'Ally's a baller': Washington holds off Utah's second-half surge, despite Sentnor's stunning strike
Rookie forward Ally Sentnor scored a goal for the second straight match in the Utah Royals' 2-1 loss to Washington at Audi Field.
Through three games, Utah Royals FC is building a reputation as a fit, possession-oriented club capable of finding a little bit of magic through a potential rising star in Ally Sentnor or from captain Paige Monaghan on the wing.
The Royals, it seems, are never really out of a game.
Even in a loss.
Andi Sullivan scored from the penalty spot, and Ouleymata Sarr finished what ended up being the game-winning goal in the first half as the Washington Spirit took all three points at home with a 2-1 win over Utah Royals FC on Easter Sunday at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
Sentnor scored a goal for the second straight match for Utah (1-2-0, 3 points), which will observe a short league-wide international break until April 12 for the United States-hosted #SheBelieves Cup.
“Ally’s a baller,” said fellow rookie Olivia Griffiths, the Eagle, Idaho native who made her starting debut Sunday for the Royals. “We’re really good friends, so it’s fun to see her shine and show off what she can do. I don’t like to defend her in practice, so I’m glad I don’t have to (in a game).”
Indeed, the U.S. youth international who just turned 20 years old has already scored two goals on seven shots in her first three games since being drafted No. 1 overall out of North Carolina.
She’s also finding a sweet spot on the field — right around the edge of the 18-yard box — if her first two professional goals are any indicator.
“If you give her half a yard or half a step outside the box, her shot is so lethal,” Utah coach Amy Rodriguez said of the former Sports Illustrated SportsKid of the Year. “Even with a deflection, the ball still went in. It’s just that lethal.”
One week after Imani Dorsey was sidelined for the season with an Achilles’ tendon rupture in the Royals’ 2-1 win over North Carolina, Griffitts drew her first professional start at outside back on Utah’s road trip to the nation’s capitol.
“It was something I’ve dreamed of since I was little. I’m excited to keep growing,” Griffitts said. “Obviously the players are faster and stronger, and being able to raise my level of play is what I’m going to be expected to do.”
But the former BYU standout fouled Croix Bethune in the area in the 18th minute, and Sullivan stepped to the spot to convert and give the Spirit a 1-0 advantage.
After a lengthy video review that left Dana Foederer with a yellow card for a late challenge in midfield, Trinity Rodman whipped in a cross to Sarr, whose header into the top shelf doubled Washington’s advantage in the 30th minute.
Washington took a 2-0 lead into the second half after 13 minutes of first-half stoppage time. It was an unusual amount, a number aided by two trips to video review and a penalty kick, in addition to the usual stoppages that account for added time.
Besides, 13 is Taylor Swift’s lucky number — and the same amount of stoppage time Real Salt Lake saw a night earlier in a 3-1 win over St. Louis City SC.
“Honestly, I was kind of excited,” Sentnor said of the extended minutes. “I thought that gave us more time to let us get back in the game.
“Any minutes on the clock when you’re down are important minutes.”
Added Rodriguez of the lengthy stoppage time: “I’ve never seen that before. We tried to estimate about 10 minutes, but I never would have thought 13 … In some ways, extra time can be useful. But it can also drag out the game.”
But the extra time also gave the Royals 2.0 expansion side playing its first road match since 2020 time to find more possession and build more into the attack.
Indeed, Utah is proving to be a team that just simply won’t go away.
“We had nothing to lose,” Griffitts said.
Sentnor pulled one back after a series of dangerous attempts, netting the second goal of the rookie’s pro career from Foederer off her right foot that took a slight deflection before finding the corner of the net in the 71st minute.
Foederer nearly equalized in the 76th minute, taking a ball off an inside cut from second-half sub Brecken Mozingo before ripping two shots at close range that Aubrey Kingsbury did well to earn consecutive saves.
Washington out-shot Utah 17-13, but the Royals matched the hosts with six shots on target apiece and edging the Spirit with 60% of possession before the hosts held on to collect all three points and improve to 2-1 on the season.
“It’s something Amy has instilled in us ever since we got here,” Griffitts said of the second half. “She wanted us to be the fittest, toughest team in the league.”
Utah will host winless Orlando (0-0-3) on April 12 at 7:30 p.m. MT in a Friday night match streamed live on NWSL+.