Shortly after she walked out on stage in front of an excited crowd of youth soccer players that had crammed into the ballroom at Gaithersburg Marriott Washington Center, Megan Rapinoe pretended she was going to leave and take advantage of the open bar that had just been announced for parents in attendance.
"Nooo, we have a game tomorrow!" Rapinoe said, sitting down as the crowd laughed.
Rapinoe and USWNT players Rose Lavelle, Mallory Pugh, Allie Long and Washington Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan indeed have an important match Saturday at Audi Field, where Rapinoe and Long’s club, Reign FC, face off against the Spirit as both teams battle for a spot in the playoffs.