Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe named to NWSL Team of the Month

Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe was named to the NWSL Team of the Month for August today. It’s the third time this season Bledsoe has made the list of the league’s top performers as voted on by the NWSL Media Association. In total, eight Spirit players have made Team of the Month lists in 2019.

While a superficial look at Bledsoe’s stats this past month (6 goals conceded in 5 games, only 1 shutout) may point towards other candidates, voters were clearly swayed by Bledsoe’s knack for making difficult saves in crucial moments. Most recently, she had a stellar performance in Washington’s crucial 2-1 win over the Orlando Pride at Audi Field, including big saves late to preserve the one-goal advantage:

Bledsoe also robbed NWSL Player of the Month Christen Press twice in quick succession in a 0-0 draw against Utah Royals FC:

All in all, Bledsoe made 13 saves for the Spirit in August, helping keep them in every game despite a schedule that included every team currently occupying an NWSL playoff spot. With six games left to play, Washington is three points behind Utah for the final postseason berth.