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Shorthanded Spirit ends regular season with low-key defeat

Washington falls at Utah, 1-0, and next will host Racing Louisville in the opening round of the playoffs next weekend.

November 2, 2025 at 8:53 p.m. EST

Paige Monaghan, right, scored in the fourth minute, and the goal held up as the Royals beat the Spirit, 1-0, in the regular season finale for both teams. (Aaron Baker/Imagn Images)

On paper, the Washington Spirit’s 1-0 loss to the Utah Royals on Sunday to end the regular season was without consequence.

While other teams around the NWSL spent the season’s final day playing for playoff spots, neither side at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, had anything on the line.