made another substitution in the 72’, replacing Prince with Amanda Gutierres. The Legacy generated another chance to get on the board with a 73’ set piece from Alba Caño, which created numerous looks in Washington’s box but was eventually cleared.
In the 87’, a long ball over the top of Washington’s back line led to Sammy Smith winning a footrace with MacIver and sliding the ball into the far post to cut the deficit to 1. Following the goal, Boston made their last substitution, sending Aleigh Gambone in for Caño in the 89’. The Legacy played out the final minutes of the game with urgency but ultimately ran out of time to find an equalizer.
Starting XI: Casey Murphy, Emerson Elgin, Bianca St-Georges, Jorelyn Carabali, Annie Karich, Alba Caño, Barbara Olivieri, Lilly Reale, Ella Stevens, Nichelle Prince (C), Aïssata Traoré
Substitutes: Hannah Stambaugh, Laurel Ivory, Laurel Ansbrow, Deja Davis, Nicki Hernandez, Aleigh Gambone, Amanda Gutierres, Sammy Smith, Amanda Allen
BY THE NUMBERS
Attendance: 10,101
Shots: Boston Legacy 11, Washington Spirit 7
Shots on goal: Boston Legacy 3, Washington Spirit 3
Corner Kicks: Boston Legacy 1, Washington Spirit 2
Fouls: Boston Legacy 10, Washington Spirit 11
Yellow Cards: Boston Legacy 1, Washington Spirit 2
Red Cards: None
Saves: Boston Legacy 1, Washington Spirit 2
UP NEXT
The Legacy return to Centreville Bank Stadium on Saturday, July 25, where they will face the Kansas City Current for the second time this season.
About Boston Legacy Football Club
Boston Legacy FC is the 15th team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), currently playing its inaugural season at Gillette Stadium and Centreville Bank Stadium. Founded and led by women, the club is committed to creating a home for the greatest female athletes of our time, building upon the supercharged legacy of Boston’s historic sports teams, cultivating a community of fans with impact at its core, and forging new connections across our city through sport. For more information, please visit bostonlegacyfc.com or its social media platforms – LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (X), Tiktok, Bluesky, Facebook
